Category Archives: Scenic

Rarities at Horse Lake


A frozen Horse Lake reflects the pink light near sunrise at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

It rarely gets cold enough in the valley to freeze even the shallow lakes at Ridgefield. This sunrise is equally rare, the sun is just about to crest the hills to my left.

I spent most of my time at Horse Lake this winter watching wigeon, pintails, ring-necks, and a juvenile heron that often worked the water’s edge. But I couldn’t resist a scenic picture when I saw the shallow lake had frozen and was reflecting the colors of the sunrise. It wasn’t until a long while later while playing around with the image on my iPhone that I wished I had also switched to my telephoto lens to isolate the distant shore.

It’s so easy and fun to play around with composition on the iPhone and iPad, I wish I had them when I was first getting started in photography many years ago, but better late than never.


A frozen Horse Lake reflects the pink light near sunrise at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

A heavy crop of the picture above shows what I wish I had taken with my telephoto lens.


A frozen Horse Lake reflects the pink light near sunrise at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

A wider shot of Horse Lake, where in the past I haven't spent much time since it is the first lake on the auto tour and attracts a lot of visitors. It's more of a large pond than a small lake, but this winter I spent a lot of time there and came away with a number of nice pictures.

Japan

A lone cherry tree blossoms in the East Garden of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo

My mind turns to Japan at this time of year as soon as I see a cherry tree in the neighborhood start to bloom. I visited Tokyo six years ago on a business trip, unfortunately a week or two too early for the full bloom of the cherry trees. Nevertheless I had one free day on my own which I spent wandering the grounds of the Imperial Palace, delighted to at last find a tree blossoming in the East Garden, even if it was not the traditional cherry.

My heart aches for the people suffering from the earthquake and tsunami, I pray healing follows tragedy as spring follows winter.

Boolie vs. the iPhone


Oak trees in Portland's Irving Park on a foggy night in the fall

Old oak trees on a foggy night in the fall in Portland's Irving Park

Even though Irving Park is only a few blocks from our house, I never set foot in the park the first six years we lived here. But since adopting Ellie two years ago, I’ve visited daily during our walks. But during those two years I never took one picture. Not a single one!

A few weeks back while walking Ellie I was struck by the beauty of the old oak trees on a foggy fall night and wished I had brought along my camera. Then I remembered I had an always-with-you camera in my pocket and pulled out my iPhone. Its tiny sensor doesn’t do well in low light — which unfortunately is my favorite light to shoot in — but I’d rather have these pictures than none at all.

The next few posts will contain some pictures taken with the iPhone. It’s not good enough to make me forget about my big camera, but it has reignited my desire to take a camera with me more often. May be time to get a small camera bag to complement my shoulder bag. Maybe a small camera too.


A basketball court in Portland's Irving Park on a foggy night in the fall

Hoop Dreams


Portland's Irving Park on a foggy night in the fall

While on our walk Ellie suddenly started barking into the night. I couldn't understand why until I noticed the lights of this spaceship hovering over the horizon. Unfortunately the aliens that emerged were rather small and hedgehog-shaped. First contact did not go so well.

Ripples at Rest

Ripples on the surface of Rest Lake created by coots diving under the water at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

The end of one year and the start of the next offered a dazzling display of wildlife subjects, but the third day of the new year was quiet and the animals distant. At first disappointed, I soon matched my mood to the day and enjoyed the subtle moments. As I watched coots diving under Rest Lake to feed below, I was struck by the pattern of light dancing across the ripples and turned my lens from birds to water.

I certainly didn’t have pictures like this in mind when I bought the big lens, but it was the right tool to capture this unexpected beauty.