tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12195493441441307032024-02-08T02:42:07.116-08:00ShalamarImages Landscape PhotographyTips-Tutorials-Techniques-Stories-Advice And Photo OpsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-28063611859679573002012-03-18T12:50:00.004-07:002012-06-26T14:13:08.925-07:00Woodland Park Zoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDe2CMZJYmU/T-ollPJv9qI/AAAAAAAADGQ/3Cakzbh2AAA/s1600/IMGP7083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDe2CMZJYmU/T-ollPJv9qI/AAAAAAAADGQ/3Cakzbh2AAA/s640/IMGP7083.JPG" width="640"></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> Laurie and I recently visited the Woodland Park Zoo located in Seattle Washington.</span><br>
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<a href="https://shalamarimages.blogspot.com/2012/03/woodland-park-zoo.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-77818919205989152662011-09-03T11:27:00.000-07:002012-06-26T14:20:50.925-07:00Lava Canyon Mt St Helens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Laurie and I finally had a chance to make it up to" Lava Canyon " on the Southwest side of Mt St Helens. Last year, road #83 was closed due to slides. I can highly recommend the Lava Canyon area near Mt St Helens if you are looking for a short interesting hike and breathtaking views of the South side of the mountain. The parking area is well kept and will accommodate approximately 25 cars. Expect this area to be crowded during periods of nice summer weather. There are toilets here that look nice, although the forest service doesn’t see the need to have them pumped regularly…yuck<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qvg8sM3Jano/T-ombP3iCUI/AAAAAAAADGY/JswXSEAOnog/s1600/Suspension+Bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qvg8sM3Jano/T-ombP3iCUI/AAAAAAAADGY/JswXSEAOnog/s320/Suspension+Bridge.JPG" width="214" /></a>The trail starts out as an interpretive trail that is partially paved and wheelchair friendly. I wouldn’t recommend small children to this area if you plan on making the loop hike as there are many areas that have sheer drop-offs and several deaths have been reported in the area. I have pictured here a very cool well built suspension bridge that is fun to cross and affords great views of the canyon below. The " Loop Trail " is relatively short about 1 mile. There are other options that will allow a longer hike, up to 6 miles if you are looking for more exercise, just take Lave Canyon trail #184.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KILRfuJw5aI/T-onBgZXl0I/AAAAAAAADGs/uxhFkqywvOc/s1600/St+Helens+Summertime.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KILRfuJw5aI/T-onBgZXl0I/AAAAAAAADGs/uxhFkqywvOc/s640/St+Helens+Summertime.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BoPSfDAWXxs/T-onWNH9RzI/AAAAAAAADG4/yXDJ5_HAc58/s1600/St+Helens+And+Lahar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BoPSfDAWXxs/T-onWNH9RzI/AAAAAAAADG4/yXDJ5_HAc58/s320/St+Helens+And+Lahar.JPG" width="214" /></a>If time permits after your visit you have the option to continue on 52 more miles up to Hurricane Ridge and the visitor center to take in more grand vistas of this ominous mountain..
To get to Lava Canyon- Driving Directions:
From the town of Cougar, drive east on Forest Road 90 just 1 mile beyond the Swift Dam, and turn left (north) onto FR 83. Drive 12 miles to the road end and you will see the nice paved parking area. * Note- Lava Canyon is 10 miles east of the turn-off for Ape caves..Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2Nat for Dev Road 83, WA, USA46.1784454 -122.052590946.1344669 -122.1315549 46.2224239 -121.9736269tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-33932846588178581812011-03-12T20:15:00.000-08:002012-06-27T14:19:23.941-07:00The Alvord Desert Road Trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ad9zPLGE6wA/T-t3AaRBJ0I/AAAAAAAADHw/vxRsNBonVDY/s1600/Playa+Upper+View-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ad9zPLGE6wA/T-t3AaRBJ0I/AAAAAAAADHw/vxRsNBonVDY/s640/Playa+Upper+View-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">After talking about the Alvord Playa with my wife for 2 years now ad nauseam, and she insisting I should just do it, I finally made the long drive down the to the region. Located in a very remote area of Oregon about an eight-hour drive from the Portland area. I knew this time of year is one of the worst in terms of visiting the area but I don’t always get the vacation time I would like. The plan was to take my Boxer dog Scout with me in my 4Wd Montero. I finally figured out the seats in this vehicle will fold down flat including the back jump seats making an incredible bed for a tall person and that I would be totally sheltered from the elements and feel much more secure than being in a tent.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> When photographing the Playa (<i>dry lakebed</i>) it is preferable to go during dryer months so that the cracks that develop will be the most spectacular, and that driving out and even camping on the Playa will be possible. Well I can report that none of the above happened for me. The forecast was calling for 20% chance of snow and low temps around 27 degrees- Yaaah…Wikipedia says that this region only gets 7 inches of annual rainfall, I think 1/3 of that fell while I was there.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;">When I finally arrived there around 2:00pm after leaving my home in Clackamas at 4:30am very tired but excited to scout the area. This is one remote area I never saw another human other than one guy on a tractor meandering down Steens Mt. Rd. For being such a remote area I was totally shocked when my wife called me that afternoon, cellular service was crystal clear giving me more peace of mind should any thing happen. Driving down Steens Mt Rd towards the playa, the snow capped Steen Mountains were towering above me to my right and eventually I could see this huge light colored expanse on my left that I knew had to be the Playa that I drove all this way to see.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> I noticed that there was a lot of water in places sitting on the Playa and I was not hopeful at all about driving out on it. I found only one spot that cars could access the lakebed, I drove with caution to the edge. The water was several inches deep, I decided against trying to drive out on it at that point. After making my retreat I continued heading west for several miles until I reached the end of Steens Mt rd and the beginning of Fields-denio rd, which also marked the end of me being able to flank the playa. I noticed some faint 4WD roads that skirted the upper portion of the west end of the Playa. I thought at the very least I could catch a view of a grand vista or a nice camping spot. At this point the storms were coming in one after another rolling right over the Steen Mountains. I really had a mixed bag of weather including snow and fierce sustained winds of around 40mph gusts to 60mph, not exactly photography weather.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> As you can see from the photos I got what I was after, and a whole lot more. The view from above looking down on the Playa was spectacular; the wind, not so much. I also noticed that I had a flat tire on my brand new Les Schwabbies presumably from one of the sharp rocks, it slit the rubber between the treads. During my research of the area I had read accounts of the people getting numerous flats out here and sure enough I was also a victim. Now I know why people buy <b>off-road</b> jacks, they are much easier to use than crawling under a vehicle to prop up a 11/2 ton hydraulic car jack that only raise the tire about 5 inches. It took about one hour for me to change that tire and boy was I glad I brought a shovel. I just could not get that spare on without some excavation work.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> I was determined to set foot on the Playa and try some photography after driving all that way, Scout and I headed down a very steep hillside that would allow some access to what looked like a dry section of the lakebed. Distances are very tricky out there with no discernable landmarks. It took twice as long as I would have thought to reach the playa. The photography gods smiled on us for a brief time allowing for a little photography that you can see here. I was also pretty impressed with the cracks, if only I could keep scout from running in circles in front of my comps with his muddy paws and ruining my shots. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> After returning up the hill and to the car it was nearly 4:30pm and I decided to wait and see what kind of sunset might transpire in terms of a lightshow or lack thereof. I waited patiently and watched the storms continue to come, finally the weather broke and I was able to set up the tripod and make an attempt at an image. Cloud cover mostly obscured the sun and the sunset was, for the most part a bust as you can see in this photo.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> Camping in this area was totally out of the question the wind and rain was so intense it ripped the shovel off of my luggage rack that I had attached with bungees. I knew I wanted to go home via an alternate route that would take me into Nevada and then onto Lakeview Oregon via Hwy 140, then through K-falls and Medford and up I-5 to home. I got gas at a place called Denio Station for about $5.00/ gallon I'm not really sure what I paid I just know I told the guy $40.00/worth. At this point in the evening it was clear and cold, I was exhausted and needed to find an area to camp for the night. I drove about twenty more miles and found a very small rest area where I promptly pulled over. I ripped every thing out of the vehicle so I could make the sleeping configurations with the seats, then blew up the therma-rest and pulled out the 0-dgree bag. We spent 11 hours in the car getting up several times two warm up the car. It got very cold that night and it snowed on us as well. The photo you see below is Hwy 140 after the snowstorm. Needless to say that the 100 miles to Lakeview were a little hairy. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> It took about five hours to reach Medford from the Alvord Desert. All in all I drove 1100 miles in about 38 hours. If I ever decided to come back to this area again I would prefer to go in the late summer, maybe September. I will also bring two spares, it is unnerving to have already used your spare and not have a backup in such a remote area. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"> If you plan on coming to the Alvord Desert the best and shortest way from Portland is to come through bend then onto Burns. Take Steens Hwy out of burns #78 south; turn right on to Steens Mountain Road it is well marked. This road will take you to the Alvord desert. Another option is to go south out of Burns on Hwy #205 towards the town of Frenchglen. This road eventually turns into Catlow Valley Rd. It takes just over two hours from Burns with this option. Enjoy.. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Note*</span> For higher quality images of this area go <b><a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/keyword/alvord%20desert#1215104660_45J3i">here</a></b>.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-39048637378541253572011-02-10T17:58:00.000-08:002011-02-10T18:28:12.582-08:00Landscape Photography FAQ<b><u>How important is camera choice in my landscape photography?</u></b><u></u><br />
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Whether you decide on shooting film or digital media, camera choice has very little to do with your ability to convey a well composed dramatic image. Some of the finest photographs hanging in museums around the globe were shot using the most primitive of cameras. The only thing to consider is budget constraints vs. the medium you will choose to display. For Web based applications any thing above 6mp will serve you well. If you plan on displaying in a Brick and mortar gallery I would recommend 10mp and above or shoot medium format film.<br />
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<b><u>How do I select my composition and subject matter?</u></b><u></u><br />
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Landscape Photography is very subjective however there are things you can do to improve the appeal of your photos. Is the subject matter interesting? Do people care? What do you want to communicate to the viewer? Sometimes it’s a good idea to compress a landscape with a <b>Telephoto Lens</b> in order to isolate the important elements. It is often a good idea to follow the rule of thirds so that your images are more aesthetically pleasing. Make sure you exclude the elements that are distracting. Choose a pleasing foreground if possible.<br />
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<b><u>How do I handle harsh or extreme lighting situations?</u></b><u></u><br />
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Lighting will always make or break a photograph, try to avoid shooting in the harsh light of midday and concentrate on early morning pre-dawn and sunrise as well as late evening twilight and sunsets. The greatest and most dramatic light will occur during these times. The use of polarizers and neutral gradient filters is imperative for Landscape Photographers to overcome the deficiencies between extremely bright sky’s and dark foregrounds. Always expose for the highlights, as they cannot be brought back in post-processing. Another technique for handling harsh light is to shoot two photos exposing for the shadows and then another shot exposing for the highlights, merge the images later with your favorite processing software.<br />
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<b><u>How do I keep challenging myself photographically?</u></b><u></u><br />
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Always seek out knowledge by reading everything photographic from: Photography Blogs, E-zine articles, magazines,photography forums, ect. By learning from others and utilizing new techniques in the field you will be able to improve your skills with every outing. Try different locals that provide atypical images. In the harsh winter months when you may be homebound or subject matter may be limited go to your digital darkroom and rework older photographs from earlier in the year. Shoot mushrooms in the fall or maybe put your fast telephoto lens on and shoot some extreme sports or a local event like a marathon run.<br />
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<b><u>How do I carry all my photographic gear?</u></b><u></u><br />
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Very rarely do I see the need to carry your full arsenal of gear to any one shoot. I select the photography gear the shoot will warrant. For backpacking I usually pack my wide-angle lens and a lightweight slow mid range telephoto lens as well as my smaller Manfrotto tripod. I strip down the camera removing straps and battery grips and place in bubble wrap in the top portion of my Gregory Pack. For day trips when I will carry more gear I love my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004X0ZQ?ie=UTF8&tag=shalamaricom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00004X0ZQ">Tamrac 5275 Expedition 5 Photo Backpack (Black) </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shalamaricom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00004X0ZQ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<b><u>What tripod should I buy?</u></b><u></u><br />
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There really isn’t one answer here when choosing a <b>tripod</b> as this depends on so may factors including personal shooting preferences. The prevailing wisdom suggests buying the heaviest <b>tripod</b> you are willing to pack around. Carbon Fiber Tripods are extremely popular for the strength and load bearing capabilities vs. weight but tend to be fairly pricey. I personally use the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013EU8QS?ie=UTF8&tag=shalamaricom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0013EU8QS">Induro Carbonflex 8x Tripod CX-214</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shalamaricom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0013EU8QS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
as my workhorse. Considerably less money than the venerable Gitzo brand. I also own a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FA7PQ2?ie=UTF8&tag=shalamaricom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000FA7PQ2">Manfrotto 785 Modo Maxi Photo Video Grip Head Tripod</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shalamaricom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000FA7PQ2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
for small cameras and when on long hikes or backpacking. I really like the clip style leg extensions that all Manfrotto Tripods incorporate.<br />
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<b><u>What about a tripod head?</u></b><u></u><br />
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Most Landscape Photographers I am aware of predominately choose a ball style tripod head for reasons such as fluid movement and little maintenance. I chose the the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OOBQY6?ie=UTF8&tag=shalamaricom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000OOBQY6">Giottos Pro Calibrated Ball Head w/Quick Release 1/4IN. Thread MH647; Tension Control; Load 25 Lbs. - Giottos MH1300-657</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shalamaricom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000OOBQY6" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
and have been very happy with it. <br />
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<b><u>What filter system do you recommend ? </u></b><u></u><br />
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As I have stated before the use of graduated neutral density filters is a must for Landscape Photographers but the question is, what system will hold those filters in front of you’re lens in a secure manner. I use threaded screw on style circular polarizers along with<b> neutral</b> <i>(no effect on color)</i> density filters. When it comes to graduated filters I like the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009WCFNO?ie=UTF8&tag=shalamaricom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0009WCFNO">Cokin Filter Holder for Z Series Filters</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shalamaricom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0009WCFNO" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
. Cokin makes several systems but it’s important to remember that when using wide-angle lenses that vignetting can be a real problem. The Z pro or the X pro are designed for such wide angle applications. I have heard great thing about the Lee Foundation Filter holder as well.<br />
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<b><u>Which are better filter materials glass or resin ?</u></b><u></u><br />
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Cokin uses an organic glass called CR39 however this material will scratch if care is not taken. Other filter manufactures like Lee make a glass filter <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LN8FLW?ie=UTF8&tag=shalamaricom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000LN8FLW">LEE Filters .9 ND - Filter - graduated neutral density soft</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shalamaricom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000LN8FLW" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
that will also fit in your Cokin holder and as an added benefit they are 100mm long and easier to place or even hand hold and will never scratch.<br />
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<center><a href="http://www.copyscape.com/"><img alt="Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape" border="0" height="16" src="http://banners.copyscape.com/images/cs-gy-234x16.gif" title="Do not copy content from the page. Plagiarism will be detected by Copyscape." width="234" /></a></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-37951331038531016022011-02-05T12:00:00.000-08:002012-07-01T10:52:02.131-07:00Replacing A Sky, The Controversy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> For many Landscape Photographers the idea of replacing a sky in Photoshop is considered taboo. For the most part I completely agree that we Landscape Photographers should try to replicate a scene as closely as possible to what the conditions were at the time we snapped the shutter. We also know that Mother Nature often will not cooperate with us on our photography outings. On many occasions it simply isn’t possible to return to an area over many times to re-shoot the same scene in hope of getting that beautiful sky we all hope for. We photographers end up with a dull gray bland sky that simply ruins the feeling we are trying to communicate.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6PRL7zSi6QA/T-t5eu_pbMI/AAAAAAAADH8/2SQ4VDsJ75E/s1600/Lake+Billy+Chinook+I+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6PRL7zSi6QA/T-t5eu_pbMI/AAAAAAAADH8/2SQ4VDsJ75E/s400/Lake+Billy+Chinook+I+.jpg" width="267" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> I find it permissible for the purposes of Web display to show photos that have been altered especially when posting a Blog image. I would not advocate selling a gallery wrap or framed print that had an altered sky. The techniques for changing or replacing a dull sky are many and varied. It can be fun and challenging as well to practice different methods. Some of the easiest images to alter a sky are ones that have a very simple transition line between the foreground elements and the sky, void of trees and or other distracting elements.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSKFKFd4efA/T-t5qys_2VI/AAAAAAAADII/1JUTbJx9NsU/s1600/Billy+Chinook+Falls-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LSKFKFd4efA/T-t5qys_2VI/AAAAAAAADII/1JUTbJx9NsU/s400/Billy+Chinook+Falls-2.jpg" width="267" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> If you search sky replacement techniques on You-Tube many results will come up, with great tutorials. One of the simplest methods is to make a selection of the sky you want to discard then grab the selection of the new sky from another image and paste into selection of the first image. Another simple method is to simply drag the photo of the undesirable sky over the preferred sky image and using the eraser tool carefully erase away the sky portion of the image until the new sky has emerged. You can also do the same thing with a mask being very careful when erasing around the transition points. Depending on the image one of the hardest thing for me is making the initial selection, in some cases I just won’t attempt replacing a sky as it is just to obvious.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Here are two shots I took at lake Billy Chinook near Madras Oregon on a very dull day. These two images have had skies added to them. If you look at the Billy Chinook Falls image at full resolution you will see an example of the very poor transition line and the terrible selection job I did resulting in an unfavorable image. The other image of Lake Billy Chinook had a much smoother transition line and although not a great job it looks a little more natural than the first image.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-76807045480154235182011-01-26T12:08:00.000-08:002012-06-27T14:30:11.598-07:00SIGMA 70-200mm F2.8 II APO EX DG MACRO A Personal Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am giving a Sigma Lens review for my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001044RIQ?ie=UTF8&tag=shalama-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B001044RIQ">Sigma 70-200 mm F2.8 II APO DG Macro Lens</a> with a Pentax “ K“ Mount that I purchased about one year ago. If you are looking for a more detailed tech heavy Sigma Lens review then I will steer you to a better sight for that later. I am not trying to re-hash facts that are already on the web but rather give my personal experience with this Sigma Lens.</div>
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I love Sigma Lenses for the following reasons:<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Great packaging</b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Well built and sturdy</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Economical in comparison to Canon and Nikon</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Shipped with a great case with strap</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Responsive auto focus and tracking</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Large smooth focus and aperture rings</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Lightweight</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Manual/ Auto focus button on lens</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Alternative focal lengths from Pentax</b></span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Tripod mounting collar</b></span></li>
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I initially bought this Sigma Lens for the sole purpose of photographing my daughter’s high school dance competitions. I really needed the F2.8 aperture for the poor lighting that is in most gymnasiums. The Sigma Lens worked very well for this intended purpose; although I still had to crank up the ISO to 1600, which enabled me to stop the action I needed. Here is an <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/shawnmart/HaleySSeniorDance?authkey=Gv1sRgCIfP3Y_6k8rUPg#5566578865710498866">image</a> from one of the competitions.</div>
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As I continued to use my Sigma Lens I grew to love it more and more. I have used this lens to photograph The <a href="http://www.upperclackamasfestival.org/">Upper Clackamas River Whitewater Festival</a> with great success. <a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/keyword/whitewater%20clackamas%20white%20water%20festival#1099505643_auWkj">Here</a> are some shots from that event. Another great uses I found for my Sigma 70-200 mm Lens is photographing the <a href="http://www.oregonzoo.org/">Portland Zoo</a>. This Sigma Lens aloud me to isolate zoo animals and block out distracting man made objects giving a much nicer natural look at these animals. Take a look at this small <a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/Animals/Zoo-Animals/The-Oregon-Zoo-Collection/8079272_57ghg">gallery</a> I took at the Portland Zoo. </div>
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I have used this lens for Macro Photography as well. With a minimum focusing distance of 100cm I was able to get some very nice shots of <a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/keyword/mushrooms%20in%20oregon#414305910_f4pYS-XL-LB">mushrooms </a>at <a href="http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_211.php">Silver Falls State Park</a>. This Lens is also great for floral or insect Macro work, as this focal range will give you more working distance from your subject.</div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> This Sigma lens is priced at around $800.00 US; compare that to a Canon 70-200 that sells for around $2,200.00. I will say that this Sigma Lens is not as sharp as the Canon or Nikon lenses in this category it is a great alternative for the budget minded hobbyist or budding pro. Get your Sigma Lens <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F8PYJ4?ie=UTF8&tag=shalama-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000F8PYJ4">here</a>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">*NOTE*</span> For a detailed review of this lens heavy with all technical data go <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma_70-200_2p8_n15/">here</a>. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-9022969310351692962011-01-01T12:11:00.000-08:002012-06-27T14:31:44.797-07:00Pentax K5 Thinking about a new camera for the new year ? I certainly am considering a new purchase this year. I currently shoot with a Pentax K10d and while it does a fine job it has become quite dated now and I really would like some added features like: 16.3 mp, improved metering,refined LCD screen, live view, faster burst rates and improved ISO performance. Although I certainly cannot afford to get every new model that comes out I think Pentax has finally enticed me with there latest offering the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043M6F14?ie=UTF8&tag=shalama-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0043M6F14">Pentax K-5 16.3 MP Digital SLR with 3-Inch LCD (Black Body Only)</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=shalama-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0043M6F14" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
If you consider yourself a proud Pentaxian or maybe just want to step up to an advanced mid-level DSLR then I would urge you to take a look at what the K5 has to offer. Certainly a well built and completely weather sealed chassis, this camera is built to last and take on the elements. For an in depth review I recommend <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk5/">DP Review</a> the go to resource for all things photographic.<br />
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-12596279626454521402010-11-25T15:51:00.000-08:002012-07-01T10:48:23.163-07:00California Redwoods Photography<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> Whenever I have an opportunity to visit the California Redwoods I do; and this trip to San Francisco was no exception. Ideally the optimum time to visit these parks would be in late may an early June. The classic shot that includes rhododendrons still eludes me to this point. I prefer the Northern Redwood forests especially the Lady Bird Johnson Grove near Crescent City as pictured here on a Colorless November day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> On our return drive home from San Francisco we visited Muir Woods National Monument, named after famed conservationist John Muir. I was somewhat disappointed to the extent that there was so much under growth and that it is very confining to stay on the trails; some of the trails are actually wood planks. There is a $5.00 entrance fee and parking can be a real issue here as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> California Redwoods are some of the tallest living things on our planet. I was interested to learn that they can achieve heights of nearly 400 feet whereas the giant sequoias of Yellowstone won’t achieve quite that stature, topping out at around 310 feet. Giant Sequoias are however in terms of total volume the largest living plant on earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Many people including myself wonder about the lack of red color that traditionally has been associated with this species. Most images I have seen of these giants lack considerable color. The moisture content of the bark is really the key ingredient in bringing out the reddish tones. The longer it has been raining the more color will be seen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Photographing the redwoods is challenging and humbling, as settling on a good composition is tough. I try and look for an open area clear of undergrowth with several large trees. Also trying to give a sense of scale is hard as well. One of the finest images I’ve seen was from Landscape Photographer Floris Van Breugel titled</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://www.artinnaturephotography.com/photo.php?id=2&gallery=woodlands">“ Life Among Giants “ </a>not only is this image aesthetically pleasing and beautiful with Dogwoods in the foreground, a pair of deer in the lower left hand area give this photograph scale. My next trip down to this area I hope to visit </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span style="color: black; font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_546160079">Humboldt Redwoods State Park</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://humboldtredwoods.org/">,</a></span></span></b></i><i><b><span style="color: black; font-style: normal;"> </span></b></i><i><span style="color: black; font-style: normal;">which contains some of the tallest specimens around.</span></i></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-25312337935197880152010-11-21T13:37:00.000-08:002012-07-01T10:49:28.550-07:00Shore Acres - Angry Ocean<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There is an area on the Oregon coast where the oceans fury can really show her stuff, especially in the winter stormy months. Shore Acres State Park is just such an area. There is an iconic shot that I am after that has eluded me on previous trips to this area. Shore Acres can be accessed from the Coos Bay, North Bend Area Via the Cape Arago Hwy. As you travel west you will pass through the town of Charleston then You will have the opportunity to visit three state parks in succession; Sunset Bay State Park, Shore Acres, and finally Cape Arago State Park. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zWfArnlHpMo/T_CNjbcDqXI/AAAAAAAADIs/5Y7r-GQiA9M/s1600/Shore+Acres+Re-work+wm+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zWfArnlHpMo/T_CNjbcDqXI/AAAAAAAADIs/5Y7r-GQiA9M/s640/Shore+Acres+Re-work+wm+resized.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was mainly concerned with visiting Shore Acres because I knew what I was after. There is a $5.00 parking fee here, but well worth it in my opinion. You get an added bonus at this park; the Botanical Gardens are truly beautiful during the spring and summer months. In the winter months the gardens are transformed into a holiday light spectacular; a tradition started by the Friends Of Shore Acres in 1987. <a href="http://www.shoreacres.net/16thHolidayLights.htm" target="new">Here</a> is a link for detailed info on this event.</div>
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Now back to the photography. The seas were moderately angry and I did see potential for some good wave action. I proceeded to mount my Sigma 70-200 2.8 lens and secure it to the tripod before leaving the parking area. The skies were unstable and squalls were threatening to roll in overhead. The park has constructed a nice viewing structure when conditions get to stormy to stay outside, I did use it to dry off myself and equipment a couple of times. As I shot I knew I needed to stop the wave action with a fast shutter speed so I left off the polarizer and set my camera to fire in burst mode. I spent the next 45min shooting three shot bursts and waiting for the sun to show. Out of the 100 frames I took this is really the only shot I was marginally happy with, the waves can get twice as high under the right conditions. Another point I will make is lens selection. The 70-200 was the wrong lens for this shoot and my 16-20 would be to wide. Ideally a 24-70 would be perfect in my opinion. I will definitely shoot this area again. It is exhilarating watching the waves and trying to capture that perfect shot. </div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-64230362016743595952010-11-21T12:43:00.000-08:002012-07-01T10:55:34.412-07:00Bandon Oregon A Photographers Dream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5qwCZHKsF4/T_COiEIsQOI/AAAAAAAADI4/-PSua9tGU5g/s1600/Bandon+Sea+Stacks.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i5qwCZHKsF4/T_COiEIsQOI/AAAAAAAADI4/-PSua9tGU5g/s320/Bandon+Sea+Stacks.png" width="214" /></a> I’ve seen such beautiful photography come out of the Bandon, Oregon area; yet I’ve never accessed the beach the several times through the area until recently. Bandon is a very small community with only one public beach access sign from Hwy #101. What make Bandon’s beaches so photogenic are the numerous sea stacks that are tightly bunched in this one stretch of beach. As I approached the beach from Hwy #101 the first area I came to was called Oregon Islands; an area I had never heard of before. I didn’t recognize this area from photos I’ve seen during my research for this trip.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MAcz8-z3Lf0/T_COvDLZnaI/AAAAAAAADJA/119WZxF98Og/s1600/Bandon+Low+Tide+wm+resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MAcz8-z3Lf0/T_COvDLZnaI/AAAAAAAADJA/119WZxF98Og/s400/Bandon+Low+Tide+wm+resized.jpg" width="400" /></a> It was getting late in the day and the wind was blowing hard at 50mph gusts. I scouted the area for a short while and then we called it a day and proceeded north to Coos Bay to stay the night. That next morning Laurie and I drove back to Bandon on a much calmer day, also there were patches of blue sky with fluffy clouds. I was getting somewhat hopeful for a good shoot. As we arrived at Oregon Islands once again we simply drove south on Beach Loop Dr. for ¼ mile and arrived at Face Rock State Park. I immediately recognized this area by the many sea stacks as the area I had seen, and wanted to shoot. I donned my extreme weather coveralls, rubber boots and wool hat; grabbed my tripod and camera bag and set off for some fun. There are so many compositions to be had here I could spend several days at sunrise and sunset staying very busy enjoying this area in the future. I noticed some very nice rental homes overlooking the area and thought of a future 3-day weekend here would be great.</div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-16121111677391015782010-11-20T12:15:00.000-08:002012-07-01T11:00:40.186-07:00Mossbrae Falls The Complete Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> For quite some time now I’ve wanted to visit Mossbrae Falls. Even though this is not an optimal time to visit California waterfalls I still could not pass up this opportunity. I knew we would be going through Dunsmuir on our way to San Francisco to visit our son, who has recently moved there after joining an accounting firm.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We left Portland at 4 PM and stopped to stay the night in the town of Weed, Ca. The next morning I had profiled 3 waterfalls I wanted to visit before we proceeded south. Since Dunsmuir is only 20 minutes south I thought this would be no problem. The first stop, <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hedge Creek Falls </span></b></span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> are right off of I-5 on the corner of Dunsmuir Ave and the freeway off ramp. There is a large sign that denotes the trailhead here as well. The falls are found just a few hundred yards down 3 switchbacks. These are very different looking falls in that the rock formations are so rectangular it gives a modern look to the area if that makes sense. It also struck me that it looked like man placed large slabs of cut rock into the area and placed them next to the falls.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Mossbrae Falls were next and less than 1 mile by car to the trailhead. Simply take Dunsmuir Ave south for .7 miles then make a very sharp right turn on Scarlett Way also signed as (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shasta Retreat</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">). Drive over a small bridge and railroad tracks then try and find a parking spot. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I often feel after reading accounts by other people that have visited areas before me that they are very light on giving details about what to expect, and this is a prime example. Let me paint a clearer picture of what to expect in this area. First off there are no signs for these falls nor are there any parking spots. As a matter of fact the railroad has clearly discouraged access to these falls by blocking the gravel parking areas next to the tracks with large concrete barricades. Also there are several no trespassing signs posted, additionally there is a sign that states no access to Mossbrae Falls. The instructions I had stated that I should walk upstream about 1.25 miles to the falls. I was under the impression that there is a trail that parallels the RR tracks, this is not the case at all. You will walk right on the 4-inch ballast rock and directly on the track itself at times…. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There is no trail</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. I was very nervous a train would come through while I was on the narrowest parts of the track. I could hear the Sacramento River below as well as the sound of an active sawmill cutting would and would constantly think a train was bearing down on me. Also walking on that rock played havoc on my feet and ankles.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> After about 20 minutes of walking I finally caught a glimpse of the magnificent weeping walls of Mossbrae Falls and I started to get excited about the possibilities that awaited me. I also had the place to myself; if only I was here in late October it would have been that much nicer with the full glory of fall color. I got off a few shots but before too long a couple of decked out fly fisherman came right into my composition and proceeded to make casts right in front of me. At first I was a little miffed but then realized what a great image it would make to photograph these guys casting right in front of the falls.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> The third falls on my list was called </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shasta Spring Falls</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and at the time I didn't realize that all I had to do was walk upstream an additional .3 miles from Mossbrae and I would have witnessed a beautiful 100 ft cascade. Unfortunately I will have to save that for my next time through this area. I highly recommend Mossbrae Falls it looks different in every season and I can’t imagine not making the effort every time I come through this area.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-68367501351773661122010-10-10T16:28:00.000-07:002012-07-01T11:03:38.951-07:00Cedar Creek Grist Mill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">I drove out to the <a href="http://cedarcreekgristmill.com/">Cedar Creek Grist Mill</a> today during a heavy downpour. I was prepared with coveralls and rubber boots however I got lucky and the rain let up as I arrived. If you haven’t heard of this place it is a wonderful spot for photography. My objective was to capture the quintessential fall shot of the mill in all its glory. It looks like I was foiled again. I have looked at others who have shot this area near the end of October and had great success with the foliage. As my luck would have it the trees were already bare and way past their prime in terms of color. I suppose any time of year is worth the short trip up through Woodland Washington and 8 miles up river through the Lewis river watershed. Just take I-5 exit #21 Woodland and immediately turn right crossing the Lewis River then turn left onto Hayes rd which will become Cedar Creek Rd. Follow this upstream for about 7 ½ miles, a brown sign marked for the mill will guide you the final few tenths of a mile. This historic landmark is open all year for tours and also makes a great spot for a picnic. Enjoy..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt;">We recently took a 400-mile road trip this first weekend in October. Mainly I was in search of fall color Near Willamette Pass and also was looking forward to some Aspens near Black Butte. Neither of those images came together for various reasons. We did however manage a nice lunch in Sisters and made a large loop through Redmond and back over Mount Hood. Took a short detour through Lake Billy Chinook in hopes of finding Billy Chinook Falls and any other interesting comps of the reservoir. This is what I came away with. If you ever want to drive through the area you may want to know that continuing on towards Pelton Dam and lake Simtustus makes for a nice scenic drive and really doesn’t ad much more mileage as you will T-bone right into Hwy 26 just South of Warm Springs.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-80294836545418644312010-09-05T11:19:00.000-07:002012-07-01T11:27:58.552-07:00Sahalie Falls Willamette National Forest<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I2ydzcyl8mM/T_CTveFbhBI/AAAAAAAADJ4/qt5ZouJuwGU/s1600/Koosah+Falls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I2ydzcyl8mM/T_CTveFbhBI/AAAAAAAADJ4/qt5ZouJuwGU/s320/Koosah+Falls.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">During recent months I have noticed an increased number of folks using the search terms Sahalie Falls or <a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/keyword/sahalie%20falls#868694083_e3x9k-A-LB">Sahalie Falls Mt Hood</a>. I then realized that there might be a little confusion on these falls. Yes there are two separate falls named Sahalie in Oregon the lesser-known one is located on Mt Hood, which I have already Blogged about in the past. The larger and much better know Sahalie Falls is located just off of Hwy #126 in the Willamette National Forest near Clear Lake. If you are in the area I highly recommend a trip to these falls which have the added bonus of seeing the rather spectacular <a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/Landscapes/Waterfalls/Willamette-National-Forest/13154097_swZxq#906529788_9PSPG-A-LB">Koosah Falls</a> a mere ¼ mile away. You may also wish to make a short side trip by car to visit <a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/Landscapes/Waterfalls/Willamette-National-Forest/13154097_swZxq#906530118_eZAcs-A-LB">Proxy falls</a> Located<span class="apple-style-span"> on the Old McKenzie River Highway #242 about 9 miles from Highway #126.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"> Note:</span><small><span style="color: red;"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: red;">as of June 2010 when I was there Highway # 242 is blocked by a snow-gate at the 11 mile mark. You can photograph the falls but will have to double back if proceeding on to Bend or any points East..</span></span></small><span style="color: red;"> <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you’re looking for a short excursion near the Portland area that includes minimal hiking and two waterfalls try Beacon Rock State Park located in the Columbia River Gorge about 3 miles west of the <a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/keyword/bridge%20of%20the%20gods#985569118_KN4du-XL-LB">Bridge of the Gods</a>. I have been to this park a couple of times and my interest this time was to photograph Rodney Falls and Hardy Falls. A mere 1.25 miles from the trailhead you will come to Hardy Falls and let me say that they are not worth the short stairs that lead down to them I didn’t even bother to take a photograph. On the other hand I was fairly impressed with Rodney Falls and spent quite some time below the falls trying different comps out. On this day it was tough to find a time when I had the area all to myself. This is a popular trail and people generally seem to mill about the falls area making photography tough.</span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_d68a1dpkvE/T_CXfrGPXKI/AAAAAAAADKQ/q0kxeWauVAY/s1600/Rodney+Falls+II.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_d68a1dpkvE/T_CXfrGPXKI/AAAAAAAADKQ/q0kxeWauVAY/s320/Rodney+Falls+II.jpg" width="214" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you have the energy there are several things to explore while in Beacon Rock State Park. The two waterfalls I’ve already mentioned as well as a more extensive hike up to Hamilton Mountain. Additionally you may choose to climb to the summit of <a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/keyword/beacon%20rock#518852613_cXvrr-XL-LB">Beacon Rock</a> itself via extensive scaffolding like steel stairway complete with fencing and handrails that are securely built right into the rock itself.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-64046152621727520142010-08-28T14:58:00.000-07:002012-07-01T11:43:28.498-07:00Panther Creek Falls Review and Directions<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Panther Creek Falls really must be seen in person, a photograph really doesn’t do it justice. To find these falls traveling from the Portland area simply cross the </span><a href="http://www.shalamarimages.com/keyword/bridge%20of%20the%20gods#985569118_KN4du-XL-LB"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Bridge of the Gods</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">,</span><small><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">( a $1.00 toll bridge)</span></small><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> or you may prefer to head east on Washington’s hwy 14 until you reach the town of Carson. Head north on the wind river Highway for 5.9 miles then turn right on Old State Road follow this road for a short while until you see signs for Panther Creek Campground. You will now be heading north on Panther Creek Road. Follow this road for 7.3 miles passing the campground along the way. There isn’t signage for the falls however just pull off and park in a large gravel turnout on the right side of the road. You will find the trail on the opposite side of the turnout about 200 yards downstream from your car. The falls can be heard almost immediately and the upper viewing platform can be reached in just 300 yards. Finding a way down to the base of the falls is quite possible but it's very steep terrain. I happened across a knotted climbing rope that a previous hiker had left that greatly improved my safety getting down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you start your day early enough there will be time to bag another nearby waterfall named Fall Creek Falls. Located another 10 miles up the Wind River Highway. These falls do require a more robust hike of 1.75 miles each way. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The most visited natural attraction along Oregon’s Hwy# 58 better known </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Willamette </span></span><br />
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Parking area and restrooms with flushable toilets are located 60 miles East of Springfield or 38 miles NW of Chemult Oregon. When you arrive you will have access to a kiosk that shows the history of the area as well as maps and trail descriptions. The falls themselves are breathtaking on two fronts the sheer vastness of the canyon with the creek below and of course the huge volume of water that flows. These falls have the highest and most consistent volumes of water in any of the Southern Oregon falls. The forest service claims this is the second highest falls in all of Oregon; Watson Falls come in a close third.</span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I found these falls a little tough to photograph especially when there is strong sunlight causing exposure problems. The second thing that makes photography tough is that the entire upper viewing area is protected by a high guardrail that runs the rights flank of the falls. There is a small lower viewing platform that allows for a frontal shot. I had to go way off trail to get the vantage point you see here. The spray is very powerful and carries downstream for a few hundred yards. I took a dozen shots and all the while had to keep wiping my filters off, I really only came away with one semi clean shot. </span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you feel the need for more exercise there are two more falls here that can be accessed by foot, Fall Creek Falls and Diamond Creek falls. If you don’t care about the exercise than I might skip the 6 miles of hiking, as these falls will be a bit of a disappointment. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-40522640398166985682010-06-20T12:04:00.000-07:002012-07-01T11:57:44.680-07:00Tumalo Falls In Depth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bend Oregon is truly a magic place but especially so if you happen to be an avid landscape photographer. First off the central Oregon locale is a great launching point for many nearby shooting locations and the town is clean, well kept, and has every thing one would need in a small town. For me being partial to waterfalls the crown jewel in the area is Tumalo Falls. A mere 10 miles almost due west of the city these falls are a must see. Tumalo falls is not a state park so please do not confuse this area with Tumalo Sate Park located off of Highway #20 also right outside of Bend. Tumalo Falls and the creek that feeds it are part of the Bend watershed but the public is welcome. There is a medium sized parking area complete with toilets when you arrive. There are two viewing areas for the falls including a perch that overlooks the top. The area seems to be popular for mountain bikers and cross-country skiers in the winter months. Besides hiking to the top of the falls you can continue on another 4 miles to Happy Valley.</div>
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The perspectives of the falls that you see here required me to go off trail a bit trying to tread lightly respecting the ecosystem. <br />
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For a bit of history on the area you will learn that there was a very destructive fire that occurred in 1979 that destroyed the area including Tumalo Creek. Only recently in 2004 there was a concerted effort to re-build the area by excavating and reshaping the natural flow of the creek as well as hand planting 700,000 trees. You will notice how young the forest is surrounding the falls and it really makes for a unique landscape.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearby China Hat</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><bold><b> Getting there:</b> </bold> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From 3rd St. in Bend (ie. downtown Bend), turn west on Franklin Ave. Drive 1.2 miles (past Drake Park) to Galveston Ave. (also signed as Tumalo Rd). Turn right and drive 10.8 miles along Galveston (which turns into Skyliners Rd.). Immediately after crossing Tumalo Creek, turn left onto Road 4603. Drive 2.5 miles to the Tumalo Falls parking area. The road 4603 is closed in the winter so hiking in is the only way to reach the falls.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directions are courtesy Leon Turnbull of <a href="http://waterfallswest.com/">waterfallswest.com</a> Thanks Leon...</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-41114772488535000002010-06-20T09:25:00.000-07:002012-07-01T11:58:35.995-07:00Fort Rock In Oregon’s Outback<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have wanted to visit<a href="http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_40.php"> Fort Rock State Natural Area</a> for some time now and we recently had a chance to get out there. This volcanic landmark located just West of Christmas Valley in Oregon's <i>outback</i> is known as a Tuff Ring. This huge mass is even more impressive in person as you catch the first glimpse. It was formed during the last ice age when lava pushed through the Brothers Fault Zone and into what was once an ancient lake covering some 900 square miles and reaching depths to 150 ft.<br />
For me the best image to take of this immense landmark is a frontal shot taken along county road 5-10 with ample sagebrush as a foreground. If you have the time and energy you can access the parking area via Cabin Creek Rd to explore the rock on foot. There are fairly clean bathrooms here as well as some plaques telling the history of the area. Apparently some of the oldest human sandals were found in nearby Fort Rock cave that were made from sagebrush. The trails here will take you all through and around the rock; it really is something to see up close. Be somewhat wary of the fact that there was a cougar encounter here just a few months ago.<br />
There are a couple of more points of interest in the area as well albeit a bit of a drive. You may wish to check out<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hole-in-the-Ground"> Hole-In-The-Ground</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crack_in_the_Ground">Crack-In-The-Ground</a> as well as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Forest_Research_Natural_Area">Lost Forest</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-92206636253547133022010-06-20T08:42:00.000-07:002012-07-01T11:59:47.641-07:00Toketee Falls Re-Opens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For nearly two years the Toketee Falls trail has been closed due to severe blow down caused by powerful winter storms. As of May 28<sup>th</sup> of 2010 Toketee Falls is now open to the public. I recently was able to see the falls for the first time myself, and let me tell you these falls are stunning.</div>
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The trailhead to Toketee Falls can be found off of Highway #138 23 miles West of Diamond Lake or 41 miles East of Glide Oregon. There is room for about a dozen cars here and yes there is a couple of pit toilet style bathrooms.</div>
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The trail to the falls is a mere.4 miles and is very enjoyable hiking along the creek. What is noteworthy about the trail is the nice stone stairs that are built into the ground in spots and the many well constructed wood stairs that assist you in getting to the final viewing platform. These steps that I speak of are almost a work of art as you take different elevations of steps and sturdy black metal handrails, and the way they are situated along sheer basalt cliffs in places. The really cool part is the final viewing platform sits amongst the trees and gives the feeling you are in a tree house. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">As for the falls they are definitely in my top 5 of the most beautiful falls I’ve seen. This is a two-stage waterfall dropping 120 feet into an opal pool and surrounded by sheer basalt walls and dense forest; the only drawback for photography is there is only one composition here unless you bring rappelling gear. That is why almost every photo you see from this location is relatively the same. I highly recommend a trip to this area. If you are new to Southern Oregon you will be in for quite a treat if you start in Roseburg and work your way towards Crater Lake. There are 25 waterfalls to photograph along the Umpqua Highway some of the falls you will encounter are: Fall Creek, Watson, Susan creek, Whitehorse, Grotto, wolf Creek ect..<br />
</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-2077176094930389442010-06-20T08:01:00.000-07:002012-07-01T12:00:58.324-07:00Central Oregon Points Of Interest<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MLqqPvrWwSA/T_CeVu0HUkI/AAAAAAAADMI/BKtEjB1gU8A/s1600/Ponderosa+Forest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MLqqPvrWwSA/T_CeVu0HUkI/AAAAAAAADMI/BKtEjB1gU8A/s400/Ponderosa+Forest.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Laurie and I just got back from another 900-mile road trip taking us through Central Oregon and Christmas valley. I came away with many great images including Fort Rock and several noteworthy waterfalls. I will break down the trip with separate blog postings on specific areas of interest. The next few blogs will be related to this recent trip so stay tuned. I had specific areas in mind and mapped them out before leaving and was able to get to all of them except for “ Crack-In-the-Ground “ and the” Lost Forest “. I hope some of the information you get here will be a help to you on you’re travels.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-32897883971599964172010-05-16T11:36:00.000-07:002012-07-01T12:02:09.654-07:00" Sahalie Falls Mt Hood "<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kE9RIouYDVs/T_Cenzb5HCI/AAAAAAAADMQ/fOfKhx_iY94/s1600/Sahalie+Falls-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kE9RIouYDVs/T_Cenzb5HCI/AAAAAAAADMQ/fOfKhx_iY94/s400/Sahalie+Falls-001.jpg" width="267" /></a>There really are not very many waterfalls on Mt. Hood. This is Sahalie Falls and for my first two attempts to locate these falls I had no luck. From my research I read that these falls a well signed and can be located off of Hwy # 35 on the East side of Mt hood. To this day I have never seen a sign for these falls. These are not the most beautiful falls I have seen but I was committed to photographing them. <br />
If you’re are interested in finding these falls they are actually in the closest proximity to you’re’ vehicle than others on the mountain. Basically the falls are located right off of Hwy #35 just North of the Mt Hood Meadows Ski Area and just South of the Meadows Nordic Area. You can access these falls from three areas: 1. When snow is not to much of an issue take the Meadows Ski Area turnoff and look for an access rd that goes North just prior to entering the Meadows parking area, this will lead you to the old hwy and the falls. 2. If you’re looking for a bit more exorcise then continue North on Hwy #35 and take the Elk Meadows turnoff traveling to the trailhead and work you’re way back south to the falls.<br />
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The absolute quickest and most direct way I have found is to simply park in a wide turnout on the West side of #35 just slightly North of the Meadows turnoff. The wide spot isn’t very wide so I would suggest parking you're vehicle facing uphill or south so you can open the drivers door without it being up against the guardrail. As you park you will be able to see an arched over pass that was once part of the original Highway. You may now step over the guardrail and work you’re way up the creek two catch the double tier of the falls or you can climb straight up about 300 ft to the falls. You will be standing on the old highway overpass when looking at the falls. The compositions are slightly limiting here as well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-19714085841441394152010-05-11T18:22:00.001-07:002010-05-11T18:22:04.406-07:00What type of camera do you use?<p class="formspringmeAnswer">A Pentax K10d</p><p class="formspringmeFooter"> <a href="http://formspring.me/ShalamarImages">Photography Questions you may have</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-43999352536763854002010-05-11T18:13:00.001-07:002010-05-11T18:13:38.737-07:00formspring.mePhotography Questions you may have <a href="http://formspring.me/ShalamarImages" target="_blank">http://formspring.me/ShalamarImages</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1219549344144130703.post-34263161694605878992010-05-09T12:07:00.000-07:002012-07-01T12:06:41.380-07:00Golden And Silver Falls Park Profiled<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you’re looking for a couple of unique waterfalls off the beaten path then I have the answer. <a href="http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_96.php">Golden And Silver Falls State Park</a> contains two stunning waterfalls with drops of nearly 200 feet respectively. Each of these falls can be photographed after only a very short walk from the parking area. Total hiking trail length in the park is about three miles, however that’s only if you wish to take the upper trail to Golden Falls and back. The lower and shorter trail will yield some great compositions of the falls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I guess the only downside to this park is the is the journey there, often times traveling over very winding and narrow county roads. We encountered very few cars but did have a couple of loaded log trucks come at us on sharp turns. There are many spots on this road near the end that won’t allow two cars to pass, so be careful.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rlz=&q=golden%20and%20silver%20falls%20state%20park&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl">Getting There</a>: </span></strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Heading South on US 101 go completely through the town of Coos Bay. When you see a 7-Eleven on the left take a left turn at the second light. This exit will say Coos River- Allegany. </span><span class="apple-style-span">Once you take the exit you will immediately cross a bridge over the Coos River. From this spot set you’re trip odometer as it is exactly 24 miles to the park from here. You will pass through the town of Allegany at the 14-mile mark. Just continue on for 10 additional miles, the last 4 – 6 miles are gravel but it’s not a bad ride as gravel roads go. When you reach the park you will find a rustic outhouse and hiking instructions to each of the falls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">Good Luck.. Shawn</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0