Covered Bridges: Exterior and Interior

Today I’m sharing three prints of covered bridges. The first two showing exterior aspects and the third one interior. We see so many captures and prints of covered bridges showing the exterior which I clearly understand from an architectural aspect…they are beautiful structures. I have shared a number of my own prints on this blog in various forms of painting styles. Today I’m sharing three different bridges where I used a more abstract watercolor technique (sharper lines and distinct borders).

All of these prints are covered bridges located in the south central portion of Oregon where off the beaten path you can find numerous covered bridges. I’ll start with the Neal Lane bridge. The viewpoint of the art print shows the perspective highlighting the shortness of the bridge.

Short Covered Bridge

Next up is the Stewart Bridge. This bridge is slightly longer than the prior one and doesn’t have any windows as many of them do.

Stewart Bridge

And then the third one is the interior perspective of the Grave Creek Bridge. The amount of windows and the openness of the interior really caught my eye.

Inside a Covered Bridge

Thoughts? As I have said before, everyone reacts to visual art techniques and looks differently, so I am not in the least offended by opinions. 

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Adding Age to a Photoshoot – Sepia Tone

To create that “old” or “vintage” look in photography I use the sepia tone. It immediately brings to mind an aged photograph. I like to use it with subject matter that would have or could have been seen in early photography. I thought that these covered bridges in Oregon were a perfect fit for that look. To age the prints even more, I used a rough texture adding that element of an old photo.

All three of these bridges are located in Southern Oregon just off Interstate 5 as it winds its way north from California heading into the  Williamette Valley.

“Oregon Covered Bridge”

 

“Oregon Bridge”

 

“Covered Bridge”

Thoughts?

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Subtle Softening Photographs of Covered Bridges

This week, in keeping with the theme from last week (a behind the scenes peek of how I digitally create these art prints), I wanted to share a technique I used with these three examples of covered bridges in Oregon. As I stated last week, I have been using Adobe Photoshop forever. I love the variety of features and flexibility it gives me not only with my photography, but also in creating digitally painted art.

The three prints I have attached came from a photo shoot I did a number of years ago in Oregon. All three look like three photographs of covered bridges and in reality they are. If you look closer, you will see that the edges and detail are softened slightly…ever so slightly to just give the prints a subtle softness. It’s a minor change I created by using one of Adobe’s filters. I started with the photographs in Adobe and eliminated any background “noise” such as electrical wires. In these shots that was about the only doctoring I did to the actual photograph. The next step was to soften them slightly, so I used their watercolor filter. In that filter you can control numerous elements such as pixel size of softness..type of softness and intensity. With numerous trial and error attempts, I settled on a level I liked. A subtle watercolor effect that you see more easily in the trees, but it also soften the edges of the bridges…again very subtle, but an overall softening.

“Covered Bridge Entrance”

“The Short Covered Bridge”

“The Red Roof Covered Bridge”

Thoughts?

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Oregon Covered Bridges In Watercolor – Featured Art Prints

The wall art prints I wanted to feature this week is a series I just added to my Architecture Gallery. It’s of covered bridges in Oregon that  I created using a soft watercolor technique. I have featured these bridges in prior posts, Sepia Prints, Covered Bridges Oregon Style and Covered Bridge Featured Art Print. They all stem from a March 2013 photo shoot of covered bridges in the south and central portions of Oregon. I love the look of covered bridges and the variety of ways in which they can be presented. It took me until last month to create a soft watercolor look using the captures from the photo shoot as an inspiration.

“Covered Bridge In Watercolor“

The first one is called Covered Bridge In Watercolor. This is a rendition of the Neal Lane covered bridge. It is actually a very short covered bridge spanning a small creek.

“Covered Bridge With Red Roof”

The second one I’ve titled Covered Bridge With Red Roof, for obvious reasons. This particular bridge isn’t used for vehicular traffic anymore, but sits as a reminder of days gone by.

“Stewart Bridge In Watercolor“

The third print is titled Stewart Bridge in Watercolor. This particular bridge also doesn’t carry vehicular traffic, but sits right next to a modern bridge that was built to carry highway traffic.

“Grave Creek Covered Bridge In Watercolor“

The fourth print is called Grave Creek Covered Bridge In Watercolor. This bridge is still in use as part of a paved highway.

I like the look of these prints using these historic landmarks. Thoughts?

I invite you to visit my Architecture Gallery to enjoy these prints and many more.

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Covered Bridges in Black and White – Featured Art Prints

I have attached four prints of covered bridges in the state of Oregon, from my Black and White Photography One Gallery. These particular bridges are located in the west quadrant of Oregon north of Grants Pass up to Cottage Grove south of Eugene. They were a quick detour off of Interstate 5 (which winds its way up and down the entire US West Coast from Canada to Mexico) done on a rainy day in early spring.

 

Grave Creek Bridge

The first shot is of the Grave Creek Covered Bridge, which was built in 1920. This bridge is located 14 miles north of Grants Pass, Oregon right off of Interstate 5.

 

Short Covered Bridge

The next shot is the Neal Lane Covered Bridge, which spans Myrtle Creek and is located north of Grants Pass also. The bridge was originally built in 1929. This bridge I lovingly call the “Short Covered Bridge” as the span of the bridge is only 42 feet.

 

Stewart Bridge

 

The third capture is the Stewart Bridge, which spans Mosby Creek and is located east of Cottage Grove (Cottage Grove is along Interstate 5 between Grants Pass and Eugene). The bridge was originally built in 1930.

 

Dorena Covered Bridge

The last print is of the Dorena Covered Bridge that spans the Row River. It was built in 1949. It is located further east of Cottage Grove than the Stewart Bridge at the upper end of Dorena Reservoir.

I think this presentation in black and white captured the mood of a cool rainy day and the age of the bridges. Thoughts?

I invite you to visit my Black and White Photography One Gallery to enjoy these prints and many more.

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Covered Bridge – Featured Art Print

Mosby Creek Bridge

“Mosby Creek Bridge” is the art print I wanted to feature today from my Architecture Collection.  The print is a covered bridge in Oregon. The style I used on this print is a watercolor technique that emphasizes the soft tones of the setting and the weather. The setting is rural with the architectural elements of the bridge reinforcing that image as the road crosses the creek. The weather was intermittent rain with a slight chill to the air as wisps of fog hung around the hills. It’s springtime and the leaves are starting to come out on the trees as the fields are greening up. The entire scene speaks of a quieter, slower pace to life. It beckons one to stop, breath in the fresh air and savor the moment.

I confess to having been ignorant on how many covered bridges there are in Oregon. I was enlightened on one of our many road trips from San Diego to Seattle. Our youngest daughter left the family home in San Diego to go to college at the University of Washington in Seattle. Over her four years of school, my wife and I made many trips to the Great Northwest, sometimes flying and sometimes driving all the way through California, Oregon and most of Washington. It was on one of those driving trips through Oregon that I finally clued in on just how many covered bridges there were in that beautiful state. This realization, of course led to spending a few days scouting some of them out. This particular covered bridge, as I’ve stated, is the Mosby Creek Bridge. It was built in 1920 and added to the U.S National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is the oldest covered bridge in Lane County, Oregon and is still open to traffic. Take a journey back in time and enjoy the print!

I invite you to come into the gallery to view the collection in Architecture.

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Covered Bridges Oregon Style

 

I would like to think I had some semblance of knowledge, but frankly I have found myself totally ignorant of the fact that Oregon has more covered bridges than any other western state and has one of the largest collections in the nation. My wife and  I live in San Diego and have a daughter that lives in Seattle. On a spur of the moment thing, we decided to drive up to surprise her for her birthday. Looking for a photo shoot opportunity mixed in with the trip, my wife suggested I look at covered bridges in Oregon. I really thought she was pushing the envelope a bit, but what the heck….humor her. Ok, so strike one for the me and a home run for her….I truly had no idea. No offense Oregon, but my  exposure to your state has been flying over numerous times and driving through it a couple of times. We have spent time in Portland, but have not spent much time elsewhere. It is a beautiful state and that I have never questioned.

With limited time, we stuck to covered bridges along Interstate 5 (main north and south interstate from Mexican border on our end to Canadian border on Washington end). Most of the shoot occurred around Cottage Grove, Myrtle Creek and just north of Grant’s Pass. I’m sharing a few of them as I photographed them. The final pictures that I will end up posting in my gallery will be done in watercolors, oils and maybe sepia….not sure yet…I always wait to see final results to see what presents best…I hope you enjoy!

White Covered Bridge north of Grants Pass, Oregon

Dorena Covered Bridge

Dorena Covered Bridge Interior

Near Cottage Grove

Red Covered Bridge

Stewart Covered Bridge

As always, I hope you enjoy! Check out my gallery Thewallgallery.com and follow us on Facebook….likes are always appreciated!