Seattle Sunshine

I want to extend my thoughts and prayers to all of those impacted by the wild fires up and down the west coast. I think of those who have lost their homes and/or evacuated from approaching flames to the fire fighters who have bravely been battling these fires.

My wife and I left Los Angeles August 31st for two weeks in Seattle (two of our daughters and their husbands live up there). At that point in time Northern California was battling significant wild fires and the smoke from those fires had migrated to Southern California. As we took off and started the flight north, there was a layer of brown smoke all of the way up the coast to Oregon. From Oregon on up to Seattle, the skies were clear and we were thankful to get out of the smoke.

Starting with our second week in Seattle, Oregon was now battling a number of fires and so was eastern Washington. Mid-week, the winds changed and the huge plume of smoke that had been blown out to sea from California and Oregon came inland and created the pictures I have attached.  I took these with my cell phone by one of our daughters house because I was blown away with how weird the sun looked. It actually got worse as the week went on with no sun getting through.

We returned to Los Angeles Sunday September 13th. On that day going to the airport in Seattle, the smoke was so thick you couldn’t even see the downtown high-rises as we drove right by them on Interstate 5 (the freeway literally butts up to downtown). Taking off from the airport was like rising through a thick layer of clouds that had a brown tinge to them. On the 2.5 hour flight coming south over Washington, Oregon and Northern California, looking out the window at 35 thousand feet, there was nothing to see but the brown cloud below us. It boggles my mind that there would be a smoke plume of that size. Think about any flight you have had of that duration and think about if there was nothing but smoke below you for the entire flight.

Seattle Sunshine

Street Scene

The air was so brown, these shots almost look like sepia photography.

Thoughts?

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Cape Blanco Lighthouse

In reference to last weeks post on remote dwellings along the Oregon Coastline, this week I’m continuing that theme by featuring an ink drawing and watercolor print I created of the Cape Blanco Lighthouse.

This lighthouse is located on the southwestern coastline of Oregon. It sits on the western most point of land in the state and was first lit in 1870. For more information: Wikipedia.

Cape Blanco

Thoughts?

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Oregon Coastline

Just wanted to share a couple of pictures of the Oregon Coastline….the setting is so peaceful and serene and the sense of tranquility seemed pertinent at this time!! Hope all is well with you, your family and friends!

Coastal Bluff

Oregon Coastline

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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Rose Bud and Rose Bloom: Featured Art Prints

Rose Bud

Rose Bloom

With June upon us, I wanted to feature two art prints that say June to me: Rose Bud and Rose Bloom. The colors start to pop on rose bushes this time of year and I wanted to celebrate the vibrancy of the blooms. Rose blooms are more than just color, they are texture, shape and color. The intricacy of the petals as that go from buds to full bloom. I capture these two particular photographs in a public garden in Portland, Oregon. Portland is well known for roses and these two particular photographs support that reputation. 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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Comfort – Featured Art Print

“Comfort” is an art print I am featuring from my Inspiration Gallery. The art print is done with a quote from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 as an overlay on a photograph I have done using a sepia tone of a rural farm nestled in the backcountry of Oregon.

Comfort

The creation of this inspirational print was a request by a client. They have purchased a few of my inspirational prints and recently contacted me with a desire for a print that would inspire them and be a daily reminder concerning a situation in their family. She was looking for a biblical quote that supported the concept of being there for a hurting family member, to help lift them up and at the same time support their own personal grief. The other part of the request was a farm related photograph.

Not one to back from a challenge, I started racking my brains and researching key words in a bible reference section. I know a lot of people can quote verses like they are always on the tip of their tongue…well, not this guy…I can barely quote what I had for dinner the night before. I remember concept and can tell you philosophically what is what, but to be able to say “Yes, that would be in the book of…chapter…verse…” not from me in this lifetime. My brain just isn’t wired that way. So the search was on.

I found a verse that fit the bill. So the next step was the print. I seek to make sure that the biblical quote I am using is a good marriage with the art print I put it on. In this particular case, when I settled on the verse I wanted to share, I went searching for the correct print. This particular print stood out in my head as I had just worked with it recently. The next step was the font style and placement. That always requires a lot of trial and error and ultimately what I think looks like the best fit. I am pleased with the way this print came together.

The setting for this particular art print is a farm in the backcountry of Oregon. I came across it when my wife and I were doing a photo shoot of covered bridges in Oregon. The farm was nestled in a field surround by a forest. It was early morning with light rain on and off. The scene was very peaceful with a wisp of low clouds or fog drifting down the hill. I liked the sepia finish to the scene as it gives it a time tested look and for this print doesn’t distract from the bible verse, but allows it to take center stage. Thoughts?

I have my inspiration prints in two locations. I opened an Etsy shop to utilize a feature they have that I wanted to test before adding it onto my website and that is the ability to download a print, keep it in electronic form for background on computers as an example or print at your own convenience. For smaller prints I thought it was a great idea for international sales as there aren’t any postage costs. Also on Etsy, I am offering these prints in an 8X10 size pre-matted with white matting and backer board ready for an 11X14 frame.

On my main gallery website, I offer the same prints in four different sizes all giclee prints on professional grade gloss photo paper.

Etsy: 8X10 downloadable version of this print.

Etsy: 8X10 pre-matted and mounted for 11X14 frame.

My web site: four sizes to choose from.

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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!