One of my most frequent subjects, the Oregon City Bridge is an icon of the areaJust downriver from Willamette Falls and built in 1922, it's a beautiful structure that adds a lot of character to downtown.
This shot was taken just after moonrise, and I love the colors of the reflections in the water. There aren't many places from which the bridge is completely visible from the bank. This spot is one that offers a consistently unobstructed view.
It's bittersweet when a project comes to an end. After a year of weekly assignments I was ready to be done. That said, seeing the improvement and variety in my work as a result of pushing myself outside of my comfort zone made me want to keep going.
In reality I kept up for a few weeks with assignments but missed one in February. After that, my participation became very occasional, which has been nice. I take pictures for enjoyment and as therapy. To continue to force myself to shoot past the end of the project would have made it seem like a job.
I still shoot assignments on occasion when the subject presents and idea or opportunity, but there is no pressure to perform other than my desire to create interesting work.
This shot is indicative of the end of a project in that the end is also a beginning of what comes next. I began my search for the next project shortly after I fed the meter in this shot. It's a renewal on my search for interesting themes and subjects in my work.
In the end I was extremely happy with my results from this effort and I now realize the value in imposing limitations on your workflow. The focus and creativity required produced results that were both unexpected and satisfying in ways that my process before the project weren't.
This photo of me renewing my meter is a solid metaphor for my desire to get back on the clock, pushing to find new ways to see and express my vision. It was a great year and I am happy to have these shots to look back on and be proud of the work I put into them.
I frequently listen to the On Taking Pictures (OTP) podcast, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for good conversation about creativity, especially as it related to photography. In January 2014 the hosts, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris, began a new segment of weekly assignments that they gave to listeners. Results of the assignments are posted on the OTP Google Plus group. I decided that I would commit myself to the assignments for a year without interruption, and that I would complete each one before the next assignment was announced on the show each Tuesday morning. My 'On Taking Assignments' blog posts are the culmination of my year-long focus on these assignments.
Some images surprise you when you get home to process them. This was a beautiful fall sunrise on a crisp morning in Heppner, Oregon.
Heppner has an interesting history, especially in relation to this reservoir which sits just above town. On this day it was cold, clear and there was a stiff wind blowing across the water.
The sunlight was nice but what surprised me was that the black and white stood out much better than the color rendition.
The gradient of light on the hills and water We're lost in the color of the sunrise, and it's that subtle light that makes the image quietly beautiful.
It was nice to come back home and see the subtlety win against the more obvious sunrise. It's a benefit of the digital workflow, and I am glad to have that flexibility to keep from missing shots like this.
I'll admit that the Family assignment coincided with a shoot that I had been planning to do anyway. This is a shot of my father in law in his element, spending time working in the "backyard."
This backyard is a bit more involved than most, with two donkeys, a pony, chickens, rabbits, and pigeons. There is a small fish pond and wood cabin as well, making this a full time job in retirement.
It is a labour of love to take care of this place, and there are stretches of time each day during our visits that he'll disappear for a bit to get something taken care of.
It was December when I took this photo, in the cabin early in the morning. While I took other shots that took in more of the surroundings, this portrait was my favorite of the bunch.
The bright red jacket is Ohio State scarlet and he wears it proudly. If there's a Buckeye game on, the day pauses until it's over.
The light in the cabin is from a south facing window. It was cold and quiet on this morning where we talked about Buckeye football and my kiddo.
Like the caption says, he is all about family and it was great to finally get a chance to take his picture out back in a place where he feels most at home.
I frequently listen to the On Taking Pictures (OTP) podcast, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for good conversation about creativity, especially as it related to photography. In January 2014 the hosts, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris, began a new segment of weekly assignments that they gave to listeners. Results of the assignments are posted on the OTP Google Plus group. I decided that I would commit myself to the assignments for a year without interruption, and that I would complete each one before the next assignment was announced on the show each Tuesday morning. My 'On Taking Assignments' blog posts are the culmination of my year-long focus on these assignments.
I love to drive through the farmland outside of the city and search for shots. many times I am able to stop on the side of the road and get a great shot from the driver's seat of my car.
That was the case with this shot just outside of Woodburn. The light in the back window of this pickup was what caught my eye, and the simplicity of the scene around it helped make it come together.
I like the colors of the scene, and the line of the fence that leads to the truck. We're getting closer to cold nights and condensation on the windows again. Fall is coming fast and I am looking forward to what it will bring.
The first place I thought to look when the broken assignment was announced was the abandoned Blue Heron Paper Mill that sits on the banks of the Willamette River. There is so much history tied to this place that for a century supported much of the region.
There are layers upon layers of structures, some more recent, some less so, and some buried beneath what is left at the site today. It is truly a broken place that was once very alive, and it's sad to think of the people out of jobs when the plant finally closed its doors.
There were more than a few objects that would have fit the bill for the broken assignment, but this little bit of staircase stopping abruptly over what I can only imagine used to be a building felt the most broken of all.
There is some hope for this mill site, and in time the look of this place will definitely be transformed. Whether it is the actions of people or the force of the river that changes it remains to be seen, but for the time being it remains a skeleton of what used to be a thriving place.
I frequently listen to the On Taking Pictures (OTP) podcast, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for good conversation about creativity, especially as it related to photography. In January 2014 the hosts, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris, began a new segment of weekly assignments that they gave to listeners. Results of the assignments are posted on the OTP Google Plus group. I decided that I would commit myself to the assignments for a year without interruption, and that I would complete each one before the next assignment was announced on the show each Tuesday morning. My 'On Taking Assignments' blog posts are the culmination of my year-long focus on these assignments.
Photography can be a very unpredictable passion, especially when you shoot landscapes or subjects that many times depend on factors outside of your control, such as weather. I will go two months taking shots that just don't have any impact, and then rattle off 10 quality shots in a week.
I discussed this very point this week with other photographers on Google+. When you aren't feeling you are at your best, or your work isn't measuring up, it is easy to lose confidence. The trick is to try and understand that you aren't going to be on all the time. Not only that, but you are going to fail from time to time, sometimes more frequently than you thought was possible.
Those times in life happen, and the best thing you can do is to just fight through it. You have to allow yourself those mistakes and know that they are a part of the process.
I am in one of those times now where I am having a hard time making something interesting, but I am making nonetheless. I know sometime soon that the cycle will reverse itself and I will find myself in front of a scene like this one, camera in hand and ready to shoot. With any luck I will be standing in front of a scene as beautiful as this one.
I keep my eyes on the sky when I leave my office and head for home. Working so close to Willamette Falls allows for more spontaneous stops when the light looks promising. On this evening it was pretty clear to me that is was going to be a special scene.
The evening I shot this photo ended up being one of the high points on the cycle. If the span of 30 minutes I ended up with 8 shots that each would stand on their own, this being the best of them.
With some patience, I will be ready when the next opportunity presents itself.
This isn't the first time I have taken pictures with my kiddo's toys. When you have a deadline and there isn't time to go out you try to find Joy in what's around you. In my case, that means toys.
Nothing looks more joyful than this mischievous elf, sitting in the hot tub with Barbie, enjoying some fresh eggnog and a soak.
I'll admit this is not one of my most technically proficient photos. I think I captured the moment well enough, but I think the light was a bit too harsh. In the end this shot was mildly interesting, but the joy was in the making.
I frequently listen to the On Taking Pictures (OTP) podcast, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for good conversation about creativity, especially as it related to photography. In January 2014 the hosts, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris, began a new segment of weekly assignments that they gave to listeners. Results of the assignments are posted on the OTP Google Plus group. I decided that I would commit myself to the assignments for a year without interruption, and that I would complete each one before the next assignment was announced on the show each Tuesday morning. My 'On Taking Assignments' blog posts are the culmination of my year-long focus on these assignments.
I really enjoy abstract subjects that are interesting extractions from my daily encounters. Interesting colors, shapes and lines are all around us, some more discernible than others.
This is a shot of a wheat field in spring out in Eastern Oregon. The regularity of furrows in a field can be hypnotizing. This pattern of straight lines moving up hill crossed with diagonal lines caught my attention on my last trip East even though I have passed this scene hundreds of times before.
Maybe it was the shadows, or the shape of the hill that made it stand out, or maybe I am more inclined to see things that interest me now that I am more actively looking. Maybe its a combination of those factors, but I am getting results I like.
This shot is likely to be a part of one of my next projects after I finish posting about my weekly assignments project here on the blog.
As the text above explains, I had a really difficult time coming up with any ideas for the collage assignment. After fretting all week, I decided the only thing left to do was make an actual collage.
I had a pile of prints that for one reason or another ended up on a shelf. Some were prints that just haven't held up over time. Some were just lower quality prints from my effort to understand the process of translating my digital files to print.
I took the pile and started extracting objects from some and landscapes from the rest. My kiddo and I took all of the pieces and just started to create a scene. Many of the shots were from around Oregon City, so in the end the collage ended up being a caricature of the area.
I was really surprised at the end how well it came off. I don't think it would win any awards, but it turned out well enough to hang in our living room. It will always be a fond memory of time spent with my family, creating something unique. This turned out to be a great assignment.
I frequently listen to the On Taking Pictures (OTP) podcast, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for good conversation about creativity, especially as it related to photography. In January 2014 the hosts, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris, began a new segment of weekly assignments that they gave to listeners. Results of the assignments are posted on the OTP Google Plus group. I decided that I would commit myself to the assignments for a year without interruption, and that I would complete each one before the next assignment was announced on the show each Tuesday morning. My 'On Taking Assignments' blog posts are the culmination of my year-long focus on these assignments.