winter water

The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.

~ Joseph Campbell

We went exploring in the rain this past weekend.

We went to Beaver Creek Falls in Clatskanie, OR.

The water was running high and fast!!

Very different from our visit last September!

Looking back on my notes from back then,
I did have a tripod with me, but wished that I had an umbrella connected to the tripod this time.

I routinely carry a lot of microfiber cloths to dry off the camera and lens, 

and was very glad to have them!

A towel would've been nice. It was a soaker!

I did have boots in the car and, in fact, made a mid-day shoe change.

I had my cable release with me, so I was well prepared overall...except for the umbrella attachment. 

I visited Amazon to purchase one when I got home!

In the picture above, you can see the top of the falls depicted below.

You can also see how the bottom of the trail had been completely washed

out after recent flooding in the area. We couldn't get down to the bottom of the falls

and had to shoot from a different vantage point.

To add to the 4 lessons from last September:
Lesson #5: Always carry microfiber cloths (you can never have too many) for drying of your lens, 

and add a small hand towel for drying off your camera for really wet days or wet areas, e.g. waterfalls that spew a lot of spray!

Lesson #6: Carry boots and extra socks.

Lesson #7:  Carry an umbrella or other kind of protective 

wrap to protect your camera/tripod/self from rain and drizzle. If it isn't too windy and you
can attach the umbrella to your tripod, all the better!

Lesson #8: Use caution and be prudent when walking trails in the winter time. Damp moss and leaves are slippery. I used my tripod as a walking stick in some areas, but would've liked a true walking stick
to keep in the trunk and have available as necessary.

What items do you include in your everyday photo carry?

Canon 5DS R varied ISO and speeds 24-70mm f4/L IS

afresh

You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.

~ Rabindranath Tagore

It has been a long time since I last posted here.

A very long time.

It's time to start afresh.

It's time to stop staring at the water.

It's time to begin the crossing

into becoming a real photographer.

This image was captured near sunset - at the blue hour - on the boardwalk 

at Longbeach, WA. The blue hour has quickly become one

of my favorite times of day to photograph.
The very shallow depth of field (f/1.2) made this image dreamy,
and using a fluorescent white balance enhanced the blueness.
Just as I wanted.

Thank you for stopping by!
If you're new here and are interested in seeing

what has been happening 

between my last post and this one,

you can check out these sites:

my whimsical pixel photography Facebook page

my 500px page and portfolio

Canon 5DMkII ISO 200 f/1.2 1/800  EF 50mm f/1.2L