John Day River Oregon

John Day River Oregon

John Day River Oregon

John Day River OregonJohn Day River, Oregon #59904     Purchase

This post will begin a series of recaps from my recent spring photography trip. My first stop was Cottonwood Canyon State Park, along the lower John Day River Oregon. This is Oregon’s newest state park and it was a pleasure to visit. As you can see from the photos the surrounding country is part of the Coloumbia Plateau, with the John Day River cutting canyons through the flood basalt. The nature of this geology helps the river create many scenic winding turns and horseshoe bends.

John Day River OregonJohn Day River, Oregon #59852    Purchase

Visiting this area in early spring offers cool green hillsides sprinkled with a variety of wildflowers. Most notably Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) and Desert Parsley (Lomatium laevigatum). Later in the season the hills will turn a golden brown, and the weather will be much hotter. The park was donated by a local ranching family and contains several remnants of its past, such as a picturesque red barn and some farming implements. A small campground is located right along the river where several nice riverside trails begin. If you’re not into natural history or photography the river is supposedly great for fishing and the spring runoff offers excellent rafting.

Red Barn Cottonwood Canyon State Park OregonRed barn Cottonwood Canyon State Park, Oregon #59841    Purchase

Hiker John Day River, Cottonwood canyon State Park, OregonJohn Day River Cottonwood Canyon State Park, Oregon #59797    Purchase

Photography, of course, was the main reason for my visit. The goal was finding some nice views of the river bends. This proved however to be a bit of a challenge as many of the best bends were inaccessible by road or foot. After scouring Google Maps I did manage to find a backroad close to the canyon rim with a nice view. My research showed the best horseshoe bend view is situated about an hour drive south of the park. The weather forecast didn’t look good enough to make the trip worth it though. That one will have to wait until my next trip to the area.

John Day River OregonDesert Parsley, John Day River, Oregon #59858    Purchase

A couple words of warning if you visit this quiet and special area. All unsurfaced roads can be impassable to vehicles after a rain, they turn into a gluey gumbo. Trust me on this, I once almost got stuck and had to wait a couple of days for the road to dry out before I could safely proceed. Rattlesnakes are common, and in spring ticks can be a problem. Also in late spring and summer the temperature can be very hot, with little shade to provide relief.

If you’d like to see more photos from this area you can search John Day River or Cottonwood Canyon State Park on my website. All photos can be licensed for editorial or commercial use or also be purchased as prints. Thanks for viewing and please pass this post along to your friends!

John Day River OregonJohn Day River, Oregon #59912     Purchase

John Day River Oregon

Sunset Sonoma Coast wildflowers, California

Sonoma Coast California

Sonoma Coast California

Sunset Sonoma Coast wildflowers, CaliforniaSonoma Coast Sunset  #60382   Purchase

I’m back in the office today after five weeks on the road in Oregon and Northern California. Tons of work to catch up on plus a huge editing/processing project to begin.

Since while on the road I only posted a few quick iPhone pics I felt I should select and share one of the highlights from the main group of files. This photo is from the Sonoma Coast California, just north of Bodega Bay. I’ll add more as they come available, and of course I’ll be working on a trip summary to post soon. Stay tuned!

Imnaha Canyon wildflowers Oregon

Oregon Northern California Spring Photography

Oregon Northern California Spring Photography
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Imnaha Canyon wildflowers OregonHells Canyon Recreation Area, Oregon  #45010  Purchase
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This week I will be leaving for an extended Spring trip to photograph landscape nature and travel imagery throughout Oregon and Northern California. During this excursion I’ll be photographing some new locations and subject matter, along with adding depth to places I’ve previously covered. Check out some of the exciting areas on the itinerary below.

Oregon: Hood River Valley Orchards, Southern Coast, Owyhee River and Canyon, Wallowa Valley Hells Canyon Area.
California: Redwoods National Park, Mount Shasta, Mendocino Coast, Point Reyes, Sonoma Valley Vineyards.
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Shore Acres State Park OregonShore Acres State Park, Oregon  #48705  Purchase
Red barn Wallowa Valley OregonWallowa Valley, Oregon  #44829 Purchase
 Redwood forest CaliforniaCalifornia Redwoods  #44497  Purchase

Corn Lily and Valerian

Sierra Club 2017 Calendar

I’m thrilled to announce that three of my images are appearing in the  Sierra Club 2017 Engagement Calendar! The first image of white Valerian blossoms among Corn Lilies has been selected to grace the cover. If you can’t wait to see these images I also have several other photos appearing in the 2016 Sierra Club Calendars, both Engagement and Wilderness Wall.

Prints and Licensing are also available by clicking on any image.

Corn Lily and ValerianCorn Lily Sitka Valerian #54378  Purchase

South Coyote Buttes, Vermilion Cliffs WildernessSouth Coyote Buttes #37634  Purchase

Mount Baker Wilderness North CascadesMount Baker North Cascades #54136  Purchase

Prints and Licensing are also available by clicking on any image.