Picture of the Month – March 2006

There is quite a bit of luck involved in photography, being in the right place at the right time. The last time I saw a photograph of a rainbow that I really wanted to capture it was right over the Ferndale Cemetery. Only problem was that I was driving a firetruck at the time, so I couldn’t exactly stop what I was doing to take a picture. This time though, I was just returning town after an errand run and was heading home when I saw this beautiful rainbow. I have tried to get this photo of a rainbow over the Gingerbread several times in the past, but usually by the time I get the camera, get into position and get it set up, the rainbow had disappeared. So I quickly stopped and took a few pictures with a little point and shoot I keep in the truck, but that certainly doesn’t give me the creative control that my digital SLR does, plus I don’t know how old the film is. So I quickly drove to the studio, grabbed the SLR and ran back down the street. I got off a few exposures, bracketing as I went. I wasn’t going to take the time to try to get a spot on exposure. Good thing too, because after about the third shot the rainbow started disappearing. Back at the studio I combined two shots, one for the best color in the rainbow, and a second that had the right exposure on the Gingerbread Mansion. I also straightened the perspective in Photoshop since I used a 24mm lens to capture this image.

Picture of the Month – February 2006

February was a pretty slow month photography wise for me. Rain, rain, and more rain kept me indoors most of the month, and since my Kodak SLR/n was in the shop, I didn’t do any personal projects. We did get a few days in the middle of the month where the sun did come out and it was a very welcome relief. The day I took this picture was obviously one of those days, and I had just received my camera back from the shop. I was on my way to the post office in the morning and I noticed two rarities that converged so I ran back and got my camera. First there was a beautiful blue sky, and second, there was only one vehicle parked along Main Street from the Gazebo to our studio. Had time to snap a few quick photos before about four cars and trucks quickly made the scene more normal.

Picture of the Month – January 2006

The New Year got off to a rocky start in the Northcoast. Coming off a very wet December, the ground was already saturated when a major storm hit New Year’s Eve. Ferndale and much of Humboldt County lost power for a couple of days and New Years day brought very high tides that contributed to the highest rise of the Eel River since 1995. The first few days of the year I worked with the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department but once power was restored and things got back to a bit more normal pace I did get a chance to take a few pictures. There is a section of farmland off of Waddington that I’ve had my eyes on photographing during a flood for some time. Seeing my chance one morning I drove out there and was rewarded with this beautiful sunrise.

Picture of the Month – December 2004

One event that I look forward to all year long is Ferndale’s Lighted Tractor Parade. Since we moved to Ferndale four years ago, I’ve tried to get good pictures of this event, with limited success. Not only is it hard to get the exposure right to show both the tractors and the lights, often you have to deal with elements such as torrential rain and 30mph winds. This year, it was a pleasant surprise to have a clear, calm night, and the crowds came out in force. My favorite float was the tractor train put together by the folks at Bansen’s Dairy. The Bansens always put together a great entry, but this year they outdid themselves.

Picture of the Month – January 2004

The morning I took this picture I noticed the cloud formation first thing when I woke up. I quickly dressed, grabbed my camera and scooted out the door. I had planned to drive down to a flood plain on the outskirts of Ferndale to a location I had scouted earlier. When I got to my truck, I found the windshield was totally iced over, a rare occurance in Ferndale. It had gotten so cold at night that the side windows had even frozen shut. So since I knew that by the time I got the truck defrosted enough to drive it that the sunrise would be over, I made do with taking a series of panoramic photos in my backyard that I then stitched together to make a 180 degree view. The portion presented here is about half of the view. I’m very lucky to live in such a scenic area that I can walk out my front or back door and shoot beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Picture of the Month – July 2003

This photograph is quite a departure from what I usually do. It’s sort of a still life, but then again, it’s not. If you look closely, you’ll see that the hills are alive, and I’m not talking “Sound of Music” here. No, the hills are two models who allowed themselves to be painted green. It’s easier to see that it’s two women in the full 8″x16″ print I’m selling, but it’s amazing how the paint and props camoflauge the women to the point where most people don’t even notice.

Picture of the Month – July 2001

The evening that I shot this picture, I was supposed to be a photographing a model at a local hotel for Lori’s vintage clothing web site. However the innkeepers failed to show up so we went to plan B, which was to photograph her at Centerville Beach and then later at the Lost Coast Ranch. During the photo shoot, we experienced a truly outstanding sunset and I felt very lucky to be there by accident.

Update 2011 – This area of the Lost Coast has long disappeared. Shortly after I took this photo the BLM took ownership of the property and immediately posted warning signs on the bluff about not going near the edges because the cliffs are unstable. I scoffed at the signs until I started noticing that every time I hiked out there the cliffs did indeed look different. Finally after one very wet winter, this whole area fell into the Pacific Ocean. One more reason why the Lost Coast name is so applicable to this area.

Picture of the Month – April 2001

In the spring of 2001, Ferndale was used as the fictional town of Lawson for the movie “The Majestic”. One of the plot lines of the movie is the restoration of the town’s movie theater. The Majestic theater was a set, built in Ferndale’s town parking lot, which just happens to be next door to our studio. The actual theatre in town, which is home to the Ferndale Repertory Theatre is barely seen in the movie, as it was disguised as a boarded up sporting goods store.

This photo was taken the first night after they completed the neon marqee and it was lit for the very first time. For a short time, Ferndale had a bit of a Vegas feel as The Majestic was far flashier than anything else in town.

Picture of the Month – March 2001

The day I took this picture I had to run some errands at lunch time, and I saw the bull standing out in the middle of the flood plain. I had wanted to take a picture of the flood plain during a sunset and had been waiting for an evening without rain to take it. The clouds during the day looked promising but I remembered wishing that the bull would be there for the picture. To my surprise, when I went back four hours later, there was the same bull, standing in almost the same spot. I thought he must be stuck in the mud, but after watching him for awhile he was moving, he just liked standing in the water.

Picture of the Month – December 2000

This picture was taken shortly after our move to Ferndale. One thing I really love about living in Ferndale, is not only are there numerous beautiful sunsets, but I live in a spot where I can literally walk out my front door and take a great scenic picture, like this one.