La Ventana photos, more coming soon!

blainefranger · Since 21 Sep 2007 12 Posts Hood River, Oregon

Hey all I've been in La Ventana shooting thousands and thousands of photos the past few weeks (and learning to kite too!). With all the shooting I haven't had too much time to post pics but here are some, lots more to come soon-
My blog with the pics- http://www.blainefranger.com/blog/

Ok gotta run, heading out to SUP again now!

Blaine Franger

FlyDunes · Since 09 Oct 2007 1034 Posts Aloha XTreme Poster

Outstanding pics! Thumb's Up

Sella · Sun Feb 07, 10 8:46 am

SalmonSlayer · Since 27 Nov 2005 648 Posts Addicted **CGKA Member**

WOW

I am really impressed with the pics.

Have fun learning to kite board.

steve · Since 12 Jul 2007 74 Posts

VERY impressive shots..hope to see more in the future

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

Those shots turned out good!

Just kidding! Just kidding!............I read your blog about 'pet peeves'....excellent!

You rock, as a photographer...can't believe you crawled into that freezing cold, wet icy cave....but the photo that resulted is surreal! You're right, as you say, these portraits don't happen by accident.

When I got to the Gorge, 30 years ago, someone gave me a copy of Russ Jolleys book, "Wildflowers of the Columbia Gorge"...it changed my life. It has been 30 years of fun, hiking practically everywhere in the Gorge, from the Sandy River to Maryhill in my attempt to track down 749 wildflowers. I have lost track of the number of incredible hikes I have had the pleasure of experiencing in the pursuit of that goal. Viewing your pictures, took me right back there...places, which to me, are sacred places! Thanks for the experience! I have got 8 wildflowers left to see.

I hope somebody gives you a copy of that book for your birthday. These places need someone with your caliber of talent to showcase.

colby · Since 23 Apr 2005 613 Posts Celebrity Photographer

Blaine, had to post a few favorites from your blog...amazing! we're a lucky bunch to have the gorge as our playground

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1867 Posts XTreme Poster

skilz, yo!

Vladiator · Since 06 Jun 2009 252 Posts Napels FL Obsessed

Nice Pics bro!!!

shred_da_gorge · Sun Feb 07, 10 9:43 pm

Are you set up to sell any of those as prints? Very professional stuff!

blainefranger · Since 21 Sep 2007 12 Posts Hood River, Oregon

Thanks for the comments everyone, appreciate it much... Another lovely day in La Ventana, just watched the sunrise from bed. Smile

Kiting is going well, just did my third day in a row downwinder from Hot Springs to campground yesterday, hoping for another today! Come on wind.....

Kitezilla- YEP they don't just "turn out" well haha, thanks for reading that blog post. My mom has the wildflowers of the Gorge book and I check it out often. I couldn't agree more that it's a sacred place! So much to do and visually stunning, I love it.

Colby- Thanks for checking out my blog and posting some faves! Thats awesome! We are super lucky to have the gorge as our playground and call it home...

shred_da_gorge- I do occasionally sell fine art prints but right now I don't have a system set up. It's all in the works though, has been for years now.... tough to find time to sit at the computer when outside is always calling...

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

Fantastic! that Puffer is crazy

Rollo Tomasi · Since 17 Mar 2005 983 Posts Attractive

holly · Since 09 Jul 2006 440 Posts Hood River Obsessed

LOL...Blaine now you have to start shooting kiting shots in HR!!

mikeinhoodriver · Since 23 Apr 2009 440 Posts down wind somewhere Obsessed

Blaine has got to be one of the better photogs in the Gorge!! I have yet to see one of his pictures that I dont like. I concur, Blaine start shooting kites! Cool

kitezilla · Since 22 Jun 2006 453 Posts gorge Obsessed

Blaine,

As far as the flower goes, my guess is that you captured the low rays of the sun on a field of orchids...turning the White Bod Orchid a beautioful golden color. I'm guessing it is a variety of Platanthera leucostachys, that grows at high elevation.

Check out this link, and see if anything looks familiar:

http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=plle5_001_avp.tif

I am just a hack botanist, so if you want to get a definite ID of that plant, you could go to a big university's Dept of Botany...or since you live in the gorge...it might be easier to just drive about 4 miles to Mosier, walk around and yell, "Hey, does anybody know what this wildflower is?". Within about 5 minutes, you will have a horde of world-class botanists, armed with jeweler's lens, flower dissecting kits, and copies of Hitchcock and Chronquist field guides surrounding you. Mosier just happens to be "Ground Zero" for botanists in the NW.

I'm not kidding...kiterboarders are not the only group of fanatics, who have made the gorge their home, and who appreciate the Gorge for some particular and unique characteristic. As an example, I love what happened, a few years ago, when the guy, doing the documentary for PBS, about the Lewis and Clark expedition, by chance, happened to stop in at the grocery store in Mosier to get a sandwich...and just happened to mention to the owner something about the plants, that Lewis and Clark might have seen when they passed through the Gorge. One of these botanists, probably one of the Igo brothers, was within shouting distance. I guess this guy ended up getting a personal tour, pictures, documentation, and all the information he needed for that section of the Lewis and Clark documentary, that afternoon...

You gotta get used to this kind of stuff, living in the Gorge...one minute you are having a beer, and find out the guy sitting next to you is the world's expert on unmanned drones' camera anti-jiggle technology... or the guy, who put the "g" in
Google...or a woman who is an editor for "Popular Science" magazine...the world's best kayaker...or... or ...it just goes on, and that doesn't include all the good, plain, down-to-earth folk, who live there.

Course, maybe,the bad news is that you are going to have some competition. Then, again, on the bright side of that issue, you will always have lots of company when you start to go on and on about "F stop setting", "shutter speed", "strong horizontal", "forced perspective"...Instead of having people backing slowly away from you and yawning...the group of up and coming 'photogs', will eat it up and egg you on...stealing your secrets in the process. Beware!