Fourth of July Excursion

Ann and I decided to take advantage of having the Fourth of July off.  Given that it came on a Wednesday this year, we had to keep our trip short, so after work on Tuesday we headed up to Brice Creek.  It turned into a nice little excursion!

We were winging it once again, unsure exactly where we’d be spending the night, but we knew there were possibilities.  It seemed as if we weren’t the only ones because all of the known free sites that are off the road were taken.  It looked like there was space at the campgrounds, so we kept driving to scout out some photography locations.  

We checked out blue pool (the location we were frustrated at earlier in the year) from the elevated road side, but felt uninspired.  Ann suggested we photograph at the lower section of Brice Creek within hiking distance from Cedar Creek Campground.  So we headed back down the road.  On the way we decided to stop at a location we call “beer can,” a location that isn’t easily seen from the road.  We call it that because we wound up stopping there for the first time several years ago when one of us said, “Is that a beer can nailed to the tree?”  Since there was space to pull off we did and once we checked the beer can out (and the trail next to it) we found this lovely little spot.

This time we climbed down the hill, sans cameras, to check things out.   Water was running a bit low, and the sun had set behind the mountains, but thinking of John Sexton’s quiet light period, I suggested we go back and get the cameras.  It isn’t nearly the climb that blue pool is, so Ann readily agreed.  Cameras in hand, we made our way back down to the creek.

The light was fading quickly, so we didn’t have a lot of time to work.  But it was lovely, as you can see.

The short falls were, for once, not raging, so I was even able to make a workable image that included them.

There was no time to climb down the next layer of rocks to keep on photographing - it was getting late, the light was going and we knew we wanted to get an early start.  So we called it a shoot and headed to camp. 

As we guessed from our earlier drive-by, there was plenty of space at Cedar Creek.

We got up extra early the next morning, had coffee and an easy breakfast and started up Brice Creek.  We hadn’t hiked this section of the creek for awhile and things had changed.  Mainly, several huge trees had fallen across the river.  At several spots where there had been at least some potential for images, the downed trees made things difficult.

However, as we approached our intended destination, we could see that things were fine there.

As we made it out to the flat rocks that is our usual photographing platform, I noticed that the low water level had exposed a ledge along the shore that is usually underwater.  So I hopped down to get a lower, different view of things.

After a couple of less than successful images up-stream, I turned down-stream to photograph the water as it made its big drop on the main falls.  I noticed how the white from the water fall made the far wall glow, which will be a post in itself, and for me that makes the image.

I climbed up off my ledge so that I’d be out of Ann’s way as she photographed up-river.  And from our normal perch I worked on trying to make a decent image that included a log stuck between two boulders. 

I wish the log was at more of an angle, but you can only work with what you have.

When Ann was done, I hopped back down my ledge and made a few more images.  As I was packing up to go I looked at my feet and found another image.  I think I might add to the adage, “When you’re done making your photograph, look 180 degrees behind you . . .” an additional tip, “. . . and look at your feet.”

I climbed up off my ledge again just as Ann started intently framing a new image.  So I wandered around a bit, content on being in a lovely place.  But of course, after a few minutes I realized there were more images to be had.  So I hopped back to get my camera and made several close up images of rocks and water.  

I knew this one would make a nice black and white image as I was composing it.

When we were done there, we headed up stream a bit farther to a series of riffles that are very difficult to photograph as a broader landscape given the angle that a series of low shelves break out of the ground at.  Still, the square format that I seem to be seeing everything at lately made it easy for me to eliminate distracting elements that a more horizontal frame would have introduced. 

And you can see why this is such an interesting section of the creek.

Just don’t try to head over to the left side of the frame above to make an image, unless you like lessons in frustration . . . or you’re a much better photographer than me.   

As I did at the previous location, I gravitated towards focusing in on details of rocks and flowing water.  When working with flowing water, the patterns are never quite the same, so all you can do is make a composition you think works, find a shutter speed (or speeds) that you think work, and then make several images at each shutter speed.  Unfortunately, that makes for a lot of exposures and the headache of trying to find one (or more) that stand above the others. 

Still, the effort was worth it. 

The morning had been gracious to us.  The skies started a bit overcast, as is the case often in the mountains, but surprisingly remained so for a bit longer than we’d expected.  That had given us a bit over 3 hours of photography time.  Not bad for a 4th of July excursion.  

Satisfied with our morning efforts, we headed back to camp to pack up Beast and head home.  

By the time we made it back to camp, the sun was starting to break through.  Yup, the photography gods were looking out for us!