Newsletter #178: March, 2020
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
Hi everyone,
It was full moon and I couldn’t sleep, so I got up to read. Surprisingly, I began to reminisce about a visual experience I had nine years ago. In this newsletter, I thought I would share with you my ‘reflection back in time’.
Unseen Beauty in a Local Landscape
In 2011, when I was doing aerial photography of our local landscape for my book Flyover, I quickly learned that when I included the horizon line, there was enormous context revealing the landscape exactly as we see it, and as we know it to be. We call this style of image making representational, or documentary.
As I lowered my camera and eliminated the horizon, considerable context was removed. The result were images slightly more abstract.
By looking closely at the following images, you can see that as I continued to lower my camera angle, the images became completely abstract. At the same time, they are profoundly representational.
The colours in the following images are the result of algae species usually found in shallow water
near land. Mostly as a result of moisture and heat, these colours continually changed as I photographed throughout the summer.
Calcareous lake; aerial
With little or no context, images become more mysterious, and viewers find themselves needing to ask questions rather than being provided with answers. This piques the viewers interest, provoking thought, inquiry and involvement. This is the goal of every creative artist.
Heading Out; Go’in for a Drive!
A couple of days ago, my friend Mike Duffy and I decided to pack a lunch and drive out to the Churn Creek grasslands. We chatted, laughed, and most importantly, we stopped to photograph whenever we had the urge.
We have made this trip dozens of times together, and each is a highlight adventure. Below are a few images I made along the way. Each is a memory and celebration of a wonderful day spent conversing with the natural world and a good friend.
Usually, we are the only folks out there. On this particular day, however, we
did meet one person, a birder. He told us he visits these grasslands each spring
to see the early arrivals; but so far, he said, none appeared to have arrived.
While driving through a narrow canyon, I noticed a cleft in a rock wall. We stopped.
When white clouds filled the cleft’s background space, I juxtaposed the positive and negative
elements to visually express the feature differently.
Further along the road, a small marsh grabbed our attention. We stopped and photographed for an hour.
Cattails await the spring melt.
In the shadow of a rock bluff, snow remains
Eventually we reached the warmer climes of the Mid-Fraser River Canyon. Shadow and light accompanied us through the grassland’s magnificence.
‘What a place to graze’, I thought to myself! Looking westward beyond the ranch lies an immense grassland contained in a refuge known as the Chilcotin Ark.
As an experiment in expression, I multiplied this rancher’s cow herd. At today’s market value, I was hoping he’d be pleased!
West of us, and in the distance, we could see intricate land patterns where water drained from the grasslands plateau high above the Fraser River.
Coloured drainage patterns
The Fraser River Canyon was formed some 10-20 million years ago. Today it is the site of two natural wonders. Within the river, is the annual Pacific salmon migration; above the river, is one of the planet’s last remaining bluebunch wheatgrass grasslands.
These grassland terraces were once lake bottoms. Today they slope downward towards the ever-carving Fraser River.
Amazing captures Chris, I never tire looking at your images.
It was fun looking back at some of the old images! I got exciting all over again! I think I’ll go find that place on the ground and check it out from a totally new perspective!! Cheers, Sylvia.
Especially Love the abstract aerial shots of algae patterns, Chris
Gee, I was going to write you yesterday. I have been thinking of you. Great to hear from you. I wish you the very best. Chris
I enjoy each and every one of your newsletters, old friend….always magic captures! Greg Sumner
How wonderful to hear from you Greg. I hope that brass banjo is still strumming!
Wondrous, Chris! Viewing your spectacular and interesting images, it makes one wonder what all the fuss is about on this tiny crust of this world in these days of viruses and social distancing. I keep my eye on the beauty of nature’s landscape, and will drink this in and celebrate what is integrative today. I am with you in that, my friend!
Hi Brenda. Great to see you on the ski trail today! There is no need to ‘social distance’ out in the grasslands!!
I adore the Cariboo and have spent many days and hours tramping through it with my trusty Nikon. Thank you for a truly magnificent look at your region about which I know only a little. At 85 I may not have the opportunity to visit your places but I sure enjoyed the peek through your lense(s).
I’m blessed to live here. I love the Cariboo & Chilcotin; happy to share.
Very intersting work Chris. It is always a pleasure to see and read about your compositions!
Thanks Chris!
A relief to look at beauty when the world is faced with the virus.
I thought of your favourite poem about the stone Joan as I made that abstract of the cleft in the rock!!
what a joyous collection of natural abstract Chris! I am reminded of Porter’s chaos theory. I am sensing that you were the captured one that day! Thank you for sharing and inspiring.
Great to hear from you Darrell. I’ll look up Porter’s Chaos theory!
I was just searching our a heart shaped lake in La Mauricie! I’m so happy to no longer in need of wondering where or what. I can just love the shade, light, frame, colour, motion, story or not. Of your marvelous images. Thanks Chris.
The heart shaped lake was a lucky find from the plane. It was a beauty! Thanks.
I love the pictures of the Calcareous Lake – the shapes, the colours, the textures, wonderful images. I always enjoy your newsletters. Thanks.
Thank you Jackie; always fun to share!
After paddling against the wind all morning, I stood, exhausted, by the lake shore. I stared at the sky, my teacher & guide at my side. “Beautiful day,” I said, trying not to show my fatigue. Teenage pride. “Glad it’s not raining.”
“Fifteen minutes,” he said. He looked up.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“It’ll be raining in fifteen minutes,” he said. “Better check your tent, Schultzie.”
I checked and adjusted the fly. Good thing, too. It rained fifteen minutes later.
Thanks for your knowledge of nature and for the wonderful photos over the years,Chris . . . and for keeping us safe (and dry) back in the 70’s. I’ll be forever grateful.
Amazing and wonderful to hear from you Steve. What a great story; it brought back so many memories. I remember those times well…we were blessed. Chris
Those are Incredible aerial images of the Calcareous lakes. I love the heart shape. Thank you for letting us see your world in the Cariboo. I have never been…..but would love to explore. Judy
You are always welcome here; there is lots of space for all of us!! Great people too!
Delightful Chris. Always a great journey to tag along with your exploits. Last Friday I shared the Jokulhlaup story and photographs I took when we explored Ape Lake and Jacobsen Lake together eight or nine years ago..The Williams Lake Field Naturalists were duly impressed..
Hi Chris, Nice to see some of your older photos again. In particular I loved the aerial shots of the C
alcareous lakes. Excellent abstract compositions. Love the vastness of the Churn Creek grasslands especially when I compare your open spaces to tiny Ireland!!! Janie
Thanks Jane. I love the tiny spaces in Ireland too. So intimate. I’d love to photograph the country in its entirety!.
So cool! Great memories. It was so wonderful to work with you on the Flyover book.
Thank- you for your efforts to provide your readers with your amazing images and words.
Thank you Domenic. I hope you are doing well wherever you happen to be these days!
Hi Chris , what do you charge to multiply cows? I always thought there must be a way to make cattle profitable,you may have stumbled on the answer😇😋 . PS sorry I missed your birthday ,I promise to attend your 100 th!!
Great to hear from a REAL rancher!! I can’t wait until my 100th so I will try and drop in one of these days. I’ll show you how to multiply your cow herd!!
Chris, DO YOU ever stop to eat or sleep MON ???
No time for sleep…time is running out…no time to waste!!!
Chris..I love that land. You introduced it to me for my drive to our Bella Coola workshop 3 years ago, warning me about the gumbo. Seeing that land again through your eyes makes it more magical and spectacular. Thank you…again my friend
Great to hear from you Buzz…all the very best…
Lots of familiar and wonderful images there Chris. We should do that again this summer, plus the long awaited stroll through the grasslands together.