Newsletter #215: April, 2025
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved
Welcome everyone!
Contents:
- Spring Breakup of Bridge Creek.
- Celebrating Images with Meaning.
- Interested in Photography? Check this out.
- Upcoming Gallery Event with poet Harold Rhenisch
Spring Breakup of Bridge Creek
~ a 30-day photographic project ~
Bridge Creek; where the project began.
In mid-February, I visited our small municipal park and took a walk along a 100 m long trail which followed Bridge Creek to a small waterfall. Both the creek and waterfall were frozen which led to an idea; I would undertake a project to photograph spring breakup.
I walked the trail every couple of days until mid-March, making photographs of my immediate surroundings using my camera, two lenses, and a tripod. With my newly felt freedom of photographic expression, I began an exciting adventure into a world I didn’t know existed. This is what I discovered!
The American Dipper. Throughout the month, this courageous bird became my friend. I watched her as she dove into the frigid water, swam against the current, explored the stream bottom for food, and finally popped up at the exact same spot where she dove from. Amazing!
Imaginary reflection
Ice and snow
A thin place
Juxtaposition of elements
Frozen delicacy
A tonal study
Ice sculpture
Colour encased in blackness
How the light gets through
The stream became a world of everchanging tonalities, textures, and shapes.
The world I never knew existed
In the above three images, a compositional study of colour allows plenty of room for expression and interpretation.
In the above three images, I sought form within the waterfall; form as it is, form as it isn’t, and form as it has never been seen or experienced.
Referring to the above three images, multiple perspective photography allows new ways to perceive reality by combining several exposures made from one or more locations, of one or more subjects, while using different camera movements. Within this stream (or wherever you happen to be) there are limitless possibilities for in-camera photographic expression.
Patterned ice.
Each day, both the waterfall and myself, expressed ourselves differently.
Each day, melting ice revealed new compositions.
Each day, melting ice revealed new possibilities for studies in artistic design.
As temperatures rose, water replaced ice…..
….and the colours of spring began to reflect in it.
An interesting project for viewers is to ask yourselves which of the different styles of expression do you prefer and what styles evoke what responses? Your answers may reflect how you respond to all genres of art.
According to research, lovers of pure Representational photography enjoy looking at something that reflects reality and has a clear narrative; familiarity over ambiguity. Those who enjoy highly expressionist and abstract photography prefer NOT having all the answers and have no need to recognize the familiar. They enjoy experimentalism, novelty, and ambiguity; they prefer to figure out the mystery, and interpret art in their own way.
As either a creator or a viewer, what drives your preferences?
Celebrating Images with Meaning
With an unexpected response to my February newsletter article Winter Images with Meaning, I’m continuing with the stories behind other image captures which have remained most meaningful to me for different reasons over the years. These images are deeply connected with memory, association, and strong personal feelings.
This image titled The Royal Hudson, is probably the most famous image I have ever made. It is one of my top three selling images for both stock sales and as a photographic print. The story of how I captured this image was featured on CBC radio’s BC Almanac hosted by Mark Forsythe in the early 1990’s.
The Royal Hudson (film capture)
In 1991, on a whim of good faith, I independently published my first book; The Bowron Lakes: British Columbia’s Wilderness Canoe Circuit. When it quickly became a ‘best seller’, I excitedly decided on a new career path. With a lot of enthusiasm and little or no experience, I would become a professional photographer and a book publisher.
In 1992, I happened to attend a local tourism meeting in which I heard a BC Rail executive speak to the record numbers of tourists travelling on BC Rail’s passenger ‘bud car’ service to the Cariboo, and the Royal Hudson tourist train which ran from North Vancouver to Squamish. When he said that both services had surpassed the 100,000 passengers a year mark, my heart soared. With thousands of book sales dancing in my head, I instantly decided on my next book; BC Rail: British Columbia’s Great Train Adventure was on its way!
In the course of one year, I travelled 50,000 km chasing trains and light. I had many train adventures that year, but the adrenalin rush of capturing this Royal Hudson image is the story I will never forget.
After hiking miles of rail track along Howe Sound, I eventually came up with the idea of capturing the Royal Hudson as it exited one of the many tunnels along the route. After several failed attempts to capture what I had envisioned, I decided to meet with the engineer. After explaining that I was photographing a book on BC Rail, I described the image I was trying to capture. With a wink in his eye, he said he totally understood what I was imagining. Plans were made; I told him the day and the exact tunnel I had chosen for the composition, and he described what he would do to help me. When he told me he would put an extra shine on the engine, turn on the main headlight, and when he was in the tunnel, he would open every valve possible, I was so excited and grateful, I couldn’t wait to get started.
The next day I drove to Britannia Beach, parked my truck, gathered my camera equipment, and hiked down the track to my chosen tunnel. For two hours I prepared for this split second; composing and re-composing my two camera bodies while checking and re-checking the exposure. Each of my two camera bodies were on a tripod, each set at a high shutter speed, and the ‘drive’ setting at continuous high-speed. I would make as many images as I possibly could from the moment the engine exited the tunnel to when it passed me. I was set!
Finally, I heard that childhood reminiscent sound as the Royal Hudson steam engine made its way up Howe Sound between Horseshoe Bay and Squamish. Closer and closer, louder and louder. Then as No. 2860 entered the tunnel, I heard the steam valves being opened; my whole body soared with adrenalin. Within an explosive instant, the Royal Hudson burst out of the tunnel releasing smoke and steam. With precision timing, I released both shutters. Click, click; click, click; click, click; …..
I’ll never forget the adrenalin rush when I captured that moment in time.
Interested in Photography? Check this Out.
Through photography, I invite viewers to share the nuances of visual discovery.
During the past 35 years I have had the good fortune of exploring, photographing, and published 13 books on the Cariboo Chilcotin region of central British Columbia. As I continue to curate my entire image bank, I make changes to my three website platforms for sharing imagery; Portfolios , Visual Narratives, and Exhibitions.
- Portfolio’s: I have revised and updated my three portfolios which exemplify the major styles of my photographic expression; Representational, Multiple Perspective, and Abstract. These portfolios represent an insight into my work as well as a catalogue for custom orders of art prints. Simply drop us an email and we will work with you to create something beautiful for your own self-expression in home or business settings. Take a look!
- Visual Narratives: These short visual adventures are told through 6-image sequences and are published weekly. Join the experience; subscribe if you would like to be notified.
- Exhibitions: These are similar to art gallery exhibitions which provide viewers with a sense and spirit of a specific place. They are also designed to preserve a moment in time; a historical and educational resource designed to generate a visual identity along with a sense of understanding, appreciation, and value for both local residents and global visitors.
Two new exhibitions have just been published:
The Farwell Canyon Grasslands
and …
The Rainbow Volcano
As viewers, you are invited to join the adventure of seeing my world as a sacred landscape; as an emotional response; as an artistic philosophy; or as a creative expression.
Enjoy your visit.
Portfolio’s
Visual Narratives
Exhibitions
Upcoming Gallery Event
Wednesday June 4; we welcome Harold Rhenisch for a reading and slide presentation of his latest publication; The Salmon Shanties; A Cascadian Song Cycle
This book is short listed for the Al & Eurithe Purdy Poetry Prize for 2025 and Harold is travelling the province to share it.
Our straw bale gallery reading of The Salmon Shanties will be Harold’s 17th public reading from the book. In the language of the Pacific Northwest, a shantie is a song, and to sing.
In Harold’s words they are his ‘drum songs and fancy dances’. ‘They were written for a voice and a beating heart, with the rhythms of the waves of the Pacific Beaches washing through every line. There will be sandhill cranes flying by starlight above the Marble Mountains. There will be a slide show’.
It’s a long time since Harold has joined us to read his poetry and we are very excited to invite everyone to come!
Harold on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hrhenisch/
Harold’s website: https://haroldrhenisch.com/
June 4; doors at 6:30 for a 7:00 pm start.
There are no tickets but an rsvp to Rita for planning purposes is much appreciated.
Text 250-706-5577 or email photography@chrisharris.com
All of us at Chris Harris Photography thank you for your subscriber support!
Check out my Portfolio’s (revised)
View Exhibitions (updated)
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