Newsletter #120: July, 2015
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
Contents:
1. Intimate Beauty: A Walk in the Garden
2. A Yoga Retreat in the Wild West Chilcotin!
3. Welcoming & Exquisite: 1st Class, Chilcotin Style
4. Busy Month Ahead: Workshops & Speaking Engagement
5. Congratulations: Step-daughter graduates in Photography!
Hi everyone,
This is my Newsletter’s 10th Anniversary!
Can you believe it? This is my 120th consecutive monthly Newsletter. That’s 10 YEARS!
I find that hard to believe. I was just a kid when I started it! I mustered up 75 friends and acquaintances for the first one, and now it heads out around the world to a few thousand.
Every once in a while someone comes up to me in an obscure place; on a city street, at the yogurt counter in Safeway, or on a canoe portage trail; and tells me they receive my Newsletter. I am always astounded. But I have to admit, it’s kind of ‘cool’!
Thank you all for your interest and continued support. Please enjoy my 120th consecutive monthly Newsletter!!
I appreciate your support for my work.
Chris
1. Intimate Beauty: A Walk in the Garden
This is a continuation of my forest story in Newsletter #118, the breaking of creative roadblocks to photographing subjects on my own property. These are subjects that I see every day and become so familiar with, I fail to recognize their beauty.
So after I photographed the small forest beside our house, I took out my macro lens and went into the flower garden. For three days I took an extra hour after lunch and journeyed to a faraway land.
By hand holding my camera, I was free to continuously move about my subjects searching for the elements that appealed to me. When there was a breeze, I merely increased my ISO level for a higher shutter speed.
edge abstraction
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 400; Aperture priority @ f-2.8; 1/500sec;100mm macro lens; handheld |
harmonies
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 250; Aperture priority @ f-5.6; 1/160sec;100mm macro lens; multiple exposure, handheld |
I never thought about what flower I was photographing; I eliminated the label. I searched only for line, form, texture, and colour. When the arrangement or juxtaposition of these elements caused a stir within me, I pressed the shutter…click. I responded to that which I felt was beautiful; that which triggered an emotional response.
These are some of my personal expressions.
eloquence
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 250; Aperture priority @ f-5.6; 1/250sec; 100mm macro lens; handheld |
emergence
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 400; Aperture priority @ f-2.8; 1/800sec; 100mm macro lens; handheld |
rhythm
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 400; Aperture priority @ f-4; 1/100sec; 100mm macro lens; handheld |
2. A Yoga Retreat in the Wild West Chilcotin!
On a whim and a crazy idea, I headed out to the west Chilcotin last week to photograph two resorts. I wanted to bring them to the attention of Destination BC (Tourism BC), and any tourists who may visit from around the world.
During the past 20 years, traveling out to the west Chilcotin has always meant wilderness adventure; hiking, canoeing, and trail riding, and always sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag.
What I discovered on this trip was that the Chilcotin can also rival the comforts found in any city around the world.
I contacted Donn Irwin, owner of The Dean on Nimpo, a beautiful lodge overlooking Nimpo Lake. Traditionally, ‘The Dean’ has been a destination for fisher people who have come here over the decades to fish one of twenty-five different lakes, streams, and rivers for wild rainbow trout, cutthroat, and dolly varden.
Donn welcomed me with true Chilcotin hospitality, giving me a room and a scotch! Being a photographer was never better!
Donn updated me on his latest developments. With fishing on the decline, he is now offering wilderness hospitality in the form of an arts and cultural retreat. Yoga classes, dance groups, writers, and artists of every medium are being welcomed to an atmosphere of natural quietness.
During supper, Donn and his partner Lee told me they had a group of ladies coming over for a yoga class the next morning. Perfect timing. I said I would love to photograph them. Everything was arranged.
Here are a few images I made during my stay at ‘The Dean’.
The back overlooks beautiful Nimpo Lake
Yoga class overlooking the lake
Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I would be photographing ladies doing yoga in the west Chilcotin! It was wonderful. What a setting for yoga.
Invigorating
Sunrise over Nimpo Lake
At 4:50 the next morning, just after a full moon disappeared behind the mountains, I made this panorama of the view from the lodge which overlooks Nimpo Lake and the Coast Mountains.
Later, over a contemplative cup of coffee, I couldn’t think of a more peaceful place to write, meditate, photograph, or be part of a yoga retreat.
3. Welcoming & Exquisite: First Class, Chilcotin Style
Next I was off to Eagle’s Nest Resort, a few kilometers further west along highway 20, just west of Anahim Lake. It was here that Petrus Rykes, Tim Noble, and Tena Rykes, welcomed me to their place of warmth, comfort, and serenity. The word hospitality now has a new meaning.
Eagle’s Nest from down near the lake
A place to enjoy a warm summer evening
This was definitely a jump up from my tent or the back of my truck! While at Eagle’s Nest you can park your trailer by the lake, enjoy a cozy lakeside cabin, or a comfortable suite such as the ones below.
My room!
One of the lakeside cabins
Another suite
Every lakeside cabin and suite has a personality of its own. I photographed the rustic elegance of each one. It was a pleasure.
The dining room overlooking Anahim Lake
5 am sunrise over Eagle’s Nest
bird song filled the marsh as I took a 6 am paddle beside the resort
EOS 5D Mark III; iso 200; Aperture priority @ f-8; 1/250sec; 16-35mm lens; handheld |
I had a wonderful experience at Eagle’s Nest; quality time with Petrus, Tim, and Tena, and fascinating chats with several of the guests. The food was exquisite. Every guest was simply amazed and so surprised that such a place existed in the Chilcotin. They were all talking about returning to explore the region further.
5. Busy Month Ahead: Workshops & Speaking Engagement
Old barn
Notes on composition & technique: Made using camera movement and a slow shutter speed. EOS 5D Mark III; iso 100; Aperture priority @ f-22; 1/4sec; 24-105mm lens; handheld |
This is going to be a very busy four weeks. Three of the upcoming weekends involve 3-day workshops based out of the Gallery here at 105 Mile. Then on the August 1-3rd weekend, I am speaking at the Canadian Association of Photographic Art convention being held at UBC, in Vancouver.
The convention, which is all about exploring photography, is an event to take in if you are interested in image making or just observing beautiful photography. You can check out the speakers and the entire event at CAPA PHOTO EXPO. Maybe I’ll see you there!
4. Congratulations: Step-daughter graduates in Photography!
Congratulations to Rita’s daughter, Teresa, who has just graduated from Langara College in photography. Teresa has accompanied me on many of my photographic expeditions and you will have seen pictures of her over the past 10 years in books and Newsletters. She is my #1 go-to canoe model! Check out her new website. It (like she) is very cool!!
Teresa and I
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