Sweepstakes Award @ 2005 Clark County Fair, Washington.
Our client, Angela Svendsen, posed in two separate photo sessions; one in studio and one on location. Our photographer, Frank Nichols, happened to catch her in a reflective mood during a break from the studio session. Sometimes candid portraits have strengths difficult to reproduce in posed situations. However, it does require the photographer to always be ready.
The Cost of Freedom
Accepted in the General Collection of the 115th International Exhibition of Photography (2006) and exhibited at the annual Professional Photographers of America convention, San Antonio, Texas
People’s Choice Award @ 2006 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington.
This image was conceived during the planning stages of a Sunrise Photo Adventure tours in Washington, DC. It is a composite of three distinct images. The primary image is the engraved names on the Viet Nam Memorial Wall and a small American flag that had been placed by one of the many visitors. The background image is from the perfectly lined and uniform memorials from the nearby Arlington Cemetery. The image was finally perfected by adding a portrait of one of the guards from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. The combination evokes patriot emotions and tears for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in order that we the world may live free.
Dinner for One
Honorable Mention @ 2006 Western States Professional Print Competition, Professional Photographers of America, Blaine, Washington.
Accepted in the General Collection of the 115th International Exhibition of Photography (2006) and exhibited at the annual Professional Photographers of America convention, San Antonio, Texas.
Presidents Award @ 2004 North Counties Photographic Federation, Tynemouth, North Shields, UK.
Accepted for Nature Exhibition @ 2004 Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA.
Superintendent’s Award @ 2004 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington.
This is the “Granddaddy” of all bears, a very large brown bear (Ursus arctos) catching his dinner at Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska. This particular bear was estimated to weigh about 1100 pounds and like to eat his salmon in private. He would lumber down the embankment, go to his favorite fishing spot and stand for about 15 seconds before he would plunge head first into the river. He would emerge each time with a large salmon and head back up the hill to eat his catch in private.
Kodiak Sushi
Best of Class; Portrait of Animal @ 2006 Western States Professional Print Competition, Professional Photographers of America, Blaine, Washington.
Accepted in the General Collection of the 115th International Exhibition of Photography (2006) and exhibited at the annual Professional Photographers of America convention, San Antonio, Texas.
First Premium @2006 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington.
This male brown bear (Ursus arctos) liked to catch his salmon in the middle of Mikfit Creek to eat only the richest parts. He would then discard the majority of the salmon for the eagles and gulls to finish the feast. It is a common trait of the brown bear to strip out the brains and roe when the salmon are plentiful. It is this ultra rich protein diet that accounts for the huge size of the Alaskan coastal brown bear. Mikfit Creek is part of the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary in southwest Alaska.
Call of the Wild
Best of Show, Professional Photographers of Oregon 2006 Summer Print Competition, Cannon Beach, Oregon.
First Premium @2006 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
During the rut of the American Elk or Wapiti (Cervus elaphus canadensis) in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming this bull bugles to call the part of his harem that was not moving to his satisfaction. He was trying to keep his harem together while crossing the Madison River near Madison Junction. It was early morning and the fog was rising from the water. The setting and timing made for a mournful bugling of a desperate bull struggling to maintain his dominance.
Peek-a-boo
Merit Print @ 2006 Summer Print Competition, Professional Photographers of Oregon, Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Model and Impact Images business manager, Karen Phillips, provides a provocative smile while hiding most of her face from view. Karen was 8 months pregnant at the time. Women who are pregnant seem to have a “glow” about them and are often at their loveliest.
Woodland Grist Mill
Merit Print @ 2006 Summer Print Competition, Professional Photographers of Oregon, Cannon Beach, Oregon.
You never know what is in your back yard until you start to explore. The Cedar Creek Grist Mill was built in 1898 on Cedar Creek near Woodland, Washington. It is operation by a local society that depends upon contributions and is open most weekends. The operators give visitors tours and show how the machinery that is installed inside works; including a practical demonstration of grinding wheat. They bag the ground flour and give it to you to take home and make bread or other bakery products. Sometimes you don’t have to travel far to find award winning photographs. The grist mill is less than two miles from the artist’s home.
The Livery Stable
Merit Print @ 2006 Summer Print Competition, Professional Photographers of Oregon, Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Alder Gulch was the home of a major Montana gold strike in the spring of 1863. Within a year nearly 10,000 people had crowded into the area forming Virginia City and Nevada City. When the gold played out so did the people. Today Virginia City is one of the premier Montana towns where the old west still walks the wooden sidewalks and the nearby Nevada City ghost town provides a host of buildings that are waiting to be photographed and explored.
Trails’ End
Accepted for exhibition @ 2006 Western States Professional Print Competition, Professional Photographers of America, Blaine, Washington.
During the November, 2005 Sunrise Photo Adventures tour, we visited a private ranch in Oregon. The owner allowed us to photograph many of his old relics. There were old 1920’s cars, buildings that have been moved onto his property, signs and other artifacts from the early 20th century. Among them were these late 1800’s or early 1900’s wooden and steel wagon wheels. The three wagon wheels staggered in a rolling formation punctuated with the aged wood give a reminiscence of the wagon trains of the Oregon Trail.
Sand Falls
Accepted for exhibition @ 2006 Western States Professional Print Competition, Professional Photographers of America, Blaine, Washington.
This was photographed during the January, 2006 Sunrise Photo Adventure tour, “Winter in the Southwest”. Near Page, Arizona is a slot canyon on Navaho land called Antelope Canyon. During the tour to Antelope Canyon I was lucky enough to capture falling sand in a sand-fall that dropped from far above to the small ledge and then trickled off to the floor of the slot canyon. The light inside the canyon is dim in most places and then supercharged by steaming light from the slot 100 feet above you.
Just Relaxin’
First Premium @2006 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
This two year old brown bear cub (Ursus Arctos) was playing with its sibling all afternoon. Finally one decided to lie down and take a nap in the warm sand at the confluence of Margot Creek and Naknek Lake, Katmai National Park, Alaska. The other one was still full of ‘cub” enthusiasm and no where to take it out. The second cub finally sat down and started to play with its own feet. It lifted and examined its claws that would one day be part of its protection. I was able to capture the bear with human-like posture and the curiosity of “What is this paw and how did it get there?”
Sparring Partners
First Premium @2005 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
Two male brown bears (Ursus Arctos) give each other a playful tussle after spending most of the morning devouring salmon on Mikfit Creek in the McNeil River Game Sanctuary, Alaska. The “pecking” order of who is the strongest and who gets the prime fishing rights are real battles that leave some bears with massive scars, broken jaws and wounds that could be very hard to heal over. These two were obviously on friendly terms and had no real animosity. However, it was clear that the bear on the right was the dominate bear and the other would submit and follow his lead.
Eagle Rock
First Premium @2005 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
This bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) rests on a rock in the middle of Mikfit Creek, McNeil River Game Sanctuary, Alaska. He awaits the next salmon discard from the many bears that are at the Mikfit Creek falls. Not as many bears visit the Mikfit Creek area in June; however, there were nine different bears that we could identify wandering to the falls for their protein meal. The McNeil River Falls is a larger area and many more bear appear there for the feeding frenzy of July and August. River in 2006 I witnessed 19 bears scattered along 300 yards of river all with the same idea in mind; dinner.
Sunrise Elk
First Premium @2005 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
As a photographer you must get up early and be in the field ready for anything. On this particular morning in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming the sun had not risen and I spotted this magnificent American Elk or Wapiti (Cervus elaphus canadensis) grazing. It was about 10 degrees and I climbed out of my vehicle and set up to wait for enough light to photo this bull. Finally the sun rises and just peeked over the top of the distant mountains streaming the glorious warm light that only early morning can offer. The “O-Dark-Thirty” early morning, the anxiety of waiting, the freezing temperature and the warmth of the light produced a personal memory much stronger than one can capture on film.
Three on One
Honorable Mention and Accepted for Photo Journalism Exhibition @ 2004 Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA
As a training exercise the Vancouver, Washington fire department used an old dilapidated home that was to be remove as a training ground for its volunteers. I was asked to cover the event for the fire department. I was able to “get up close and personal”with the staff and the fire. The event made for some excitement for those participating and too hot for my comfort.
It Takes a Team to Win
Accepted for Photo Journalism Exhibition @ 2004 Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA
This image is from the same training exercise as noted in the description of Three on One. The firemen are well trained and act as a single unit. Each team member watches his teammate’s back in order that they can accomplish dangerous tasks and minimize the danger. There is a lot more to fighting a fire than just pouring water on the flames.
Peach Rose
Accepted for Monochrome Exhibition @ 2004 Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA
A single rose that came from a dozen that I bought for my wife created a very subtle black and white image. The color of the rose was a uniform peach color. The black and white image results from the various quantities of light that fall on different parts of each rose petal. The result is a series of soft transitions between black to grey to pure white on the tips of certain petals. It was shot with natural window light.
Astoria Bridge
Accepted for Monochrome Exhibition @ 2004 Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA.
The Astoria Bridge (highway 101) spans four miles from Astoria, Oregon, across the mouth of the Columbia River, to the Washington coast. The bridge’s main span is 1,232 feet in length, the longest “continuous truss” in the world. It provides a great architectural subject to photograph. Many times the light of sunset changes color so rapidly that it is hard to decide when to click the shutter. This view is from the waterfront in Astoria looking toward Washington with Cape Disappointment in the background.
Teddy Bear
First Premium @2004 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington.
Accepted for Nature Exhibition @ 2004 Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA.
This sub-adult (probably in his 3rd year) brown bear (Ursus arctos) was busy eating sedge grass in the flood plain ofMcNeil River State Game Sanctuary in southwest Alaska. The grass was heavy with morning dew and covered his coat with the "wet" look that enhances his brown color. The brown bears supplement their rich salmon diet with the sweet sedge grasses that are in abundance near the water’s edge. Teddy appears to be harmless and cuddly; however, don’t let looks fool you. He is as wild as they come.
Fishing is Child’s Play
First Premium @2004 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
Accepted for Nature Exhibition @ 2004 Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA
This sub-adult brown bear (Ursus arctos) is learning to fish the hard way; trial and error. He runs through the water pushing a wave in front of him that scares any salmon near his strike zone. He is fishing for salmon in Brooks River,
First Premium @2004 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
This female brown bear (Ursus arctos) is on the shore of
Naknek Lake in Katmai National Park, Alaska. I spent a great deal of time with her and her two yearling cubs. So much time that when threatened by a large boar she left her cubs within 75 feet of me to chase off the boar. In about 5 minutes she came back to our location as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She had obviously recognized that I was not a threat or that she knew her two yearling cubs could easily take me down. That event was one of my more nervous times while photographing the bears.
Yukon Eagle
First Premium @2003 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington.
While on a summer vacation to Alaska, Frank and Valerie Nichols decided to drive to the Klondike of Canada. Near the road was this bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sitting in the top of a spruce. The trees don’t get very large in the high latitudes because of the cold winters and short growing seasons. He was perched strategically near a large pond where ducks, geese and trumpeter swans were nesting for the summer. An eagle will simple fly over a flock of ducks or geese and cause an uncontrolled scattering of the flock. Many times during this confusion a duck or goose will break a wing and it’s dinner time. Of course the small hatchlings are very vulnerable to the eagle’s keen eye and also make a great snack.
Are you looking at me?
First Premium @2003 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
On one of my times in the wilderness, this brown bear (Ursus arctos) is the one that made me the most nervous. In normal encounters with bears a bear will observe that there is no threat and simply move off or continue doing what they were doing in the first place. Human encounters with bears should never be treated lightly. In this case this male bear, weighing an estimated 1300 pounds was constantly looking at me. Whatever he did, he would always glance up and stare at me for much too long of time. As he worked the river for salmon he would begin to come closer with those menacing looks. As he moved toward the center of the river I would back away up the hill behind me trying to keep a constant distance between us. I finally gave up and backed away completely giving that bear all the space he needed. The location is at Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska.
Dandelion Bear
First Premium @2003 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
Accepted for Nature Exhibition @ 2004 Washington State Fair, Puyallup, WA
In a remote area of the Yukon Territory, Canada, I found this very large black bear (Ursus americanus) munching on dandelions in a meadow near the Alaska-Canadian highway. He was completely unmoved by my presence and taking photographs of him. His mission was to continue to eat and not let anything else stop him. As black bears go he was the largest I had encountered in the wild; probably around 500 pounds.
Montana Bighorns
First Premium @2003 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
Accepted for exhibition @ 4th Dixie Southern Slide Competition, Georgia.
These three rams are part of seven Rocky Mountain Bighorn (Ovis canadensis canadensis)rams all “camped out” about 2 miles distance and 1000 foot vertical climb on the hillside just outside of Gardnier, Montana. The seven rams were a bit wary; however, they let me climb up and view them from a rock. After watching them for several hours they began to move and graze down the hill toward me. Before long I was surrounded by these big guys and they decide to “camp out” with me in the middle of the herd. It was as close to being a part of nature as I have ever been.
Mossy Rock
First Premium @2002 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
Accepted for exhibition @ 2 Hong Kong Circuit- HKCP, Hong Kong.
An almost primeval forest exists just outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. This particular shot was on the Roaring Forks Creek road in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Along this one lane road are unspoiled views of the natural growth that have largely disappeared elsewhere. With the encroachment of “civilization” and crowds that throng to the national parks near metropolitan areas it is difficult to find unspoiled and natural settings.
Bear in the Grass
First Premium @2002 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
At the point where Brooks River flows into Naknek Lake, Katmai National Park, Alaska, is an observation platform to view the wildlife. Behind the platform is a marsh with heavy grass that stands about four feet tall. I observed this brown bear (Ursus Arctos) about 100 yards away slip into the heavy grass and watched as he moved through the grass. The only tell-tale evidence was a swooshing of the heads of the grass. I could see where he was going to come out at the river edge and the grass had been beaten down from other bears bringing their catch out of the water to eat. I pre-focused and framed where I hoped he would pass. The bear reached the area and paused for about 2 seconds. I was able to get off one frame and here is the reward.
Maggie in the Snow
First Premium @2002 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
Accepted for exhibition @ The Golden Cat – Belgium Slide Competition Circuit
The magpie (Pica pica) is well known to us all by its black and white appearance. In this photograph the “true colors” of the magpie are revealed by the strong direct sunlight at just the right angle. Observed closely, the black parts have a metallic sheen, blue-purple on the body and green on the tail. The colors of this specimen are extraordinarily vivid. It was photographed in late October while driving through Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Missouri Sunrise
First Premium @2002 Clark County Fair, Vancouver, Washington
The Missouri River flows for thousands of miles from Montana to the Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri. On this particular morning “old muddy” was flowing at less than flood stage but still with great amounts of debris floating downstream. I arose early to get a sunrise photograph over the water and drove south out of Omaha, Nebraska to the first bridge crossing. There was a boat launch and parking lot that was not quite underwater. I set up there and waited for sunrise and what a sunrise.
Accepted for exhibition @ 4th Dixie Southern Slide Competition, Georgia
Accepted for exhibition @ 5th Rome Slide Competition, Georgia.
Accepted for exhibition @ 4th Peach Tree Southern Slide Competition, Georgia.
The contradiction of life and death is shown with the sprout of the young evergreen as compared to the aged and scarred trunk of the Aspen (Populus tremuloides). The contradiction of the cold snow and the warm sun shinning adds subtle contrast. It was photographed in the Jemez Mountains above Los Alamos, New Mexico near the Pajarito Mountain Ski Area; hence, the name Pajarito.
Frozen Mill Creek
Accepted for exhibition @ 5th Rome Slide Competition, Georgia.
Behind Salt Lake City, Utah, is a steep canyon that pushes this small creek from the high elevations directly into a border neighborhood of the city. Mill Creek Canyon is a great summer drive just minutes off the freeway. During the winter it is all but impassable most of the time. You can drive as far as the abandon water wheel and then dine in a fine restaurant, Log Haven Restaurant, directly across from the water wheel and creek. This is all within 20 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City.
Rio Grande Caboose
Accepted for exhibition @ San Antonio International Slide Competition, San Antonio, Texas.
Near Santa Fe, New Mexico I found an abandoned siding and train depot. The little town was quaint and I do not remember its name. On the siding was this Rio Grande caboose. The oxidation and discoloration gives character to this relic of the past.
Ground Dweller
Accepted for exhibition @ San Antonio International Slide Competition, San Antonio, Texas.
Accepted for exhibition @ 3rd Wisconsin Circuit, Kenoshi, Wisconsin.
Near the top of the ridge line at Chapin Pass in Rocky Mountain National Park at about 11,000 feet elevation this yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) was sunning himself in the fall sunshine. Rocky Mountain National Park is located near Denver, Colorado and affords the locals 24 hour, 365 day visitation. Of course, the higher elevations are covered in massive amounts of snow from the first snow falls to late spring. This little guy finds living among the rocks and at high altitude compatible with its style.
Madison River Elk Splash
Accepted for exhibition @ India International Slide Competition –Octopus, New Delhi, India.
The American Elk or Wapiti (Cervus elaphus canadensis) can be found through out the Rocky Mountains from Mexico and into Canada. During the spring this elk crosses the Madison River just east of West Yellowstone, Montana in Yellowstone National Park. He is still in velvet with his new antlers growing rapidly. They communicate with their herd and other elk by bugling. It is a real wilderness experience to be alone in the early morning hours and listening to these beautiful animals “talk” to one another.
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