beauty Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Loree Johnson Photography

Monument Valley, on the other hand…

by Loree | Jun 22, 2015 | Deserts, Gratitude, Locations, The Vagabond Lifestyle

Or maybe that should be “on the other mitten.” If you saw my last post, then you know I didn’t really feel the relaxed, natural beauty of Sedona, Arizona. Instead, it seemed to me more like Las Vegas without the neon. A playround for the rich, with much hustle and manic energy. So, just a few days later, when I arrived at Monument Valley, I was a bit jaded.

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A partial rainbow under a huge thunderstorm between the Mittens of Monument Valley.

I had been looking online at things to see and do in Monument Valley, and seeing all the ads for guided tours and how much of the area is off-limits without a guide, the cynic in me decided that the Navajo Nation was simply exploiting the natural beauty for a profit in the same way commercial entities were exploiting Sedona. That was how I felt until I got there.

Eagle Mesa Storm Clouds; glowing; monument valley; arizona; utah; desert southwest; red rock country; navajo nation; az weather; ut weather; rock formations; sagebrush; sand; light; sunset; dusk; evening; and; the; over; with; under; above; against; in the; on the; at the; Loree Johnson

Storm clouds glowing just before sunset behind Eagle Mesa in Monument Valley.

Even before the RV was parked and hooked up in the campground, I had a sense that this place was different. Not just different…special. Before I even saw the sacred valley of the Navajo Nation, I could feel its energy. It was as if the land was welcoming me and I felt more relaxed than I had felt in weeks. It’s very unusual for me to feel that way on a travel day, and especially prior to getting settled in.

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Just minutes before the sun rises over the horizon, the sky explodes with color, while the incredible sandstone buttes of Monument Valley remain in the dark. This is the classic view of Monument Valley, including the West Mitten, East Mitten, and Merrill Butte.

After spending a few days as a guest at the campground and both of the restaurants, I have to say my assumptions regarding exploitation changed. I believe there are many, many people who wish to experience this serene place, and they have been coming for years. Monument Valley has been not only a tourist destination, but a filming location for dozens of movies, starting in the 1920’s and continuing today. I have great respect for the way the Navajo people have come up with ways to accommodate that demand, while remaining respectful of the land and its heritage.

The Other View; gray whiskers; mitchell butte; monument valley; Sunrise; daybreak; monument valley; dawn; sunrise; sandstone buttes; colorful; soft; glow; light; contrast; orange; clouds; weather; navajo nation; arizona; utah; desert southwest; formation; and; the; over; with; under; above; against; in the; on the; at the; Loree Johnson

While most visitors to Monument Valley look to the northeast to see The Mittens and Merrill Butte, if you look to the southwest, you see Gray Whiskers and Mitchell Butte. This other view is particularly pretty in the soft glow of the early morning light.

In Sedona, I felt like a mark. Like I was welcome there as long as I had “tourist dollars” to spend. In Monument Valley, I felt like a respected guest, who was welcome as long as I behaved respectfully in return. And even though a guided tour was not in my budget this time around, I would like to take one sometime, since this surreal place is most definitely on my “want to visit again” list. I was a little sad to see it fade into the distance in my rear view mirror. But, I am also grateful for my time there as I believe it bestowed a bit of its wonder on my soul.

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Mile post thirteen on US route 163 just north of Monument Valley in Utah. This spot became famous as the point in the movie “Forrest Gump” where Forrest decided to stop running. In this image, you can see the mile marker on the left and the red sandstone buttes of Monument Valley in the distance.

Sedona, my impressions

by Loree | Jun 12, 2015 | Deserts, The Vagabond Lifestyle

Having recently spent some time near Sedona, Arizona, it strikes me how the “tourism industry” can spoil a place. With somewhere between 2 and 4 million visitors a year, Sedona is a very popular tourist destination. The Chamber of Commerce touts tourism as the “core industry and economic generator” for the town. I use the word town loosely. Sedona is really a city pretending to be a small town. The small town image is obviously more attractive to visitors.

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Heavenly sunset at Cathedral Rock, reflected in Oak Creek in Sedona, Arizona.

There are some absolutely gorgeous sights to see around Sedona, including Cathedral Rock. But, there are a limited number of places to photograph the lovely natural beauty of the area, due to massive commercial and private development. Most views of the stunning natural red rocks are blocked by golf resorts, hotels, and sprawling private mansions with huge KEEP OUT and NO TRESPASSING signs posted everywhere.

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Watching the full moon rise between the spires of Sedona, Arizona’s Cathedral Rock is a truly unforgettable experience.

Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the wonderful and unique natural landscapes around Sedona. What I didn’t enjoy were the four lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic, the “tourist information” buildings on every corner that are nothing more than fronts to sign people up for high-pressure time-share sales pitches, or the uppity attitude of the campgrounds when they found out I had the audacity to try and secure an rv space less than a year in advance. As it turns out, I’m glad I couldn’t get a space in Sedona, since I ended up staying about fifteen miles away in Cottonwood, which is a lovely little town with friendly people and unpretentious shops and restaurants.

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Double rainbow over Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona. Recent rains have left pools of water, creating an opportunity to capture a reflection of the famous, mystical rock in the foreground.

While I love natural wonders, I prefer my nature with a bit of remoteness and solitude rather than a huge dollop of commercial development and modern conveniences. Obviously, the millions who flock there each year feel differently than I do, and that’s fine with me. To each their own. All in all, I’m glad I went to Sedona, if only to say I did. Suffice to say, it’s not on the list of places I want to go back to.

Please take heed if you live in a lovely little town, surrounded by natural wonders, and believe that tourism is the panacea to all your economic woes. Careful what you wish for. Your town could become another Sedona.

In Search of Raptors

by Loree | May 28, 2015 | Birds, Photography, Wildlife

Since I left California, some six or eight weeks ago, wildlife sightings have been few and far between. In the desert, most animals are nocturnal, and since I’m not, well there you go. There’s also a dearth of trees in the desert, so birds are hard to find. I did see a roadrunner, but didn’t have my camera at the ready, of course.

So everywhere I go, I search for “wildlife places,” as well as scenery. I love having access to the internet (most of the time, at least), so I can find out what there is to see where ever I happen to be. In Flagstaff, Arizona, I found a few places that sounded promising for spotting raptors. Anyone who knows me knows that raptors are my favorite birds, so off I went to Rogers Lake. A place where eagles are purported to nest, and hawks routinely hunt. Ten miles of bumpy dirt road later, there I was. And not an eagle or hawk to be seen. I did see the usual suspects–flickers, jays, bluebirds and crows. And I shot photos of them, too. But I was longing for a raptor fix. Disappointed, I headed back toward town.

On the way back was the Flagstaff Arboretum. I noticed it on the way out of town, and thought it was odd to have such a tourist attraction on a bumpy dirt road three miles from pavement. So, having struck out on the raptors, and having some time left in the day, I decided to stop and see what it was all about. Maybe I could shoot some exotic flowers or something.

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Profile of a female aplomado falcon (Falco femoralis).

Walking up to the visitor center, a sign caught my eye that said something about Airborne Raptors. Well, of course I had to ask. As it turns out, they have a raptor show twice a day, except Fridays. I was there on Thursday, and had already missed both of them.

I usually don’t like to shoot captive animals. I stay away from zoos and wildlife parks because, frankly, they just make me sad. All of my wildlife photos, up to now, have been shot in the wild. When I got back to my computer, I did a little research and discovered that all the raptors in this particular show are rehabilitated, rescued birds, that are un-releasable for various reasons. That made me a little more comfortable about it, and I decided to try and catch the next show on Saturday.

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Close up of a Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) looking at you with his big orange eyes.

Well, Saturday’s show got cancelled, but I went on Sunday. I have to say, it was an awesome experience to see these magnificent birds so close. The show was very educational and the birds were amazingly smart as well as beautiful.

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The gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) is the largest of the falcon species. This is an up close view of an adult female “talking.”

I honestly don’t know if I will shoot captive birds again, but I’m really happy that I did this time. I mean, what are the chances I will ever have the opportunity to photograph a Eurasian Eagle Owl in the wild, right?

Eurasian Eagle Owl Stare

Oh, and by the way, the only raptor that actually flew in the Airborne Raptor show was a Harris’s Hawk. A beautiful bird that I have seen only once in the wild. Alas, me being so close, and the hawk being so fast, I failed to capture any decent flight images. But this bird, I hope to capture in the wild someday.

Trained Harris Hawk; Parabuteo unicinctus; falconry; bay winged hawk; dusky hawk; bird of prey; wildlife; raptor; and; the; over; with; under; above; against; in the; on the; at the; Loree Johnson

Harris’s hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) trained for falconry.

For now, thanks to the Flagstaff Arboretum, I got my raptor fix!

Thanks for being there

by Loree | Jan 17, 2015 | Art, Gratitude, The Vagabond Lifestyle

It’s been four months since I left the security and comfort of a permanent home in favor of a life on the road. I’ve seen some beautiful places and wondrous creatures and even managed to photograph some of it. Some of you have accused me of being brave and even inspiring. But, as I contemplate where in this big country I want to go next, I’m grateful for all the friends who are traveling with me on this journey. I can’t thank you enough for coming along with me virtually, sending me encouragement and praise, and even helping out from a distance sometimes.

Feeling Small

The amount of support I have received from you, my friends, is incredible. And I just want to let you know that I truly appreciate every like, comment, and share of both this blog and my facebook posts. It humbles me when I consider how many people take time out of their busy lives to encourage me to keep doing what I do.

Pacific Coast Silhouette

And for those people who have purchased prints to hang in your homes and businesses, I want you to know that you are more than just customers to me. You are my benefactors. You make living my dream possible and I cannot thank you enough for your support.

Breaking Through

I have to say, that you may have created a monster. I am absolutely reveling in my new life and have no desire to stop. So, I’m afraid I will continue to bombard you with posts and photographs for as long as I’m able. In fact, I’ve only just begun.

Egret in Flight

I’ll make you a deal. You continue purchasing, liking, commenting, sharing and generally supporting my art, and I will continue flying. Thanks again!

Folks, we have an adventure!

by Loree | Nov 13, 2014 | Birds, Blog, Oregon, Rivers, The Vagabond Lifestyle, Waterfalls, Wildlife

I set off on an adventure, and an adventure is what I got! It all started this past Saturday when I went out to take the dog for a walk. I closed the laptop to put it to sleep and took the dog across the road to the park. We had a nice time playing fetch the tennis ball and when I came back I opened the laptop to work on some more photos. But, nothing happened. I tried restarting, unplugging, taking the battery out and putting it back in, and still nothing. I got in touch with Dell warranty support (the laptop is only 3 months old) and they took me through some troubleshooting steps, which were mostly all the things I’d already tried. It was determined that I would need a new motherboard and DC input and they would send an on-site service technician to do the repair–at my RV. My warranty coverage is “next business day” service, but I’m still unclear as to what that actually means. I waited all day Monday, only to find out that the part had been shipped and service would be scheduled for Tuesday. When nothing happened on Tuesday, I sent a message to Dell. I received a message back that the parts had arrived late and service would be scheduled for Wednesday. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the weather took a turn for the worse and the wind began blowing–hard. So, I sat here wondering if the trees around me were firmly rooted and fearing one would come down on top of me. The trees around here are pretty big!

Starvation Creek Falls

After spending the day worrying and fretting and checking the weather forecast, I decided I needed to relax a bit. So, I crawled in bed and read a few chapters of “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau. It helped to put things in perspective and I realized that this adventure wouldn’t be much of an adventure if everything was predictable and comfortable all the time. The next morning, I woke up feeling quite a bit more optimistic. Until I turned on the water and nothing came out. It had frozen overnight due to the cold temperatures and the “brisk” wind. Nothing to do but wait until the sun rose high enough to shine on the water connection and thaw it. That happened around 11 am, which was right about the same time the computer repair guy showed up. At least I had time to brush my teeth!

Autumn at Shepards Dell

With the computer up and running, I could now finish working on the photos I took the week before along the Historic Columbia River Highway. By now I knew that most of those colorful leaves were likely on the ground thanks to the high winds, so I was glad I went out shooting when I did.

There were also some images from Monday’s trip to Beacon Rock and the Bonneville Dam that hadn’t even been uploaded from the camera yet. I had decided to set up my camera for wildlife that day because there were no clouds and the landscapes would be harshly lit. And even though I didn’t see a lot of wildlife on the trip, I did see this eagle near the Bonneville Dam just when the sun was beginning to set.

Sunset Eagle

Today, it’s been snowing and blowing and the temperature never got above freezing. But, at least I have water for now because I’ve left a trickle running in the bathroom sink. Everything outside is cold and covered with white. It’s not one of those pleasant snows, with big feathery snowflakes like you see on Christmas cards. More like one of those stories on the Weather Channel about the epic storm that they’ve decided to name. But, I’m warm and toasty inside my home on wheels with a propane furnace and an electric heater. I have food and blankets and I’m on an adventure! Things can change quickly in the Pacific Northwest!

Postcard from Oregon

So, as I sit here looking out at the snow piling up and blowing around outside, I admit I will be a little sad to leave on Saturday (weather permitting, lol). The Columbia River Gorge is like no place else, and it’s been a part of my adventure I won’t soon forget.