California Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Loree Johnson Photography

Patience and Persistence

by Loree | Dec 5, 2013 | Deserts, Gratitude, Locations, Mountains, Photography, Siskiyou County, Waterfalls, Wildlife

Continuing with the theme of things I’m grateful for, these two attributes were not apparent in my personality before I became a photographer. At least not to the extent they are now. I do have to say, however, that patience and persistence are not always looked upon as positive, especially by the unfortunate souls who happen to be with me when I am stalking a shot. There are times when photography is best practiced as a solo activity. Non-photographers usually have a hard time finding the joy in waiting for just the right moment, or going back to the same locations dozens of times in hopes that the light will finally be right. For example, the three friends who were with me when I captured this image all went back to the car, while the mosquitoes dined on my arms and legs. I mean really, am I going to let a few itchy welts stop me?

Mount Shasta Remembers

Then of course, there’s Burney Falls. A lovely waterfall, which is a two-hour drive, one way, from where I live. Knowing that cloudy days are usually the best time to photograph waterfalls, I have headed down there several times when the sky was overcast, only to find that it was sunny and clear when I got there. Most people just don’t get my disappointment at clear skies and sunshine! But, after many discouragingly sunny trips, the clearing clouds and intermittent sun finally combined to give me something unique.

Sunshine and Mist

Likewise, I visited this spot on the shoreline of Lake Siskiyou dozens of times in the hopes of capturing the moonrise over the mountain reflected in the lake. On this particular afternoon, I saw that a storm was brewing and realized there was little hope of seeing the moon. But, I decided to go anyway, on the off chance that the clouds might clear and give me a glimpse of the full moon. Alas, it wasn’t in the cards that the moon would show. Instead, I was treated to one of the most spectacular sunsets I can remember. Again, persistence paid off, but not in the way I expected.

Beautiful Turbulence

Photographing wildlife also takes patience and persistence. Wild animals rarely cooperate with the photographer, posing the way you’d like them to. Eagles are particularly stubborn and tend to just sit there and stare at you, even when you are willing them to fly with all the telepathic energy you can muster. And when they do decide it’s time to take off, they usually fly in the wrong direction. I have an ongoing joke about all the photos I have of “eagle butt,” taken as the eagle flies away from the camera. Only once in a great while do they fly towards you, and you better be ready!

animals; bald; bird; eagle; eggs; feather; female; flapping; guarding; male; nest; parents; predator; protecting; raptor; roost; soar; woodland; american; rare; fly; mate; pair

Bald Eagle leaving the nest

Sure there are times when luck plays a part. But, mostly it comes down to either waiting patiently, or trying again–and again. So, for nearly all the places I’ve photographed, I can’t wait to go back again and get a better shot, even if I was lucky the first time. And, if you go out on a photo shoot with me, you probably want to bring along something to read.

Zion National Park; Utah; storm; clouds; rock; rocks; cliff; red; orange; trees; weather; sandstone; desert; southwest; canyon; fog; mist; sky; beauty; nature; natural; scene; scenic; beautiful; Loree Johnson

The Storm Clears

The other side of Black Friday

by Loree | Dec 2, 2013 | Hikes, Lakes, National Parks, Oregon, Photography, Siskiyou County, Wildlife

Most people who know me know that I would rather stab sharpened pencils in both my eyes than go shopping on Black Friday. I remember turning on the news that day in 2008, while spending a lovely Thanksgiving on the Oregon coast with my sister and her family, and hearing about the poor man who was trampled to death at a Walmart. I still find it unbelievable that human beings would kill each other for a bargain on a big screen TV. Luckily, there are beautiful alternatives available for those of us who prefer not to risk our lives in order to get five dollars off on an external hard drive.

So, this year, I decided to brave the relentless crowds at the Tulelake National Wildlife Refuge and Lava Beds National Monument. It was hectic, but worth it. The eagles were out, shopping for deals on ducks, geese, and maybe even a swan or two!

Bald Eagle Pair

The bucks were shopping for does. (Or, were the does shopping for bucks?)

Buck and His Harem

The hawks were out looking for bargains on just about anything. Hawks just aren’t that picky!

hawk; in flight; raptor; soar; soaring; fly; flying; redtail; red; tail; blue; sky; air; bird; free; wild; nature; natural; predator; Tulelake National Wildlife Refuge; nature; natural; beak; sky; feathers; mighty; regal; Buteo jamaicensis; chickenhawk; eye; wing; Loree Johnson

Red Tail Hawk in Flight

At one point, it got so hectic that one of the hawks crossed paths with one of the bucks. And you can just imagine all the shouting in the background when the geese and swans noticed what was happening.

Wildlife Photographer’s Dream

To top things off, on the way home, I was so distracted by the light show that I had to pull over and look. As far as I can tell, it was a publicity stunt put on by Mother Nature to get everyone to come out and spend some time in her “store.”

marsh sunset; dusk; evening; color; colorful; sky; Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge; Klamath Basin; Mount Shasta; Mt. Shasta; California; CA; Oregon; OR; scene; scenic; nature; natural; star; mountain; lake; water; reflect; reflection; pink; orange; yellow; purple; grass; Loree Johnson

Celebration in the Sky

After witnessing the beauty and brutality of wild animals in the wild, I wondered if maybe people trampling each other to death is just part of the circle of life. And as I drove home, exhausted from all that activity, I decided I would rather brave the crowds in the great outdoors than save a few dollars on something I most likely don’t need anyway.

Greetings from the frontier!

by Loree | Nov 22, 2013 | Photography, Siskiyou County, Wildlife

As my son works his way through the college application process, I continue to learn more and more. The latest thing I learned is that there is a classification beyond “rural.” Apparently “frontier” is more rural than “rural”–and that’s where we live. It seems I’ve come full circle. From growing up in Wyoming, to living in San Francisco, to the frontier town of Yreka, CA.

Shasta Valley Winter Scene

horse; horses; Mt. Shasta; Mount Shasta; pasture; graze; grazing; mountain; summer; rural; ranch; beauty; beautiful; Loree Johnson

Shasta Horses

There are definitely advantages to living the frontier life. Clean air, clean water, an abundance of wildlife and beautiful scenery to photograph, to name just a few. The only traffic problems around here, besides snow, are when the deer wander out into the streets.

deer; wildlife; buck; coastal; point; young; portrait; eyes; wild; photo; photography; photograph; animal; cute; ears; close; Loree Johnson

Young Buck

However, there are downsides as well. I just heard the news that another grocery store will be closing. We once had three. Then Walmart opened a Supercenter here and one store closed. This is the second closing, leaving only one regular grocery store in town. I fear that one day the only option will be Walmart, and that would be a shame. Then again, maybe that’s what defines “frontier.” I hope not.

Sun and Fog

In any case, it’s apparently a good thing on a college application. But not as good as a high SAT score, or awesome grades. Luckily, he has those, too. Fingers crossed for Stanford…

I have a poor “laundry-ethic.”

by Loree | Nov 16, 2013 | Blog, Photography, Siskiyou County, Wildlife

All my life, I’ve had a good work-ethic. I always went to work, even if I didn’t particularly want to. Now that I’m not working a traditional job, I’ve discovered that my “laundry-ethic” is no good. When I was working regular hours, I always did my laundry on the weekend. I had a certain number of appropriate work clothes and wanted to make sure they were all clean so I could have maximum choices of what to wear during the week. Now that I don’t have the pressure of being limited by “work clothes,” I find myself avoiding laundry altogether, until I have no more clean socks. And it’s not just clothing, either. I avoid washing sheets and towels until I have to as well.

A few days ago, I found myself feeling bored and restless. Did I channel that into the multiple loads of laundry waiting to be done? Nope. I grabbed my camera and headed out the door in search of something to shoot. I found a golden eagle and forgot all about my dirty socks.

Golden Eagle in Flight

Golden Eagle Liftoff

A little later, I noticed a big lenticular cloud gathering over Mount Shasta. As I was navigating myself to a place where I could photograph it, I imagined it to be a big spaceship full of aliens from a distant galaxy. What if they saw me photographing them and decided to abduct me? And I wondered if they had a washer and dryer aboard. Or maybe some clean socks.

The Mothership

Mother Nature is more creative than I am

by Loree | Nov 30, 2012 | Locations, Mountains, Photography, Siskiyou County

shasta, clouds, lenticular, pink, sunset, mountain, california

Beautiful Turbulence

Often times, I find that my best images come out of an intention to shoot something else entirely. Tuesday was one of those days. For nearly a year now, I have envisioned a shot of Mount Shasta at sunset, reflected in Lake Siskiyou, with the full moon rising over the mountain. I have decided on the location, but the shot I envision requires all the elements to come together at the right time and place. There is only one day each month when the moonrise coincides with the sunset. On top of that, there are only two or three months out of the year when the position of the rising moon makes it possible to capture it in the same frame with the mountain and the lake. What that amounts to, is only 2 or 3 days per year when the shot I envision is possible. Add to that, the uncertainty of the weather in this area and it may be a long time before I actually get that shot I dream about.

This past Tuesday, all the elements were in place, so I tried again. But, there was a big storm heading in from the Pacific and the moon was not to be seen for the clouds. Then again, maybe Mother Nature knows better than I do what makes a beautiful image. So I let go of my intentions and instead, gratefully accepted what I was offered. And now I am not even a little bit disappointed that the moon did not make an appearance. That doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying for the shot I dream about, though…..