Monkey Face

At first glance, I was struggling to see why Monkey Face had its name. This pillar of rock, detached from the rest of the crags on the steep western slopes of Smith Rock, didn't resemble anything like a monkey. I could see why it would be an interesting challenge for climbers, evidenced by the gasps and squeals of the rock scalers at that moment - it is certainly a unique rock to climb, but there were more challenging cliff faces all over the park to test the mettle of any climber.

I kept pondering over this as I tried to compose the grand landscape of Smith Rock framed by the lenticular clouds over the distant volcanoes, and the sinuous curves of the Crooked river. It wasn't until I wandered down from the lookout and got a different perspective of the rock did I realize why it had such a name. From this new angle, the shape of a monkey's face materialized into view, a sharp silhouette formed by the setting sun.

Just as in photography, life often requires a change in perspective to visualize something different even within same old surroundings: a new routine to start your day, a new way to measure and track your goals, or a new way to value the things that matter to you. With a curiosity to indulge in new adventures, and the willingness to accept new changes, these changes in perspective enable you to experience a new life.

Smith Rock State Park
OR USA

Faded Hills

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From the distance, the rolling hills with faint tinges of ocher resemble the dry and brushy hinterlands ubiquitous in eastern Oregon, and there is nothing to differentiate this non-descript National Monument from the land around. That is, until you get closer.

Up close, the nooks and crannies of Painted Hills unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, take on vibrant and contrasting hues: layers of sandstone colored in vermilion, ocher, purple, black, green and yellow are exposed over this semi-desert landscape.

I was fortunate to visit this wonder of Oregon many years ago, and hope to pay another visit before it becomes too popular for its own good.

Painted Hills

OR USA

Shadow of a Giant

Dawn broke on the shore of Lake Trillium like a slow firework. The muted greys slowly gave way to warming colors in the sky, while the lifting mist off the lake started to catch some of the morning light. The sun hadn't crested yet, and neither had it's warmth, leaving me and a few other intrepid adventurers freezing on that spring morning.

As the mist slowly wafted, I spotted a lonely racing boat peering through the mist and breaking the still surface of the lake. Eventually the mist lifted, and the huge prominence of Mt Hood made its appearance. Rising 7200 ft above the lake, the snow-capped volcanic behemoth was a sight to behold as it formed the backdrop for this tranquil scene.

I captured this one frame of this boater while waiting for the morning light to strike the peak, but weather patterns ensured that the light never came. Hence I decided to hold on to image to remind myself of that beautiful morning.

Trillium Lake
OR USA