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Walking amidst the California Redwoods

Chris Beauchamp — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:50:01 +0000

I don’t have time to wax poetically about how the redwoods are beautiful and majestic (they are both), or to elaborate on the history of the region, from the First Nations who lived within this rich ecosystem to the clear-cutting loggers who devastated it—or even the first-round conservationists who worked to protect what remains.

Wikipedia can help us though:

In 1850, old-growth redwood forest covered more than 2,000,000 acres (8,100 km²) of the California coast. The northern portion of that area, originally inhabited by Native Americans, attracted many lumbermen and others turned gold miners when a minor gold rush brought them to the region. Failing in efforts to strike it rich in gold, these men turned toward harvesting the giant trees^[4] for booming development in San Francisco and other places on the West Coast. After many decades of unobstructed clear-cut logging, serious efforts toward conservation began. By the 1920s the work of the Save-the-Redwoods League, founded in 1918 to preserve remaining old-growth redwoods, resulted in the establishment of Prairie Creek, Del Norte Coast, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Parks among others. Redwood National Park was created in 1968, by which time nearly 90% of the original redwood trees had been logged. The National Park Service (NPS) and the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR) administratively combined Redwood National Park with the three abutting Redwood State Parks in 1994 for the purpose of cooperative forest management and stabilization of forests and watersheds as a single unit.^[5]

I also don’t have the knowledge to describe the myriad species that live within this protected area (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), but that info is out there for our nerdiest friends to find.

We only spent a morning walking and driving through the forest, so I’m no expert. But what I can say is that it was great.

- Chris

Biggest clovers I’ve ever seen. No four-leafers though...

Some park workers were replacing the platform around Big Tree. I’m pretty sure the big fella was mad at them for torturing it’s brethren.

No related posts.

California Dreamin’

Chris Beauchamp — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 06:08:51 +0000

Moro Bay, California, supposedly named El Moro by the original Spanish explorer because the big rock (in the background) looked like the turban of a Moor.

We’ve fallen a bit behind on the blogging what with driving over 8,000km and all (that’s about 5,000 miles for our American friends). We’re currently chillin’ in Astoria, Oregon, watching TV and waiting for a pizza to get delivered to our Motel room (when in Rome...). Across the Columbia River from us lies the state of Washington, which will be our last visited on this trip before sliding into Vancouver for a short visit with friends and another short visit with my folks in Sorrento, B.C. Then home, and back to work. Which is starting to feel like an exciting change, actually.

We haven’t put up much of anything from our time in California or Oregon, but we will. Starting now, I guess.

Elephant seals moping around on the beach just north of Hearst Castle. These guys flap sand on themselves, ostensibly to stay cool. They don’t move much while on the beach to conserve energy.

Pretty scenery on the California coast on the way to Big Sur.

Artwork at the Henry Miller Memorial Library at Big Sur. Miller wrote here for several years (not at this site, but in the vicinity).

More epic coastline.

A sample of the road we drove.

We met this dude, Max, at the pub/hotel we stayed at in Halfmoon Bay, south of San Francisco. He’s a student/bartender. Pours a mean pint. (photo by Laura)

Driving across the Golden Gate bridge was a big deal for a couple yokels like us. Woo hoo. (photo by Laura)

Faces and places of Utah and Arizona

Laura Beauchamp — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:46:27 +0000

Waiting for the next sale, the owner of this antique shop outside of Zion National Park, Utah, collects “old junk” from the East and sells it to suckers like us in the West.

Some of Bryce Canyon parks landscape. Besides the vibrant red, eroding rock the rest of the scenery recalls areas of Alberta or B.C. Canada.

A professor from a local college, while on spring break, paints the landscape of Bryce Canyon, Utah.

Chris at Bryce Canyon, Utah.

Landscape near Capitol Reef National Park in Utah.

It’s been tough to find healthy choices for food while on the road. I’ve eaten more burgers, fries or beans than I’d like to admit. Here’s Chris eating some beans while enjoying the view of a spectacular river canyon in Utah.

The road took us to spectacular heights and views on the way to Capitol Reef. Never before have I truly grasped how diverse ecosystems are depending on altitude, because not one hour later we were back in a dry, red-rock desert.

Here is it is, the dry red-rock desert near Captiol Reef Park. This was one of our favorite landscapes. If I could do it all over again, I’d camp at Capitol Reef Park and explore the petroglyphs (paintings and carvings on the rocks by Native Americans).

Scenery on the other side of the road from the last photo, near Capitol Reef, Utah.

Driving down the road near Capitol Reef Park, Utah.

I have a strange obsession with photos of a single tree in a wide and dramatic landscape.

After driving through Capitol Reef, we spent the night in Green River only to awaken to a wicked wind and dust storm that was sandblasting the side of our car and had lodged numerous tumble weeds underneath. As we drove away from the hotel we saw tumble weeds (bushes) 4 feet in diameter whirling across the highway.

The winds from the sand storm pushed us toward Moab, a trendy-hippie, fun little city.

Near Moab.

Arches National Park in Utah.

Here is an arch in Arches National Park in Utah. Thousands of years of erosion have carved many arches into this landscape.

A hole in the rock at Arches National park casts light onto Chris.

Outside Moab is this quirky, tourists spot called “Hole n’the Rock” where for a fee you can visit a 5,000 square foot home carved into the rock by a couple that lived there until the 1950’s! Outside are loads of quirky decorations for you to admire.

This is one location within the quirky decorations at “Hole n’the Rock” in Utah.

From Moab, Utah we drove to Page, Arizona and camped along Lake Powell. I loved this location!

The next day we bought groceries at the Wal-Mart Super Centre and enjoyed lunch on the trunk of our car in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Only a few miles outside of Page, Arizona is Horse Shoe Bend, a famous river bend. While Chris captured the shot of the river bend, I captured his precarious position on the edge of the 1,000 foot drop. At the moment it was the only way to calm my nerves about how close my husband was to the drop.

Chris hanging out at the Grand Canyon, Arizona.

The Grand Canyon is truly amazing. I loved my time there. From the historical buildings, museums, shops, restaurants, interpretive programs, views and wildlife it is a remarkable place very much worthy of being a World Heritage Site.

A deer who’s chosen to make the Grand Canyon its home.

Crowds watching the sunset at the Grand Canyon in Arizona.

Chis bringing our fantastic day at the Grand Canyon to a close with some music around the campfire.

Photo Roundup: Route 66, Grand Canyon, a few other places

Chris Beauchamp — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:21:50 +0000

Monument Valley, just north of the Arizona/Utah border.

800-year-old cliff dwellings at Navajo National Monument, Arizona.

Lake Powell, outside Page, Arizona.

Obligatory Horshoe Bend photo, outside Page, Arizona.

Grand Canyon gift shop.

The overlook tower at Grand Canyon’s east viewpoint.

Bright Angel trail, Grand Canyon.

Sunset on the south rim.

Laura and I had a nice creepy walk in the woods to find the rim around midnight for some long-exposure tripod shots.

We get our kicks in Williams Arizona.

Williams.

Viewpoint at Meteor Crater.

Oatman, Arizona.

Oatman.

The last little bit of Route 66 passing through the Black Mountains on the edge of the Arizona/California border.

Faces and places of Utah and Arizona

Days 8 and 9-ish: Landscape Roundup!

Chris Beauchamp — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Just east of Capitol Reef National Park on HWY 12.

The landscapes of Southern Utah are completely blowing our minds. So much so that we’re actually getting burned-out on them. You look out the window and see a scene that would leave you speechless anywhere else in the world. But here, it’s like “meh.”

Anyway, we’re pulling out of Moab this morning, heading south through Monument Valley, and we need to check out of our motel right away, so here’s a dump of photos.

Peace out!
Chris

Hoover Dam, tilt-shifted.

Hoover Dam (photo by Laura).

Red Rocks in Lake Mead park.

Just west of Zion National Park.

Climbers in Zion.

Zion.

Laura at Zion National Park.

Zion mountains, tilt-shifted.

Just west of the Bryce Canyon junction.

Outside Bryce Canyon.

Bryce Canyon.

Hwy 12 in the middle of Southern Utah.

Outside Capitol Reef.

East of Capitol reef.

Outside of Green River, Utah.

Vegas to rusted-out old trucks

Laura Beauchamp — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:42:52 +0000

How could we not stop when we saw a tree on the way to Zion National Park covered with shoes!

The road trip takes us to numerous new places every day. In fact, when I look through my photos I can’t remember if it was yesterday or today. Thank goodness all the photos have dates, and thank goodness for this “travel diary”.

Chris enjoying his first drink — free drink — at a Vegas casino.

Need I say more?

Chris having a jolly good time on the “old Vegas Strip” during the instructor shoot out on the first day of Genesis.

Photographers practicing lighting at Genesis.

Allie, a lovely model who attended the workshop. Photographer (and one of the instructors) Spenser Boerup, taught us how to improve our lighting . He is a master at it. This is how I decided to pose and light her, of course she’s absolutely gorgeous so it’s nearly impossible to get a bad photo.

Looking lovely again. Thanks to Genesis I can’t wait to get home and work with models and lighting!

Some instructors and a student hanging out in a mansion during the critique session of the workshop.

More models who attended the workshop. This lovely married couple, Laura and Jon, have a strong musical connection so we photographed them playing the grande piano.

Probably one of the most important men at the photography workshop, Chef Josh, drinking a well deserved glass of wine the last evening of Genesis.

One of the mansions that housed the participates of the Genesis photography workshop.

And so we left Vegas, the Genesis Workshop and the Mansions behind to embark on a journey of natural landscapes that have you repeatedly saying, “Wow!” and “That’s awesome.” The last few days have really tested my bank of adjectives.

My first time playing with our new lens, a tilt shift.

Amid a landscape of dry arid bushes and red sand, unbelievingly there was a lake. (I’m pretty sure it’s man made.)

It’s a rusted-out truck...just like I said, from Vegas to Rusted-Out Trucks.

Day 7: End of Genesis

Chris Beauchamp — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:25:41 +0000

Our last day included a little shooting experimentation with photographers Mel and Jeff Mansfield. These photos of Jon and Laura were part of that.

After things wound down for good, the majority of our 50-person group hit the strip for one last night on the town. Thankfully Katie Merkle here took charge and helped get us united with the other group.

I took the chance to shoot a little (slightly drunk) street photography.

Vegas woman.

Laura and our buddy Joel.

Some of the gang.

Naveed and Darren.

Emily cutting up the rug, Vegas dive bar style.

Gumbi!

Common sights.

Amy Dale!

A little late night photo shoot. I can’t remember if Naveed or Brad shot this...

Laura, under the glass foyer of the Bellagio.

Days 5–6: More images from Vegas

Chris Beauchamp — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:03:23 +0000

A little hands-on shooting time with the Hoffers. This was kind of a mock engagement shoot, but it was also kinda real. The couple pictured here got engaged on day one, in front of all of us. It was pretty romantic, and epic, and rad.

Writing is hard, so I’m going to crap out and just share some more images from the workshop we just finished.

Laura and I are currently at Bryce Canyon National Park. The scenery we drove through yesterday was as gorgeous as it was varied. More on that later. Just want to thank everyone checking out the blog while we’re away. We love your comments.

Peace Out,
Chris

Laura, looking lovely. That fellow with the reflector on our left is our new buddy Travis from Tucson.

Joel and Emily, all sweet and in love. Crazy kids.

Tony Hoffer, who normal towers over every one at 6’4″ or so, isn’t afraid to get low for the shot.

Group posing with Sam Hassas.

“Think of it like a game of Tetris.”

Sometimes it’s best to show rather than tell...

Amy Dale!

Our buddy Amer, not sad in real life.

We could see the Luxor pyramid’s light beam from our courtyard at the workshop mansions.

Day 4: Genesis...

Chris Beauchamp — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:22:50 +0000

Me, in a Vegas limo. This photo by Laura.

Hmmmm... How do you sum up the Genesis Workshop in a few sentences? With the awesome people we met? With the ridiculous Vegas mansions we stayed in? With the calibre of photographic and business instruction we received? I don’t know. My head is still spinning from it all. One thing I can say: this year our photographic work and business approach are going to a whole new level, and we can’t wait to see that happen.

More on that eventually, both here and on our Beauchamp Photography blog.

For now, how about some photos from our first full day in Vegas...

Thanks to Laura’s prowess at the 1 cent slots, we were up 5 whole dollars when she cashed out this crisp, cocaine-dusted $20 bill.

Group Facebook status update: “I can’t believe Chris Beauchamp is taking my photo!! LOL!!!”

We actually had limo rides to and from the strip. These guys spare no expense in the name of learning...

Instructor Shoot Out with Sam Hassas, model Shelly, and an interested old lady. This is on the Old Vegas Strip. Way more character than the giant shopping mall that is the New Vegas Strip.

The old lady wasn’t the only person interested in what we were up to...

Magic shutter speed: 1/13...

New friend Jose Mundo, looking brooding and sophisticated.

Fellow Canadian, Patrick Horsfield.

Sarah, Tiffany, and Sara, fellow photogs.

Some more hands-on shooting with Sam Hassas. This session: Rembrandt window light.

Photographer, models, and Genestudents looking on.

Day: 3 Pocatello to Vegas, baby, Vegas...

Chris Beauchamp — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:47:39 +0000

Driving 2900km: good. Arriving at your destination: better.

It hasn’t slipped our attention that this little blog reboot has occurred without us having explained what this trip is all about. In the rush of packing, cleaning the house, and finishing up last-minute work deadlines, we just didn’t have time to properly explain where we are going, what we’re doing or why.

And of course, life on the road has been equally busy. We’ve driven 2900 km since Friday, stopping only for quick snapshots of nearby scenery and to refresh ourselves with fatty fast-food and innumerable road coffees.

Yesterday (day 3) was a blur of contrasting scenery and weather. We followed a line of rugged mountains down through Utah, from the freeway hell of Salt Lake City, through to the unbelievably beautiful vistas near Zion National Park and into the northwestern tip of Arizona, before finally hitting the wide-open scrub of the Nevada desert.

Last night around dinnertime, we dropped out of the high desert north of Vegas and first spotted the hazy blue sprawl and garish casinos from of the Strip from afar. Maybe it was the silhouettes of the mega casinos, maybe it was the fading desert light. Maybe it was the steady diet of Elvis and Sinatra we had been blasting at high volume for the past hour, singing along and dancing like idiots. Whatever it was, we were stoked to be here.

Although we had checked the Internet for a hotel (the one Laura’s parents recommended was all booked up), we arrived in true Vegas spirit, gambling that we could simply drive up to the Luxor and get a room. Our luck held.

So now, we’re here. But why Vegas in the first place? If you know Laura and I, you’ll know that excess really isn’t our bag, and despite being up for pretty much anything, Las Vegas has never been at the top of our to-do list. We don’t really gamble. Buffets make us gassy. And we won’t be ordering prostitutes any time soon, regardless of how many trucks we see drive by with catchy advertising slogans (“HOT BABES: DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOU!”).

The answer to that goes to the heart of something we do care a lot about: our wedding photography business.

I have participated in a certain online wedding photographers’ forum for the past few years, and it’s been a super great place to learn, share and improve. As part of that, I’ve become aware of several American photographers who I respect a great deal. So when we realized that a certain group of them would be holding their annual workshop in Vegas this year, and that the timing was pretty good for our schedule, and that this would be the last year they were holding it, we decided we wanted to make it happen.

We had been talking about doing a bit of longer vacation, so Laura has taken the bulk of her holidays for the year. This will allow us to continue the roadtrip after the workshop. We’re going to head back up I15 and check out some of Utah and Arizona’s world-class parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Grand Canyon), before circling back around into California, where we plan to visit Joshua Tree and drive up the coast to see the redwoods.

The next few days will be dawn-to-dusk wedding photography, as we’re holed up in a ridiculously nice mansion with a bunch of very talented folks all looking to improve their businesses. Although I know we will post all about that eventually, both here and on our photography blog, we probably won’t be able to post much until after the workshop ends. So, thanks for following along so far. Lots more to come, I promise!

- Chris

The blustery weather followed us through South Idaho.

The first of three or so snowstorms we drove through. This is Idaho. (photo by Chris)

The second one...

A big mountain near Salt Lake City... that’s all I know. (photo by Chris)

North of Salt Lake City.

Laura shot this one for the cover of Car & Driver magazine. We’ll see if they accept it. This is at the Utah/Arizona border.

The landscape in that little corner of Arizona is jaw-dropping. (photo by Laura)

The mountains on the Nevada side are incredible. (photo by Chris)

Interstate 15 about an hour north of Vegas. The I15 has been our home for three days. (photo by Chris)

Whoever can name this tree will win a sweet Vegas souvenir. What’s it called? (photo by Chris)

At a red light on the Strip. We drove here!

Viva Las Vegas. (photo by Laura)