If you have been wondering why there is no more content on this blog, I have moved to Wordpress due to school criteria. The new address is:
http://cengesphotography.wordpress.com
See you there.
Christopher
Monday, December 9, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
August Events
There are many things to do on the Peninsula during the summer months. August holds several events to draw tourists to our fair country side.
Speaking of fair, the Clallam County Fair is one of those events that both tourists and locals like to attend. The Fair starts Thursday August 15th and runs until Sunday August 18th. The fair has something for everyone. From the scones to the rodeo, the fair is geared to the country western flavor of Clallam County. The weather has been absolutely awesome! Go enjoy a day at the fair and be sure to bring your camera.
The second event that is worth considering is all new to Sequim .... the Air Affaire at the Sequim Valley airport off the Old Olympic Highway about three miles west the city limits.
This event is only two days, August 31st and September 1st and is for early risers, especially if your thinking about taking a balloon ride. Because of the breezes that come up in the late morning or early afternoon the balloon rides start at 7AM and are done by 9AM. But that isn't the only thing featured.
There is a fly-in of some very exotic aircraft. If your into aircraft images this will be your event. They will have these aircraft on display for your up close and personal viewing.
Along with the aircraft, there will be a classic car display as well. Wing walkers, skydivers, vendors of all sorts will also be in attendance. Weather should be great.
From what I heard there maybe some balloon landings in the Sequim/Carlsborg area. So look up.
Last year during the 2012 Sequim Balloon Festival I had a balloon land in the field next to my house to retrieve something on the ground. They were playing a game with the balloons, dropping from the sky to a field to pick up certain items and taking off again.
As in the previous balloon festival they will have tethered balloons that you can ride in. The ReMax balloon was on hand last year and I suspect it will be at this event as well. It gave rides to dozens of people before the winds got to harsh.
Speaking of fair, the Clallam County Fair is one of those events that both tourists and locals like to attend. The Fair starts Thursday August 15th and runs until Sunday August 18th. The fair has something for everyone. From the scones to the rodeo, the fair is geared to the country western flavor of Clallam County. The weather has been absolutely awesome! Go enjoy a day at the fair and be sure to bring your camera.
The second event that is worth considering is all new to Sequim .... the Air Affaire at the Sequim Valley airport off the Old Olympic Highway about three miles west the city limits.
This event is only two days, August 31st and September 1st and is for early risers, especially if your thinking about taking a balloon ride. Because of the breezes that come up in the late morning or early afternoon the balloon rides start at 7AM and are done by 9AM. But that isn't the only thing featured.
There is a fly-in of some very exotic aircraft. If your into aircraft images this will be your event. They will have these aircraft on display for your up close and personal viewing.
Along with the aircraft, there will be a classic car display as well. Wing walkers, skydivers, vendors of all sorts will also be in attendance. Weather should be great.
From what I heard there maybe some balloon landings in the Sequim/Carlsborg area. So look up.
Last year during the 2012 Sequim Balloon Festival I had a balloon land in the field next to my house to retrieve something on the ground. They were playing a game with the balloons, dropping from the sky to a field to pick up certain items and taking off again.
 |
| Balloon landing in field next to my house. |
As in the previous balloon festival they will have tethered balloons that you can ride in. The ReMax balloon was on hand last year and I suspect it will be at this event as well. It gave rides to dozens of people before the winds got to harsh.
 |
| ReMax Balloon |
So if your into flying or would just like to see a hot air balloon or many different aircraft and classic cars come out to the Air Affaire event. Sounds like fun.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
George Washington Inn and Lavender Farm
Washington Lavender Farm is a real sleeper. As said previously, I have never been there before. But the official program had some very interesting photos in this section highlighting the farm. About a fifteen minute drive from Lost Mountain lavender through Agnew's agricultural area to the bluffs along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington Lavender can't be missed as you journey west on Finn Hall road. It truly looks like a mansion from the Viriginia or Washington, DC area from years gone by. It stands by itself and can easily be seen long before you get to the entrance. People were wheeling done the very long asphalt driveway bounded on both sides by a pristine white pasture fence. Lavender meets you at the entrance and follows you all the way to the Inn. Perfect for a couple quick shots at the entrance. I love those following lines to the end of the fence. Even have some purple, ah ... lavender flags flying in the stiff breeze now blowing down the Strait.
I like this place already and I haven't even got there yet!
If this doesn't look like a Colonial mansion I don't know what does.
After parking I started looking for the lavender and those side elements that help my compositions. They were most certainly here. To the southwest of the Inn was a field of wild flowers, poppy's and of course lavender. We'll start there.
I love how the lavender is broken up and not in predictable rows. The wild flowers just make it work so well. The color is awesome!
I'll add some poppy's to the mix to get almost an abstract effect with the different colors and textures. Whad'ya think?
We'll do a horizontal of the first image. I really love places where there are a variety of shots one can take and not get squeezed because of background clutter. This place has that variety. But landscape images are but one style of images one might shoot. The Inn itself is very photo worthy as seen below. Of course the vendor tent would be better gone, but it lends to the atmosphere of the festival right?
So I wandered around the lavender for a bit and ran into another group of bee hives. Mmm? Looks like a pattern. I like this shot of the bee hives better than at Jardin du Soleil because of the contrast in color that are around them.
Yes I know that the second image in this series looks awfully like this image minus the hives. You would be correct. There lies the concept of cropping. But in this case I get two images for the price of one. If I ever need a bee hive photo I will know where to look. And this one is interesting in its own right. You be the judge.
From here I wandered toward the great big inn. There was a guy dressed up like, I'm going out on a limb here, George Washington. He greeted folks as they approached the inn. I couldn't help but think that the classic cars parked outside the inn would have have made old George a bit skittish getting behind the wheel. Perhaps a coach or buggy with horses would have been closer to the part. It's all good. (Besides who wants to pickup horse poop on a hot day?)
Along the east side of the property the vendors tents were setup. As I walked further I saw an old familiar face. One Jim Kiesser helping his neighbor set his tent up. He represented Casey's Kettle Corn.
I've known Jim for many decades but I don't always see him as much as I should, so it was good seeing my old friend again. Many years Jim ago created a salmon jig called the Kiesser Teaser when salmon could be caught around here in abundance. He worked his tail off to make it work and it did. I would go out with Jim and you could be assured that whether it was salmon or halibut you would come home with something. But the salmon seasons were cut. Areas like the Dungeness Spit near the lighthouse that produced monster king salmon and others were now off limits to fishermen. I don't want to go down that path as it is ancient history now. But many people were hurt financially by the court's decision including Jim and others I know.
So now he is working with Casey Dennis. They couldn't have found a better person to have working for them. And an offer to go salmon fishing again will be most certainly accepted. Thanks Jim.
Casey and Carolyn started their business in 2001 working the festival circuit. By 2002 they opened a small commercial kitchen in their home and as the business took off they now operate a 1600 square foot commercial kitchen in Sequim, Washington. Great story.
They also help people that need money for a worthy cause to setup fundraisers using their kettle corn and give them great prices to help them realize that need. Please check their website out and if you need to do a fundraiser and your in the area, check them out.
As I walked further along the vendors tents I spotted Debi Breitbach at the very end of the row, spinning her wool into some cool wool product. She has a business called The Shepherd's Fold. I met Debi last year at the Port Williams Lavender farm. She and her husband have a farm west of Port Angeles and raises all their own veggies, animals and of course wool. She follows the festival circuit and also the Farmer's Market in Port Angeles I believe.
I bought a very warm wool watch cap from her at the last festival and I wear that thing everyday in the winter to cover this shaved head. And it has lavender color in it!
After chatting for a while and a customer's wanting to purchase her wares I said my goodbyes and headed for my car. It's been a good day.
The weather was great except for a bit of a breeze along the Strait there at the Inn. I hope it holds through the entire weekend.
I had only today to visit the farms. I know there are others I could have hit, but I got my fill of lavender for another year. I enjoyed Ciscoe and the opening ceremonies. The four farms I visited all had something to offer in the way of photographs and conversation. Some more than others.
The images I got this year were good and I'll add them to my lavender stock.
I hope you enjoyed my trip through the farms. If you have any comments after reading these blogs please don't hesitate to make a suggestion, a constructive comment on my images this year or anything else that would lend to the conversation.
Thanks for looking!
I like this place already and I haven't even got there yet!
If this doesn't look like a Colonial mansion I don't know what does.
After parking I started looking for the lavender and those side elements that help my compositions. They were most certainly here. To the southwest of the Inn was a field of wild flowers, poppy's and of course lavender. We'll start there.
I love how the lavender is broken up and not in predictable rows. The wild flowers just make it work so well. The color is awesome!
I'll add some poppy's to the mix to get almost an abstract effect with the different colors and textures. Whad'ya think?
We'll do a horizontal of the first image. I really love places where there are a variety of shots one can take and not get squeezed because of background clutter. This place has that variety. But landscape images are but one style of images one might shoot. The Inn itself is very photo worthy as seen below. Of course the vendor tent would be better gone, but it lends to the atmosphere of the festival right?
So I wandered around the lavender for a bit and ran into another group of bee hives. Mmm? Looks like a pattern. I like this shot of the bee hives better than at Jardin du Soleil because of the contrast in color that are around them.
Yes I know that the second image in this series looks awfully like this image minus the hives. You would be correct. There lies the concept of cropping. But in this case I get two images for the price of one. If I ever need a bee hive photo I will know where to look. And this one is interesting in its own right. You be the judge.
From here I wandered toward the great big inn. There was a guy dressed up like, I'm going out on a limb here, George Washington. He greeted folks as they approached the inn. I couldn't help but think that the classic cars parked outside the inn would have have made old George a bit skittish getting behind the wheel. Perhaps a coach or buggy with horses would have been closer to the part. It's all good. (Besides who wants to pickup horse poop on a hot day?)
Along the east side of the property the vendors tents were setup. As I walked further I saw an old familiar face. One Jim Kiesser helping his neighbor set his tent up. He represented Casey's Kettle Corn.
I've known Jim for many decades but I don't always see him as much as I should, so it was good seeing my old friend again. Many years Jim ago created a salmon jig called the Kiesser Teaser when salmon could be caught around here in abundance. He worked his tail off to make it work and it did. I would go out with Jim and you could be assured that whether it was salmon or halibut you would come home with something. But the salmon seasons were cut. Areas like the Dungeness Spit near the lighthouse that produced monster king salmon and others were now off limits to fishermen. I don't want to go down that path as it is ancient history now. But many people were hurt financially by the court's decision including Jim and others I know.
So now he is working with Casey Dennis. They couldn't have found a better person to have working for them. And an offer to go salmon fishing again will be most certainly accepted. Thanks Jim.
Casey and Carolyn started their business in 2001 working the festival circuit. By 2002 they opened a small commercial kitchen in their home and as the business took off they now operate a 1600 square foot commercial kitchen in Sequim, Washington. Great story.
They also help people that need money for a worthy cause to setup fundraisers using their kettle corn and give them great prices to help them realize that need. Please check their website out and if you need to do a fundraiser and your in the area, check them out.
As I walked further along the vendors tents I spotted Debi Breitbach at the very end of the row, spinning her wool into some cool wool product. She has a business called The Shepherd's Fold. I met Debi last year at the Port Williams Lavender farm. She and her husband have a farm west of Port Angeles and raises all their own veggies, animals and of course wool. She follows the festival circuit and also the Farmer's Market in Port Angeles I believe.
I bought a very warm wool watch cap from her at the last festival and I wear that thing everyday in the winter to cover this shaved head. And it has lavender color in it!
After chatting for a while and a customer's wanting to purchase her wares I said my goodbyes and headed for my car. It's been a good day.
The weather was great except for a bit of a breeze along the Strait there at the Inn. I hope it holds through the entire weekend.
I had only today to visit the farms. I know there are others I could have hit, but I got my fill of lavender for another year. I enjoyed Ciscoe and the opening ceremonies. The four farms I visited all had something to offer in the way of photographs and conversation. Some more than others.
The images I got this year were good and I'll add them to my lavender stock.
I hope you enjoyed my trip through the farms. If you have any comments after reading these blogs please don't hesitate to make a suggestion, a constructive comment on my images this year or anything else that would lend to the conversation.
Thanks for looking!
Jardin du Soleil Lavender
Out to Highway 101 and then through the back roads of Sequim I go to my next farm .... Jardin du Soleil Lavender Farm.
The farm changed hands about two years ago. Jordan and Paul Schiefen bought it from Pam and Randy Nicholson after the later ran it for many years.
I will tell you that it used to be my favorite lavender farm. Why? Well, it has nothing to do with the way the farm is run or the lavender at all. No. It has to do with elements of photography for me. I enjoy the farms and talking with the people who come from all over, as well as the vendors and the farmers themselves. But primarily I come out to shoot the purple stuff. I said in my previous post that lavender, by itself, is a little boring. When you add different elements to the image, whether it be other colorful flowers such as sunflowers, cone flowers, poppy's or wildflowers you can make your images much more interesting. A least in my opinion.
Back to why this farm used to be my favorite. The previous owners were very liberal with using other flowers to contrast the lavender. Clumps of sunflowers, poppy's and echinacea or cone flowers were found throughout the fields offering many different elements and angles for the photographer to consider. No so today. Yes there was one clump of sunflowers up on the hill but it was hard to frame the lavender and sunflowers without getting the vendor's tents in the image. See below.
This was about all I could get from the sunflowers without including tents in the background.
Now in times past when there were many more flowers planted I was able to get these shots:
I don't want you to get me wrong. The farm is still as beautiful as ever. The farmhouse sits on a hill overlooking the fields. I like the uneven landscape. The upper fields roll off into more even or almost level area where more lavender is growing. It is a great farm for what it was designed to be. But I look at each farm as what I can bring home on my CF card.
OK. I got that out of the way.
One thing that this farm does is having a ladder setup in the fields where you can hand your own camera to a volunteer and have your picture taken in a field of lavender. Pretty cool.
As I moved around the fields I came into the vendor area and ran across my friend Gail who runs Dungeness Gold. We partnered last year at the Port Williams Lavender farm. As said in a previous post, it was quite rainy and an interesting experience.
Gail and Brit, one of her employees worked the crowd, selling spices, sauces and her homemade jams and jellies. Great stuff! Hope she does well this weekend.
Just around the corner from Gail's booth was the music. Friday afternoon's band was the Old Side Kicks. They belted out some great country western music as people drank different libations. The music really is a great part of the lavender experience.
Vendors were spotted around the base of the farmhouse and were clustered together in their own area. One thing that I noticed, if you don't like the offering's at one farm you probably will find it at another.
I walked to the far reaches of the farm where the bees are kept. You remember that bees are a very important part of any farm. As you might or might not know, that honey bees across the country have had a hard time lately. Apparently they have had some major die offs and the people who keep track of these things really don't know why. This could be a major problem going forward if they can't figure this one out. It doesn't seem to be a big problem around here. I hope.
Looking for other shots that I can use lavender as an element, the lavender bee hives helped fulfill this quest. Probably not the best shot, but hey .... we're trying here.
The farm changed hands about two years ago. Jordan and Paul Schiefen bought it from Pam and Randy Nicholson after the later ran it for many years.
I will tell you that it used to be my favorite lavender farm. Why? Well, it has nothing to do with the way the farm is run or the lavender at all. No. It has to do with elements of photography for me. I enjoy the farms and talking with the people who come from all over, as well as the vendors and the farmers themselves. But primarily I come out to shoot the purple stuff. I said in my previous post that lavender, by itself, is a little boring. When you add different elements to the image, whether it be other colorful flowers such as sunflowers, cone flowers, poppy's or wildflowers you can make your images much more interesting. A least in my opinion.
Back to why this farm used to be my favorite. The previous owners were very liberal with using other flowers to contrast the lavender. Clumps of sunflowers, poppy's and echinacea or cone flowers were found throughout the fields offering many different elements and angles for the photographer to consider. No so today. Yes there was one clump of sunflowers up on the hill but it was hard to frame the lavender and sunflowers without getting the vendor's tents in the image. See below.
This was about all I could get from the sunflowers without including tents in the background.
Now in times past when there were many more flowers planted I was able to get these shots:
I don't want you to get me wrong. The farm is still as beautiful as ever. The farmhouse sits on a hill overlooking the fields. I like the uneven landscape. The upper fields roll off into more even or almost level area where more lavender is growing. It is a great farm for what it was designed to be. But I look at each farm as what I can bring home on my CF card.
OK. I got that out of the way.
One thing that this farm does is having a ladder setup in the fields where you can hand your own camera to a volunteer and have your picture taken in a field of lavender. Pretty cool.
As I moved around the fields I came into the vendor area and ran across my friend Gail who runs Dungeness Gold. We partnered last year at the Port Williams Lavender farm. As said in a previous post, it was quite rainy and an interesting experience.
Gail and Brit, one of her employees worked the crowd, selling spices, sauces and her homemade jams and jellies. Great stuff! Hope she does well this weekend.
Just around the corner from Gail's booth was the music. Friday afternoon's band was the Old Side Kicks. They belted out some great country western music as people drank different libations. The music really is a great part of the lavender experience.
Vendors were spotted around the base of the farmhouse and were clustered together in their own area. One thing that I noticed, if you don't like the offering's at one farm you probably will find it at another.
I walked to the far reaches of the farm where the bees are kept. You remember that bees are a very important part of any farm. As you might or might not know, that honey bees across the country have had a hard time lately. Apparently they have had some major die offs and the people who keep track of these things really don't know why. This could be a major problem going forward if they can't figure this one out. It doesn't seem to be a big problem around here. I hope.
Looking for other shots that I can use lavender as an element, the lavender bee hives helped fulfill this quest. Probably not the best shot, but hey .... we're trying here.
Well I think I have done as well as I could here, so I'm on to my next farm.
That would be the Lost Mountain Lavender farm near Sequim. Just across the Dungeness river heading west and a quick turn up Taylor Cutoff Road finds the farm nestled in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains.
I got there just as the band quit for a break. Too bad, as it always adds to the atmosphere when I'm walking around the farm.
Lost Mountain Lavender is not the biggest farm on the tour, but has its own unique flavor as does each and every farm. The vendor area had several booths. One that I spotted had three bottles of Working Girl wines from Olympic Cellars Winery displayed. I thought for a moment that it was part of the winery as I have several different labels adorning different vintages at the winery, along with art work and cards displayed there as well. So I thought I would say hi. As it turned out the bottles were for a raffle that Eyes That Smile was using to raise money for their cause. And that cause was a good one .... rescuing and restoring horses that have been abandoned or abused by their previous owners.
Diane Royall, the second vice president, along with Dorthy Steffan were manning the booth when I stopped by to chat.
Diane said that they had thirty horses that they were helping recover from different situations at the organization's stables. Eyes That Smile is a non-profit organization that is a division of the Olympic Peninsula Equine Network. It was formed by a Texas horseman named Brian Pettyjohn. Pettyjohn is president and Valerie Jackson and Diane Royall are its two vice presidents.
Diane told me of various rescues that involved people that had actually rammed their horse trailer and threatened them with bodily harm. Tough work really. You must have a real love to do what they do for the horses they rescue. Always in need of money for hay and provision for the horses this organization is worth looking into if you care for their cause. You'll find them at the above web address.
I didn't find what I was looking for here at Lost Mountain Lavender other than this image of an old bed frame and some lavender plants. But I enjoyed the atmosphere and the conversation I found here.
I have one more farm to see. One that I haven't visited before. George Washington Inn and Lavender farm is found between Sequim and Port Angeles. It is off the beaten path, but of the images I saw of this farm worth the ride to see it. On my way ......
Saturday, July 20, 2013
The Festival on Friday
As a resident of the area I am familiar with all the back streets and alleys that will take you around the tourist traffic that descends on Sequim during the lavender festival. Thankfully.
I was running a bit late and wanted to get to Carrie Blake park before Ciscoe Morris opened the festival at 11:30 am yesterday. The surface streets were packed around the park and I didn't want to park a mile away from the James Center for the Performing Arts, deep in the park. So I just went right into the playground area on the south side of Carrie Blake and found ample parking on the south side of the conference building near the playground. I hoofed across the bridge that spans the ponds between the playground and James Center where a hot air balloon was floating above many vendors tents.
I got there as Ms. Tomoko, the Acting Consul General of Japan was talking about the relationship of the Japanese sister city Shiso and Sequim and the joint 'Friendship Garden' that is next to the Carrie Blake park.
Next up was Ciscoe. For those that don't know Ciscoe Morris, his Gardening with Ciscoe airs on King 5 out of Seattle, Washington weekly. His antics are legend in this area. He is a master gardener and usually answers questions from the crowd. Which he did here at the festival. He was as goofy as ever. And a big hit as well.
Along with the other dignitaries, Ciscoe kicks off the Sequim Lavender Festival:
So the 17th Annual Sequim Lavender Festival was off and running. And so was I. After taking in the vendors around the park I made my way back to the car and headed out the gate.
My first stop was going to be the Purple Haze Lavender Farm.
Purple Haze is the grand daddy of the lavender farms in the Sequim-Dungeness area dating back to the original farms 17 years ago.
I knew of Mike Reicher before he and his wife Rosalind started Purple Haze. Mike was the Sequim Bay Park ranger back then. He had enough foresight to see what lavender would do for the Valley. When he started the lavender movement he went all the way. He was able to get on many different television venues to highlight the movement back then. It caught on fire and Purple Haze is now the premier lavender farm bar none.
When I visit the farms, my intention is to find different looks of lavender to photograph. Lavender by itself is kind of ... mmm, boring. I love the smell of the stuff and the purple color lends itself to great contrast. However, you just need something along with the smelly stuff to get a photograph that really pops. So I look for elements that will contrast that great purple look.
As I wandered around Purple Haze I was looking for some other flowers to accomplish that feat. Sunflowers are a great contrast to lavender. In times past, the growers were more liberal with their growing of sunflowers in just the right spots. Not so this year unfortunately. But there were some. Actually, Purple Haze had a nice stand of the tall flowers, both red and yellow, although the red were not blooming as well as the yellow. There was a nice field of corn growing in the background too. Trying to get a shot with just the sunflowers and lavender is another thing. You have to be patient and let the people who are taking pictures or just walking the trails get out of the viewfinder. Enjoy that fragrance.
The images below were my best at Purple Haze. The lighter color lavender helps contrast the purple stuff. Good start. But there are other farms.
The other thing I like to do as a photographer is talk to other artists, and not just other photographers. I ran into a local copper smith. He had a huge copper salmon weather vane next to his display tent reflecting the noon day sun. So I asked him if I could photograph it. He appreciated that I had asked him permission to shoot the piece. He said most people just take an image and go on. And that's cool, but there are some artists that are very protective of their designs. They can get leery of someone taking pictures to knock off their artwork they spent hours designing and creating. That is why I usually ask if I can shoot their work. In this case, Clark Mundy the artist had no problem.
It also gave me an opportunity to chat with Clark and his wife Leia. Clark was a woodworker about ten years ago and was invited to study Northwest native woodcarving with Al Charles Jr. and Darrell Charles Jr. of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe.
One of the pieces needed a copper salmon along with the two carved wooden ones. Clark undertook the creation of that copper salmon along with two other artists doing the wooden ones. That artwork has been displayed since then above the elevator lobby in the Clallam County courthouse. And started Clark on his copper career.
Clark has art all over Port Angeles including a staircase in the Landing Mall on the waterfront, a nine foot tall fountain sculpture made for the Great Hall of the new Lower Elwha Klallam Heritage Center at First and Peabody Streets in Port Angeles. And a huge copper octopus and sign at Feiro Marine Life Center at the entrance of the City Pier in Port Angeles. An incredible piece of artwork!
Clark is currently working on a series of large copper masks for the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's campus in Blyn, WA. This man is very talented.
I love his work.You can find more of Clark's art at coppersalmon.com.
There were many different vendors offering services, artists of every genre and of course lavender plants throughout the farm. You can stroll through trails and come upon another vendor's tent you didn't see before. Unlike street fairs that look like miniature tent cities, the farm uses its natural rolling hills to segment different activities. It is well laid out.
I see a lot of Asian tourists enjoying the lavender everywhere I turn. Maybe because of the sister city thing that the city of Sequim has with Shiso, Japan? Sequim has become a world wide destination spot! Very cool.
One of the things that you notice if you spend any time at a lavender farm is the music. At the Purple Haze a young guy by the name of Blake Noble was playing and a small group of folks were sitting around tables consuming all types of lavender food and beverages as they listened to him and his acoustic guitar. Very laid back. .
The weather was cooperating. There was a breeze blowing through the little valley that the farm was located on. Hopefully it would not come up like it did last year. Yikes!
Everyone was trying to find some weight to hold their tent corners down after one tent did a Dorthy and Toto. No, this wind was nowhere near that of last year. Thankfully.
Purple Haze will probably draw the largest crowds of all the farms. But in my opinion it will be closely followed by Jardin du Soleil lavender farm. My next stop.
Links to all Lavender Festival Posts:
Lavender Festival Sequim, Washington
Jardin du Soleil Lavender
George Washington Inn and Lavender
I was running a bit late and wanted to get to Carrie Blake park before Ciscoe Morris opened the festival at 11:30 am yesterday. The surface streets were packed around the park and I didn't want to park a mile away from the James Center for the Performing Arts, deep in the park. So I just went right into the playground area on the south side of Carrie Blake and found ample parking on the south side of the conference building near the playground. I hoofed across the bridge that spans the ponds between the playground and James Center where a hot air balloon was floating above many vendors tents.
I got there as Ms. Tomoko, the Acting Consul General of Japan was talking about the relationship of the Japanese sister city Shiso and Sequim and the joint 'Friendship Garden' that is next to the Carrie Blake park.
Next up was Ciscoe. For those that don't know Ciscoe Morris, his Gardening with Ciscoe airs on King 5 out of Seattle, Washington weekly. His antics are legend in this area. He is a master gardener and usually answers questions from the crowd. Which he did here at the festival. He was as goofy as ever. And a big hit as well.
Along with the other dignitaries, Ciscoe kicks off the Sequim Lavender Festival:
So the 17th Annual Sequim Lavender Festival was off and running. And so was I. After taking in the vendors around the park I made my way back to the car and headed out the gate.
My first stop was going to be the Purple Haze Lavender Farm.
Purple Haze is the grand daddy of the lavender farms in the Sequim-Dungeness area dating back to the original farms 17 years ago.
I knew of Mike Reicher before he and his wife Rosalind started Purple Haze. Mike was the Sequim Bay Park ranger back then. He had enough foresight to see what lavender would do for the Valley. When he started the lavender movement he went all the way. He was able to get on many different television venues to highlight the movement back then. It caught on fire and Purple Haze is now the premier lavender farm bar none.
When I visit the farms, my intention is to find different looks of lavender to photograph. Lavender by itself is kind of ... mmm, boring. I love the smell of the stuff and the purple color lends itself to great contrast. However, you just need something along with the smelly stuff to get a photograph that really pops. So I look for elements that will contrast that great purple look.
As I wandered around Purple Haze I was looking for some other flowers to accomplish that feat. Sunflowers are a great contrast to lavender. In times past, the growers were more liberal with their growing of sunflowers in just the right spots. Not so this year unfortunately. But there were some. Actually, Purple Haze had a nice stand of the tall flowers, both red and yellow, although the red were not blooming as well as the yellow. There was a nice field of corn growing in the background too. Trying to get a shot with just the sunflowers and lavender is another thing. You have to be patient and let the people who are taking pictures or just walking the trails get out of the viewfinder. Enjoy that fragrance.
The images below were my best at Purple Haze. The lighter color lavender helps contrast the purple stuff. Good start. But there are other farms.
The other thing I like to do as a photographer is talk to other artists, and not just other photographers. I ran into a local copper smith. He had a huge copper salmon weather vane next to his display tent reflecting the noon day sun. So I asked him if I could photograph it. He appreciated that I had asked him permission to shoot the piece. He said most people just take an image and go on. And that's cool, but there are some artists that are very protective of their designs. They can get leery of someone taking pictures to knock off their artwork they spent hours designing and creating. That is why I usually ask if I can shoot their work. In this case, Clark Mundy the artist had no problem.
It also gave me an opportunity to chat with Clark and his wife Leia. Clark was a woodworker about ten years ago and was invited to study Northwest native woodcarving with Al Charles Jr. and Darrell Charles Jr. of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe.
One of the pieces needed a copper salmon along with the two carved wooden ones. Clark undertook the creation of that copper salmon along with two other artists doing the wooden ones. That artwork has been displayed since then above the elevator lobby in the Clallam County courthouse. And started Clark on his copper career.
Clark has art all over Port Angeles including a staircase in the Landing Mall on the waterfront, a nine foot tall fountain sculpture made for the Great Hall of the new Lower Elwha Klallam Heritage Center at First and Peabody Streets in Port Angeles. And a huge copper octopus and sign at Feiro Marine Life Center at the entrance of the City Pier in Port Angeles. An incredible piece of artwork!
Clark is currently working on a series of large copper masks for the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's campus in Blyn, WA. This man is very talented.
I love his work.You can find more of Clark's art at coppersalmon.com.
There were many different vendors offering services, artists of every genre and of course lavender plants throughout the farm. You can stroll through trails and come upon another vendor's tent you didn't see before. Unlike street fairs that look like miniature tent cities, the farm uses its natural rolling hills to segment different activities. It is well laid out.
I see a lot of Asian tourists enjoying the lavender everywhere I turn. Maybe because of the sister city thing that the city of Sequim has with Shiso, Japan? Sequim has become a world wide destination spot! Very cool.
One of the things that you notice if you spend any time at a lavender farm is the music. At the Purple Haze a young guy by the name of Blake Noble was playing and a small group of folks were sitting around tables consuming all types of lavender food and beverages as they listened to him and his acoustic guitar. Very laid back. .
The weather was cooperating. There was a breeze blowing through the little valley that the farm was located on. Hopefully it would not come up like it did last year. Yikes!
Everyone was trying to find some weight to hold their tent corners down after one tent did a Dorthy and Toto. No, this wind was nowhere near that of last year. Thankfully.
Purple Haze will probably draw the largest crowds of all the farms. But in my opinion it will be closely followed by Jardin du Soleil lavender farm. My next stop.
Links to all Lavender Festival Posts:
Lavender Festival Sequim, Washington
Jardin du Soleil Lavender
George Washington Inn and Lavender
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Lavender Festival Sequim, Washington
Once a year the Dungeness Valley erupts with fragrant lavender plants in full bloom. Not only is it a very cool sight like the purplish color of the lavender against the green of the surrounding fields. But it is very aromatic as well. Walk through a local lavender farm on a hot day and you are pleasantly blasted with that strong scent.
Some people I know can't stand the smell. Especially men. Maybe it's because women love the stuff! But like the men, some don't. Personally I like the stuff. I have a couple plants in my back yard that are quite aromatic. When they are in full bloom I like to take a couple of flowers and crush them in my hand then take a deep whiff. Whoa! Talk about aroma therapy.
But along with the visual aspects of lavender, another event transpires mid-July around here. Of course that is the Sequim Lavender Festival or is it the Sequim Lavender Festival Weekend?
A couple of years back there was a bitter split between some lavender growers that resulted in two distinct lavender farmer's groups forming and putting on two separate festivals on the same day in Sequim. Weird? Sort of. That kind of thing usually benefits no one. But I believe I read that a truce had been called and at least this year there has been some cooperation between the two groups. Good on them. It only hurts the people who come to the festival and spend their hard earned money buying all those lavender related products. They take home not only those products but the experience as well.
The last two years the festival was shrouded in rain and cool weather. I know. I helped my friend Gail who runs Dungeness Gold a gourmet herb and spices store that has some of the best honey I ever ate. She has a blackberry honey that will knock your socks off. I occupied a corner of her 10x10 foot display tent and sold cards and matted images at the Port Williams Lavender Farm. It was a tough weekend. It rained more than it didn't. It really wasn't much fun. But it was an experience.
Well it is a different weekend thankfully. We have been in a three week hot spell for the Peninsula. Been in the 80's and even hit a 90 degree day a couple of weeks ago. Perfect lavender growing weather. This weekend's temps will be in the mid 70's. Not too hot. Just right. Should draw some great crowds. And with the two farmer's groups getting along, this could be a record weekend for attendance. We'll see. I will be out and about tomorrow to see and photograph some of the weekend's farms and event's. See you soon.
Some people I know can't stand the smell. Especially men. Maybe it's because women love the stuff! But like the men, some don't. Personally I like the stuff. I have a couple plants in my back yard that are quite aromatic. When they are in full bloom I like to take a couple of flowers and crush them in my hand then take a deep whiff. Whoa! Talk about aroma therapy.
But along with the visual aspects of lavender, another event transpires mid-July around here. Of course that is the Sequim Lavender Festival or is it the Sequim Lavender Festival Weekend?
A couple of years back there was a bitter split between some lavender growers that resulted in two distinct lavender farmer's groups forming and putting on two separate festivals on the same day in Sequim. Weird? Sort of. That kind of thing usually benefits no one. But I believe I read that a truce had been called and at least this year there has been some cooperation between the two groups. Good on them. It only hurts the people who come to the festival and spend their hard earned money buying all those lavender related products. They take home not only those products but the experience as well.
The last two years the festival was shrouded in rain and cool weather. I know. I helped my friend Gail who runs Dungeness Gold a gourmet herb and spices store that has some of the best honey I ever ate. She has a blackberry honey that will knock your socks off. I occupied a corner of her 10x10 foot display tent and sold cards and matted images at the Port Williams Lavender Farm. It was a tough weekend. It rained more than it didn't. It really wasn't much fun. But it was an experience.
Well it is a different weekend thankfully. We have been in a three week hot spell for the Peninsula. Been in the 80's and even hit a 90 degree day a couple of weeks ago. Perfect lavender growing weather. This weekend's temps will be in the mid 70's. Not too hot. Just right. Should draw some great crowds. And with the two farmer's groups getting along, this could be a record weekend for attendance. We'll see. I will be out and about tomorrow to see and photograph some of the weekend's farms and event's. See you soon.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Website
School is out! Summer is here ... sort of. We have been experiencing some cool, wet weather in the Pacific Northwest this spring. Is that unusual? Not really. When I worked for Clallam County road department we wouldn't start our asphalt and chip sealing programs until after the 4th of July. Why? Because of the cool spring rains of course. Just like we are experiencing now. But another week or two and magically the weather will clear up and the sun will shine again! Then everyone who has been whining about the crappy weather will be complaining that it's too hot! Not everyone. I like the sunshine a lot. Makes my garden grow and my photograph's a little more snappy, especially when your shooting a nice landscape or ocean scene. Blue sky looks nicer than gray, washed out sky.
Since getting out of school I have gotten my website up and running. It's not done completely. I want to make it easier for potential buyers of my work to purchase either a print or a digital download. You have to email me with your requests and then I can download an image or send you a paper print. Either way it is a hassle for buyers who want things right now. (and I'm one of those people.)
But in the meantime I want to get the website out there and will be working on the site to improve it throughout the summer.
So here is my website and if you want to leave a comment about it, both positive or negative (I don't mind constructive criticism at all. Just be helpful.) I would appreciate it.
http://cengesphotography.com
Thank you!
Since getting out of school I have gotten my website up and running. It's not done completely. I want to make it easier for potential buyers of my work to purchase either a print or a digital download. You have to email me with your requests and then I can download an image or send you a paper print. Either way it is a hassle for buyers who want things right now. (and I'm one of those people.)
But in the meantime I want to get the website out there and will be working on the site to improve it throughout the summer.
So here is my website and if you want to leave a comment about it, both positive or negative (I don't mind constructive criticism at all. Just be helpful.) I would appreciate it.
http://cengesphotography.com
Thank you!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)