Wish I Could go Back..Overview of Our Trip

I really don’t know how to put into words how I feel about my trip to the Central Cascades, but to say OMG!! It was an amazing trip out into nature. From September 14th to the 21st, Ali and I went to Wenatchee National Forest in the Central part of Washington State. This is an area where west and east Washington meet. For those who aren’t familiar with Washington State, it is divided in the middle by the Cascade Mountains. This creates different climates between the two sides. Most people know Western Washington as green and wet. Eastern Washington is different, the Cascade Curtain makes the differences. The weather is dryer, with hot summers and very cold winters.Where Western Washington stays very mild all year around. The central section of  Washington is were the two climates meet. This makes it colorful, lush, warm and full of life.
    For a week we hiked and explored the area. From dry dusty pathways to lush river bends. I found myself full of inspiration around every corner. While we were up there though we ran into a few limitations. One being Table Mountain was on fire due to 60 days without rain, making it very dry. The wildfires forced us to stay in areas away from mountain. This kept us to only a portion of the area. On one of our last days we drove up a gravel road to a ridge across the way to Table Mountain. WHAT A SIGHT! You couldn’t see the mountain. Just smoke overtaking the sky. This was the ugly beauty of nature. Even though animals were being moved from their home, trees where on fire and the ground was being blackened. There was still this eire beauty. It wasn’t like someone set the forest on fire. It is something that a forest needs every once in a while. It helps with growth of a forest, like getting a hair trim. I wish I could have gotten closer. None of the roads going to the mountain were open and I doubt my lungs would have been able to handle being closer.
    That was our next problem. The living and hiking in the hazy of the fires caused me to get sick. I began to have a hard time breathing and developed a cough. I was very unhappy about this. I tried my hardest to keep going and to keep on doing what we set out to do. I thank Ali though for making the decision to come back a day early. She was right, I would have pushed myself beyond what is healthy, so I could just stay in a land of beauty.
    I can’t wait to show the images I got on this trip. I looked for that great shots and I feel I got them. I can’t for another trip, to be in that world again.

- Heather

Mount Rainier

On July 20th, 2012 I took a short day trip up to Mt. Rainier in the Cascades. Wow. It was amazing. Here it was in the middle of July and there was still snow on the mountain. It was eerie but beautiful with the fog surrounding the mountain. I saw inspiring waterfalls, beautiful cloudscapes, and some classic wildlife, like deer. It only made me more excited for our trip in September. Here are some photographs from that little trip. It gives you an idea of what we will be seeing and photographing this September.

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

 Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Mt. Rainier - Copyright ALimages 2012

Northwest Trek and the Power of Wildlife

    There are things in life that keep your spirits low, making this stressful life, worse . Then there are places that lift your spirits and fill your heart with joy. For me, places like Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Mountains and Stehekin in the North Cascades have that effect on me. They take me away from all my problems and bring peace of mind. I find myself on cloud nine.
    Over this last weekend, I got to take a trip to the Northwest Trek in Eatonvillle. I had never been to the Northwest Trek before. I have wanted to go for a while, being so interested in wildlife all my life. I thought I would make my first time as special as I could. I choose to take the photo tour then a normal tram and brought Ali Lockwood along with me. I could have not chosen a better way to practice photographing wildlife. As much as it would have been better if I had gotten these animals out in their nature living quarters, I don’t have the time or money to track them down at the moment with school. Animals such as elk, black tail deer, mountain goats and big horned sheep are some of the wildlife that we can come across on out trip to the Cascades were there at Northwest Trek same with gray wolfs, coyotes, black bears, bobcats and cougars. Unfortunately, while we were at Northwest Trek all the predators were sleeping and hiding. The other animals were out and about in the acreages of land they have for them to roam.
    We got up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready and left at 6:00 a.m. to get to the park by 8:00. We were 2 out of 10 photographers there. We got on to the tram about 8:15 and off we went. The cool thing about being part of the photo tour is the tram stops when we want it too and we can have the driver move forward and backwards if need be. It was all about us getting great shots.
    Which is what I did. I got some great photos. Animals are hard to shoot. They move whenever they like and don’t care what you are trying to do. I find the difficulty of not being in full control of the situation to be exciting. To be so close I could touch the animals is thrilling. When I got to shoot the mountain goats at Hurricane Ridge a few years ago, I was amazed with how much I loved it, even though I was kicked off the mountain by them. It is this obsession with mountain goats and shoot them as much as possible to get that one shot. I have made it my goal that I get a shot of a mountain goat thats perfect and inspiring. Being able to shoot all three of the mountain goats at the park was such a great experience. I feel so much more confidante in my wildlife shooting abilities. I can't wait to see what I can bring to the table when are on our trip. I know am looking forward to running into as many spieces of animals as possible but I am really looking forward to seeing mountain goats again. Nothing beats photographing something that sparks life into the photographer.

-Heather

Stehekin

I got to take May 3rd to May 12th off from school and spend in Stehekin. For those who don't know Stehekin is an area at the end of Lake Chelan in the North Cascade. It's part of the North Cascade National park and has it's only community of people who live there all year round. I was up there to help Heather Biermann with her Stehekin Kite Project. She did a workshop and taught the community to make kites. We flew them and then they went up in the gallery of the visitor center at the end of week.

I as much as I had fun helping Heather out. I was more excited about the land that was all around me. We were camped out with a tent and sleeping bags (My friend Jessica was with me). I had no internet and no cell service. Life just slowed down. I hiked almost everyday. Played with some goats, went to a orchard and saw lots of rushing water. I had fallen in love by the time we had gotten off the three hour boat ride it takes to get to Stehekin. The only way in is by boat, flying in or hiking in from different trails. It felt like you were on an island.
Stehekin reminded me why nature is such a big part of my life and who I am. The waterfalls show me, that man is not all powerful. All the animals, give me hope for a new day. The mountains remind me that I am a very small part of this world as they cascade over me. The community reminded that you don't have to live in this fast pace life that we as humans have set up for ourselves, that it is okay to want to live it slower. It's actually really hard to put into words how much I enjoyed my trip, so here are some pictures I took. I can say left kick and screaming because I did not want to leave.

If we are to master the sensitive arts if building a life-encouraging environment, we need to realize that bigger may not be better, slower may be faster, less may be more. _Stewart Udall

-Heather

Tulip Festival

Saturday, April 14th, Heather and I took a trip up to the Skagit Valley to see the tulips in bloom during the Tulip Festival that happens during the month of April. Heather had never been. I had been once but it was before I understood how actually take a picture with correct exposure. We hoped that we could go on a day that was overcast, which honestly was not that big of a wish, but it ended up being very sunny. I was not used to shooting in such bright light and took a minute for me to get my adjustments but I think over all I got some good results.

I have not done a lot of large landscape photography. Heather is stronger at that than I am. I think that is why we work well together. She can see the larger picture where I am able to zoom in on one super small part of the larger picture. It is a strong combination that I cannot wait to showcase from our project come September. However, it was good to practice trying to get the landscape picture while up at the festival.

It was very busy and it was enjoyable seeing other photographers out there with their equipment. This trip made me excited for September. Washington is such a beautiful state! Here are some images that were taken at the Roozengaarde Tulip Gardens.

Photo by Ali Lockwood/Courtesy of RoozenGaarde (Tulips.com)

Photo by Ali Lockwood/Courtesy of RoozenGaarde (Tulips.com)

Photo by Ali Lockwood/Courtesy of RoozenGaarde (Tulips.com)

Photo by Ali Lockwood/Courtesy of RoozenGaarde (Tulips.com)

Photo by Ali Lockwood/Courtesy of RoozenGaarde (Tulips.com)

Photo by Ali Lockwood/Courtesy of RoozenGaarde (Tulips.com)

Photo by Ali Lockwood/Courtesy of RoozenGaarde (Tulips.com)

The Hoh

Hoh.

What an odd name, if you ask me. It is the name of a temperate rainforest in the U.S., and also one of the largest. Between the park boundary and the Pacific Ocean, nearly all of the forest has been logged within the last century. Which I find sad. I haven't been to the Hoh in years. It is a beautiful land full of every shade of green you can think of, and I mean every shade.

I had to come up with a project to do for one of my classes here at NCAD, to help my portfolio to graduate. I have known about the logging issues for awhile now. My goal as a photographer is to represent the natural beauty of the world. I want to be able to show people what they are missing out on, because of how us humans treat the land we live on. Yes, I understand we need resources to live a certain type of life. I don't agree to people who log and don't replant. It really bugs me. That is why my project is to photograph the land that has been logged and not taken care of and compare it to photographs I take of the areas the Hoh left to grow in it's old ways. I am hoping that one day a project like this can be published so more people can be aware of the damage we are doing.

I saw a quote today as sad as it is to read as a human, I feel a lot of times it's true and that is "man is nature's sole mistake " by W.S Gilbert. It's not like we are a total mistake. I mean, without us there would be a big difference in the world. Maybe another animal would be over populating the world, or maybe a planet life would be sucking the life out of it. What I am trying to say, I guess, is that too much of one species is bad and there are too many of us. So maybe it's not that we are a mistake, but more that it's we have gotten too far along in our ways, with technology and our way of living. Like other animals, we use to be much more connected to the earth and other animals but into today, people live in their own world. I believe this stops a lot of people from looking around to see the real issues in life and no your phone breaking isn't a real issue. I mean this is all an opinion. I am just sad for the other living things that live on this planet that you take for granite every day.

The Hoh Rainforest, by Heather Wallace 2012c

Learning

On Sunday March 18th, I had the chance to attend National Geographic Traveler's Nature Photo Seminar at the Seattle Library. I was excited the few days leading up to it but even more so that morning as I rode the ferry over to the city. The two photographers who were speaking were Eddie Soloway and Michael Melford. They are amazing nature photographers who I had a lot to learn from and I did. Even now I wish it had been a multiple days so I could just pick their brains clean.
    Eddie started the seminar with a story that I found something I feel like I tell people around me. So I wanted to share it with all of you. I even wrote in my notes, "write in blog." He began by telling us about his earlier years as a photographer and going around to different art shows around the country. I believe he was in Chicago. He got the question, we as photographers get, when people see our work, "what kind of camera did you use?" Once you answer they ask, "what kind of lens?" And on and on asking all sorts of questions about the equipment. He had a man asking him these things and wasn't getting the satisfaction he wanted from Eddie's answers. The man walked away and the Violinist, who was playing next to Eddie's booth, went over and told Eddie that he was at a show once and when he was done playing a man asked him what kind of violin is that, it makes beautiful music. The Violinist holds the violin out and says I don't hear anything. It's not about the equipment you have but the eye. Later on Michael told us of a couple he came across. The husband had all the gear and his wife was just sporting a point and shoot. His wife was kicking her husband's ass with the photos she was producing. These stories gave me some comfort. I am poor and don't have the money to buy the newest and greatest camera gear. I do believe I have the eyes though, which is the important thing.
    There were a few other techniques that both artists pointed out that I feel I can say I already do that helps make their photos and careers successful. One in particular would be being able to read light in the way that I can, which is change my vision black and white to figure out values. I mastered that by only shooting in black and white. I feel its something that a lot of photographers today lack, due to they don't have to shoot in black and white. There is all this color but by doing so you get a more full understanding of values, so when you do shoot in color they are rich and luster.
    One of the other ideas was from Eddie and that is to have a child's sense of wonder and curiosity. Which these things get me in trouble sometimes but can lead to awesome outcomes. He said if you have trouble to borrow a 4 year old for a day and you will learn a whole new world. I am someone who doesn't want to just take the normal shoot. Sometimes I will be bend over backwards to get what I want.
     I learned so much from both these amazing photographers. One thing is when it's mid day, cause on a sunny day it sucks to shoot at that time, to use that time to scout out potential photo areas when the light changes. Pepper Spray works well on bears. With wildlife the photo is in their eyes. I have 6 pages of notes! I could go on and on.
    In the end I was so happy I spent the time and money to listen to Michael Melford and Eddie Soloway. I even had the courage to give each of them my business cards. Was my heart pounding or what! As I was walking down the streets of Seattle, a feeling came back to me that I have felt like it was missing, and that was I can make it.

- Heather
Adventure is Everywhere

The Goats

    Animals have always been a big part of my life. I have always felt a certain connection to them. I have never felt never the way I did when I got the chance to photograph Mountain Goats in the Olympic Mountains, it became an obsession.
    The Mountain Goats aren't actually suppose to inhabit the Olympic Mountains. They got introduced to the area by a farmer who lived in the area wanted them as pets. In the early 1925's, he transferred a four mountain goats from the Cascade Mountains to his home. Well, these creatures didn't stay. They escaped into the mountains. Over decades the population of the goats went from the lonely four to about a thousand. Due to certain plants being disturbed, since 1990's the goats have been slowly been removed from the area. Today there are about 300 left in the area.
    These animals actually are quite mean. You should always take precaution around wild animals. Just last year, a man was killed by a male mountain goat. This happened at Hurricane Ridge. A popular place people enjoy hiking, myself included.
   In June of 2010 my roommate and I were hiking at the switchback trail up at a place called Hurricane Ridge. Once we got high enough there was still patches of snow. We had been hiking for a good hour and half when got to a snow bank, which looked unsettling to me. My roommate egged me on to walk across it. I got half way out in this patch of area of snow. Were I was standing does not exist in the late summer and fall. I was standing on piles of ice and snow. I turned around cause we had decided we had gone far enough for the trip. As I turn around from behind the tree that I had just walked by, were these two huge white beasts. Quiet and strong, they walked up and around us. I was taken back for moment, not sure how to act. In the end I acted how any photographer would. I started shooting! No, I wasn't killing them.
    As the camera lifted to my eye and the I started analyzing the viewfinder, I found my heart fluttering. You could say; "Heather, you were probably just scared." I was scared but this was the flutter of a new love. Like when you go on a good date with someone and at the end of the night your heart has this nice flutter to it. Yeah, you what am talking about. Maybe this way I have yet to find a new love to my life cause it's been taken away by these creatures. Then my finger pressed down on the shutter button and one by one. I was inspired, time stood still as they started walking away. They walk around the ridge in front of us. My roommate wanted to know where they were going. She started heading towards the direction they had gone. All of sudden there were again, this time on top of the ridge. Their heads were down and coming strait towards us. The minute I saw them pop their head back up, that flutter in my heart came back.
    In the end, we were escorted off the mountain. They followed us almost all the way down off the trail. Ever since that day I have gone back, hoping to see them again. So, what does this have to do with our trip? The Cascades have they own heard of Mountain Goats. I hope to come across these beautiful animals again.

- Heather


References:

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/105133154.html
http://rdpayne.drizzlehosting.com/opa-mtngoat.html
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/mountain-goat/
http://www.nps.gov/olym/parknews/census-flights-scheduled-to-count-non-native-mountain-goats.htm

Thanks for the support!

We are so overwhelmed with the support we have received so far. In just a few weeks we have 35 fans on our Facebook page! It doesn't seem like a lot but to us, that is a great amount. Do you think we can make it to 50? We can with your help! The 50th person who signs up will receive a photograph! So spread the word about us.

In March we are taking a mini-day trip to the Central Cascades. Also, in March we hope to have our website up and running. In the mean time keep up with us on our Facebook page and our blog post. As the weather gets better we will probably take more short trips to the Central Cascades to explore and map out what we would like.

Come July we will have our kickstarter profile up and running so keep a look out for that.

Just keep checking back because we will give all sorts of updates on here.We are looking forward to what we learn about the area. We are also excited that you are along for the ride.

Washington...The STATE

    We all live different parts of the world. Each area has it's own characteristics that make it special. I am finding though that there seems to have been a lack in geography teaching in schools. Maybe it's cause I loved the subject in school that I grasped it easily or because I live in the actual state.
    When I say I live in Washington, I am not saying I live in Washington D.C. There's a big difference. One Washington is a whole state compared to D.C which is a territory between Virginia and Maryland.  I understand Washington State isn't widely known as a big state of the Untied States. We aren't extremely tiny like Rhode Island or huge like Texas. The state itself is the 10th largest of the states. We are connected to Oregon and Idaho. Unlike Alaska and Hawaii, who live outside normal borders of the country. There are sport teams here, we aren't hermits. For PC people we have Microsoft, so yeah all you gamers out there playing on an XBOX, your welcome. I actually can't take credit. I didn't make it but should thank all the genius people in this state that did.. Now yes, I understand the some of the other states get very little recognition too.
    What really hurts me is that there are 120 national parks in the 66,544 sq. mi. of land in Washington. Yes, you all that Mount St. Helens eruption on May 18, 1980. Did you know we are waiting on Mt. Rainier to take it's turn? The fact that there are mountain goats in the Olympic Mountains that don't belong there. The Hoh Rainforest is one of the largest temperate rainforest in the United States. There so much life here. I want the world to realize what they are missing. Just like I am missing the other states. 
    I'm just tired being mistaken for being from D.C. I have nothing against the district. I just want the state I love and cherish to be recognized. I am not from Washington D.C., I am from Washington the State.

-Heather
From Washington State

Take Charge

I was having a discussion with my mom about all the things I was involving myself in during my final semesters of college, in particular about this photography mission and trying to explain why it is I am doing so much. Sometimes it is difficult to fully explain the importance of this experience. Sometimes it is easy to think that once we graduate college it will be "then I will have this great job that I am using my degree in."

In all actuality that isn't the case. I know so many who get their degrees and end up in jobs that has very little or nothing to do with their degree. Sure, there are many factors as too why and I am not saying that is necessarily a bad thing. Having security is a good thing.

However, me personally in my life, I have learned that if I am going to do what I love to do then I have to seek it out and take charge of it. I wanted to be a photographer/filmmaker when I graduated high school. It took me 10 years going through many jobs and life experiences to end up back to where I originally started but more with a full conviction that is what I want to do.

So, when Heather was talking to me about what she wanted to do for Washington State I cheered her on and hoped the best for her. I was still unsure what photography pathway to take but then when I saw the Central Cascades I saw what Heather saw for the first time and realized we had to take charge of our careers and this photography excursion was the way to do it.

This is the beginning of our futures. 

-Ali

Hey Everyone,
    Heather here. I am a nature and wildlife photographer, who is still stuck in school at the moment. When August  comes, I will have a BFA in Photography and Graphic Design.  I want a career in photography, as said earlier my goal is to one day work for National Geographic. Having my photos seen all around the world, by many people, is the main goal of my career.   

    What better way to start this off by exhibiting the land and creatures, that are dear to my heart. I grew up reading and looking at National Geographic. When it comes to talking about National Parks, you hear of Yellow Stone, Glacier, Denali, Yosemite. As I have gotten older and have the chance to explore this beautiful state of Washington more and more, I wonder. I wonder why we are left out. Now Washington is not the place in the United States that has beautiful land never talked about. One day I hope to get to show those places but for now I am happy to show off my backyard. I want others to see and feel the wild beauty that is still out there, one these places may not be here but I can at least preserve them if that day does come.

- Heather

The journey begins.

Welcome to our blog. We are photographers Heather Wallace and Ali Lockwood.

We are underway in the planning stages of our mission. How did this idea come to be? Heather has a goal to become a photographer for National Geographic. A pretty great goal! In fact, such a goal has inspired this project. Heather talked about how she would like the Cascades and other national parks in Washington State be more widely acknowledged. During a trip to Utah, I traveled through the Central Cascades, known as Snoqualmie Pass. It was then that I understood the importance of Heather's mission and immediately sent a text message telling her that I understood her desires.

A trip was planned. Just a small trip to just see the place. However, that tiny idea expanded when we learned of a site called kickstarter.com. Where you can post a project or idea and hope that others will like the idea or project and make a donation. There are incentives or rewards depending on how much you donate. We decided that was an opportunity to take this small trip and really go for it. This is a chance to take what was a leisure trip to a real mission, to help Heather bring awareness to the national parks in Washington State.

It was decided, that our first trip would be the Central Cascades. Our end goal is to produce a beautiful photo essay book and have a gallery showing event. So, keep coming back and watch out for updates and progression of our mission. Website will be up soon and check us out at Facebook "Two Women, One Mission."


See ya around!


-Ali