Thursday, May 26, 2005

On Assignment: Cowlitz Co., Washington-Day Seven

Washington to Oregon
"Washington to Oregon" by Wes Aldridge

I set out looking for a sunset shot tonight, and guess I found one. I was driving through the industrial park of Longview, WA, and saw this big mama bridge. I tried searching all up and down the Washington coast and couldn't get a good solid angle close enough to the water's edge. All the property along the river there is occupied by timber manufacturers with “no trespassing” signs posted everywhere. I needed to get to the other side of the river.

It was time to go to Oregon, and the mighty bridge in the shot, got me there. I was able to go up to the waterfront with no problem. To get the angle I wanted, I climbed down the rocks leading down to the water and got my shot there. It was a pretty steep bank and I imagined how terrible it would be to slip and fall down the ledge, crack my head on the rocks and lose my camera in the river… and maybe myself.

Its probably strange for me to think about hurting myself getting a shot I want, but it doesn't really matter. What is supposed to happen will happen, and there isn't much anyone can do about it. A little something I call Fate, and I guess today just wasn't my day to fall.

Anyway, isn't this sky simply amazing? That is dead on how it looked, no Photoshop screwing around on this shot's colors. It ranks up there as one of the most dramatically painted skies I have ever seen. Real power in the sky, real power.