nature | OH!

Feb 04 2017

Photomerge the Missing Years

It has been close to two years since I posted anything of recent relevance.

Since I went on that epic trip overseas I have sort of rested on my laurels and continued to post images from a trip I took two years ago. Since then life has continued to roll on. I finished school and got a big boy job. And other important life things happened (wink wink). So what happened during those missing two years??? Well… here they are in photomerge form.

Salt Lake City, Utah;

Chicago, Illinois;

Washington D.C.;

Shoshone Falls, Idaho:

Heber Valley, Utah;

Houston, Texas;

houstonartmuseum_small houstonartmuseum02_small

This is only showing places where I remembered to take photomerge style photos… much much more happened. But I don’t have time to talk about that now.

When one challenge is overcome, its time to face the next one… Wish me luck.

Helsinki Files 01: Miscellaneous

This is rushed, because I’m already being pulled a hundred different directions. But, it is too early in the term to quit regular blogging. So, in an act of rebellion, here is the first of many posts about my visit to Helsinki:

We saw so many things in Helsinki (excluding the sun). So many of them fall into nice, neat blogging categories. This post is all about the things that don’t.

To counter how Scandinavian the above image is, enjoy this image:

An overwhelming presence in the city is the Helsinki Cathedral. I know it is overwhelming based on the building’s siting. Also, the shear number of photographs I have taken leads me to believe the building is important…

The interior of this commanding presence is… rather underwhelming…

In almost complete opposition, the Russian Orthodox is pulled up and away from the city. It’s importance is recognizable, however it is not embraced by the urban fabric as the Helsinki Cathedral is.

Again, in opposition, this church’s interior is highly ornamented and intricate.

But, Helsinki is a lot more than gloomy skies and churches. The train station, by Eliel Saarinen, embraces the national romanticist movement.

It is very carefully detailed.

And is home to the nicest Burger King I’ve ever seen.

Other architecture of historical importance seems to embrace bears. Lots of bears. Bears everywhere.

Also, fish. Fish everywhere.

There are also many more examples of Modern and Contemporary architecture. This is the home field of famous modernist Alvar Aalto (we’ll get to that later, I promise!).

The University of Helsinki has also commissioned several new libraries. All of which are nice though some are much more impressive than others.

Of course, Kiasma is one of architect Steven Holl’s most famous projects. Of course, the one time I visit Helsinki it is closed for rennovation…

Though I am sour about not seeing Kiasma, a photograph of the building will prove that I did see the Scandinavian sun during my trip up north.

More to come!

Now for some homework! Hooray!

Hooray?

Tagged Architecture, Design, Finland, Helsinki, Helsinki Cathedral, Museums, nature, OH!, Photography, Scandinavia, travel, University of Helsinki, University of Oregon

Nov 08 2014

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Oregon Adventure, Photography

Tie-dye Earth

The following tune calls to mind the kind of epic landscapes present during my visit to the John Day Fossil Beds and the Painted Hills in Eastern Oregon.

Continuing with my journey to the Seven Wonders of Oregon, I paid a visit to Eastern Oregon in search of the Painted Hills. They are fabled to be a set of beautiful, volcanic earth hills you can find on many Oregon postcards. This famed site eluded me for the majority of the trip. Instead, I spent most of the day on tight, winding roads between massive rock formations.

In fact, the most amazing part of the trip wasn’t the “hikes” (that are actually just paved, loop paths), it was beautiful landscapes the road cut through.

And the wide variety of lush greenery and barren hills just off the roads…

Eventually I found that dang red hill you see on so many Oregon postcards:

I’ve come to notice that many National and State parks have the best signs:

So, in the end, the “Painted Hills” were really pretty. They were geologically interesting…

But, even with the glorious glow of the sunset sky paired with the red-ish hills, the drive there and back was still the highlight of the entire trip (Which is good when the total travel time is around eight hours…)

In case you are keeping track, there are still two “Oregon Wonders” I have left to visit and eventually post about.

That is assuming I can get away from Lawrence Hall for longer than half a day…

Oregon photos

Tagged beautiful landscapes, Eastern Oregon, Fossil, John Day, John Day Fossil Beds, National Monument, nature, OH!, Oregon, Oregon Adventure, Oregon postcards, Painted Hills, Photography, Seven Wonders of Oregon, the Seven Wonders of Oregon, travel, Wheeler County

Oct 16 2014

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Oregon Adventure, Photography

Just a Rock

To match the grand Smith Rock landscape, one would think that I would be listening to the work of classical American composers. Something like Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man or Seger’s Like a Rock. But the point of the blog isn’t to make a Smith Rock experience. It is to document an adventure. To be true to the events that transpired, I suggest you click play on the widget below. It was the theme song for this adventure.

What is Smith Rock? Is it just a rock?

Yes. Yes it is.

It is a very beautiful rock. A red-toned piece of the earth that shoots out of the surrounding plains. At its base a river gently curves, avoiding the mass.

Hiking to the top of Smith Rock isn’t easy, but it is worth the effort.

Besides, everyone knows that hiking down is the worst part.

Once you make it back down safely you get to enjoy a leisurely stroll along the river.

Which is basically the only thing I photographed for the rest of the trip…

‘

^Look at that reflection! Hot Dang that is pretty!

Hopefully I’ll find time soon to post whatever travel photos I have left. Maybe I’ll even get to see the rest of the Seven Wonders of Oregon!

So far, the Seven Wonders have proven not to disappoint.

Lets just hope I survive the term so I can live to tell the tales of my journeys.

Oregon photos

Tagged nature, OH!, Oregon, Oregon Adventure, Photography, Seven Wonders of Oregon, Smith Rock, travel

Sep 29 2014

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Oregon Adventure, Photography

Coast Life

(Above is a cover of one of my all-time favorite songs. It is the closest to the Frank Sinatra original I could find and should add a layer of enjoyment to the photos below.)

Another summer break stop was the coast. Not a specific place on the coast. Random stops across the whole thing.

Every beach along the coast was different. Different sand. Different color water. Different weather conditions.

Same frigid water temperature.

I don’t normally post photos of people, and I also try not to toot my own horn, but this next photo. NAILED IT.

^Look at that super-model sister!

^Look at that super-model seagull!

One of my favorite things to photograph at the coast is the sunset. Maybe because it is easy to make a picture look cool and artsy when you just point the camera directly at the sun…

I think the real question is… Which blown-out, sun-burst photo is the best?

My personal favorite:

The Northwestern coast is lovely. The best part is it is so cold that it is rarely crowded!

It almost makes the sand bearable.

Oregon photos

Tagged Astoria, Beaches, California, Canon Beach, Crescent City, Florence, Frank Sinatra, Golden Bluffs Beach, nature, OH!, Oregon, Oregon Adventure, Photography, Sand, travel

Sep 24 2014

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Photography

Very Tall Trees

Much exploration has occurred since the end of summer term. Perhaps too much exploration.

One of the several trips I’ve taken led my sister and I to the Redwood forest. It was my first time visiting and has changed the scale I use to understand trees forever.

The forest was lush and green. We didn’t see too much wildlife, perhaps because we were too busy looking up.

We were sure to visit the super cheesy, super tourist-y “Trees of Mystery”, which turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever seen.

There seemed to have been a fire happening near by because the forest was incredibly hazy.

But, under the cover of the trees, the haze made the morning sun’s rays glow orange.

After finishing our tour of the “Trees of Mystery”, we went on a small hike in an area called Fern Canyon.

It was very pretty.

Did you see the ferns? Growing on the canyon walls? Get it? …Fern? …Canyon?

After exiting the canyon and hiking for a short while, we were slightly frightened. One, because we didn’t exactly know where we were, and two, because we saw an ominous figure in the forest…

Do you see it? Slightly below and to the right of the center of the image? Does that not look exactly like a hooded, bearded man? Freaky, right?!

I was certain it was sign… A SIGN OF OUR IMMEDIATE DOOM!

But, as far as I know we are both okay and we lived on to see a lovely red sun fall behind the giant trees of Northern California.

Tagged Art, arts, California, Fern Canyon, Hiking, nature, Photography, Redwood Forest, travel, Trees, Trees of Mystery

Sep 01 2014

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Oregon Adventure, Photography, University of Oregon

American Sheep

To fully enjoy the following blog post, I recommend pushing play on the SoundCloud widget below.

In Eastern Oregon is a ranch that has made a reputation for itself as a success story in favor of sustainable farming practices and as an All-American ranch producing All-American wool. If you haven’t heard of them, check out this video about Imperial Stock Ranch and their contribution to the 2014 Winter Olympics. Aside from this brief account of their accomplishments, the Imperial Stock Ranch served as a type of precedent and site for this summer studio’s project: a Wool Production Facility (now featured in the updated version of my portfolio)

The following are some of my site visit photos that chronicle the All-American visit taken to this All-American ranch this past All-American summer.

Unlike Eugene and Portland, this part of Oregon is incredibly hot and dry. In fact, Eastern Oregon is mostly a high desert ecosystem and climate.

In the rolling plains near Shaniko, Oregon, the sun-bleached structures of Imperial Stock Ranch lean and weather with age.

Simply typing the word “Ranch” reminds me of the picturesque beauty present at the property. This ranch was filled with a romanticized sense of Americana found in any part of the country where old things are still good.

The ranch is home to cattle, sheep, horses, dogs,cats, and whatever wild-animals seek shelter in the shade of the old barns.

In the valleys, protected from the wind are tall, old, untamed trees that reach up towards the sky.

The buildings are old. Their construction technique is of another time.

Equipment is scattered across the property and furnishes the outdoors like sculpture.

The textures of the area are unmistakable earth tones, mixed with Cobalt skies. With human intervention comes colors of a different nature.

On the property is the original home of the settler who founded the Imperial Stock Ranch.

And in the shadow of this historic home was the highlight of the trip:

This little University of Colorado Fan.

I think there’s always been a part of me that fantasized about being a rancher. There is something so attractive about being miles from civilization and working the land for a living.

But I guess Architecture is cool too…

Oregon photos

Tagged America, Americana, Architecture, Country, Design, Eastern Oregon, Eugene, Farm, Imperial Stock Ranch, Imperial Stock Ranch lean, Maupin, nature, OH!, Oregon, Oregon Adventure, Photography, Shaniko, Sheep, travel, University of Oregon, Wool, Wool Production, Wool Production Facility

Jul 09 2014

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Texas Vernacular

A Search for the Texas Vernacular: Episode 14

Mansfield, Texas: Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park

Who would have ever thought I’d be able to continue the Texas Vernacular series from Oregon? I think I’ve got a few good episodes left in me. Lets start with this surprisingly beautiful park in Mansfield.

Parks tend to be a “one-and-done” kind of deal in my mind. If you’ve seen one park, you’ve kinda seen them all.

This park is an exception.

Even though Texas was hot enough to make a man of my size and age cry, I still spent hours wandering around this park admiring the natural beauty I did not know existed in this part of Texas.

I don’t want to write too much about the experience, but it was surprising how varied the trail was. I have seen forests, and plains, and lakes, and rivers separately, but here you journey through them one by one.

Just stop reading this and scroll down to see what I’m talking about.

All along the trail you stumble across little moments of interest. Sometimes its nothing more than a bench in a clearing, other times it is an overlook to the river below.

Sometimes you stumble across a tiny frog and you spend 20 minutes trying to photograph it as it attempts to escape to the forest.

A few of my favorite things/places within the nature trail include this Treehouse Overlook that rises out of the landscape.

Another is this Boardwalk, beautifully located and detailed to respond to the local flood plane.

But my most favorite thing….

Wildflowers.

If you live in the DFW area, go see this park. Sometimes it is easy to forget there is such beauty in a place that relies so heavily on cars for transportation, this park is a friendly reminder of the natural beauty of Texas.

More Texas trip stuff shortly.

Also, Happy 2nd Birthday to the OH! design blog. Hopefully a second blog book is on the way!

texas vernacular

Tagged Architecture, Arlington, Dallas, Design, Elmer W Oliver Nature Park, Fort Worth, Mansfield, natural beauty, nature, OH!, Park, Photography, Texas, Texas Vernacular, Trail, travel

Jun 27 2014

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Oregon Adventure

Cool, Blue, Water.

Spring term has ended and Summer term has started with a vengeance. But between the two terms I managed to sneak away from the architecture school with a couple friends long enough to see an Oregon Attraction. The deepest lake in America. The most blue water I’ve ever seen. Crater Lake.

This visit took place a good way into June, but the ground was still slightly covered in snow!

It was almost as if we saw Crater Lake during the battle between winter and spring.

Regardless of the snow and the slightly chilly breeze, this trip was full of grand views and sublime scenery.

Three beautiful things were combined to make the Crater Lake experience.

1-Steep, rocky walls

2- Blue, BLUE water.

3-Mountains and hilltops that border the horizon.

When you combine all three, you get spectacular views like this:

Which makes you want to pose like these two:

I don’t need to tell you to go see Crater Lake. It is nothing unexpected. It is what you probably think it is. Beautiful Nature.

So, so much stuff to post about, so little time. I’ll try not to spam the internet with junk, but with so much junk to share it is going to be hard!

The nights are cool
and I’m a fool
each star’s a pool of water,
cool water.

Oregon photos

Tagged Crater Lake, nature, OH!, Oregon, Oregon Adventure, Oregon Attraction, Photography, travel, University of Oregon

Mar 30 2014

6 Comments

Photography

Hawaiian Vacation (aka The Longest Post Ever)

I’m about to try something new. Rather than beginning a series of posts that continue for half a year and drag on until I can’t remember what/why I’m posting, I’m going to do one massive post. For spring break I traveled to Hawaii to visit my little sister. There are three things you should know about me:

1- I hate sand.

2- I hate sun.

3- I hate sand combined with sun.

You can imagine why I wasn’t terribly excited to take this trip. I hate to admit this, but my every reservation evaporated and I fell in love with the place.

The following is a large collection of images without description that I would like to share with whoever wants to see. Some of the photos may have been taken by my little sister (Who will soon have a growing collection of photos here). To help enhance the experience, I recommend hitting play on the soundcloud widget below as this tune served as the trip’s soundtrack.