forest Archives - Chris Williams Exploration Photography

Black and White

cwexplorationphotography@gmail.com — Sat, 30 Jan 2016 03:03:49 +0000

Here you will find a more traditional gallery of black and white landscape photography images from areas across the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Hawaii and the desert Southwest. Black and white can evoke a wide range of moods and emotions and it’s definitely a fun medium to work in.

[See image gallery at cwexplorationphotography.com]

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Forests

cwexplorationphotography@gmail.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 22:11:31 +0000

Welcome to my forest image gallery. Here you will find a collection of my favorite images from the forests of Washington, Oregon and through out much of the Pacific Northwest.

[See image gallery at cwexplorationphotography.com]

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Through the Mists: Intimate Forest Scenes

cwexplorationphotography@gmail.com — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 09:53:55 +0000

Here’s a small collection of some new work and few old favorites that depict the Pacific Northwest’s gorgeous forests draped in layers of clouds and fog. I find myself drawn to these forest scenes more and more as the years go by. Something about the simplicity, mood and the atmosphere just pull me in and draw my eye to convey the beauty behind the mist.

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Aloha ʻĀina: Panther Creek Falls

cwexplorationphotography@gmail.com — Fri, 29 May 2015 17:55:45 +0000

This is a much more subtle and less seen view of Panther Creek Falls. A lot has been written in the past few weeks about the ecological damage that has been done to many of these areas in the Pacific Northwest by folks who just seem so focused on visiting the area and getting the shots that they completely forget the notion of conservation and treading lightly. It had been around a year since my last trip to the falls and I honestly couldn’t believe the amount of new trails, stripped moss and disrepair in the area. We take photos of these areas because we think they are absolutely beautiful and convey an emotion and a very strong connection with the land and to show others the beauty that may not be able to see in person. The other side to that message is that our photos often draw hundreds of people to these areas who may not fully understand just how fragile the land or ʻĀina is. I think it’s very important for anyone that visits to realize that these places have a finite lifespan given the amount of traffic they receive and if we want future generations to enjoy these areas we need to do our part to tread lightly, educate the public as much as possible and respect the lands.

The phrase Aloha ʻĀina is close to my heart for many reasons and I think it’s especially true in this day and age. It essentially means “love of the land” and is a central ancient Hawaiian ideology conserved by many native Hawaiians today including members of my family that still reside in the islands. Those two words embody the connection that the Hawaiian people have with the lands in which they live. Respect the land and it will give back so much more. Much aloha everyone and tread lightly!

Panther Creek Falls, WA

Prints: cwexplorationphotography@gmail.com

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Waterfalls & Rivers

cwexplorationphotography@gmail.com — Sun, 09 Nov 2014 18:41:08 +0000

Welcome to my waterfalls and rivers landscape photography gallery. Here you will find a collection of images taken deep in the rich rainforests of the Pacific Northwest where a variety of waterfalls can be found in Washington and in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and over the Pacific to Hawaii.

[See image gallery at cwexplorationphotography.com]

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A Landscape Photographer’s Meanderings

cwexplorationphotography@gmail.com — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 22:18:37 +0000

I decided to revisit this image using some new techniques I’ve picked up over the past few years and a came across a piece of writing that I published with it some time ago. A lot has changed since I first wrote this excerpt so I’ve decided to amend it a bit to reflect my current thoughts:

Everyone has heard the phrase a picture can be worth a 1,000 words, but what does it really mean? The vary convention that any of sum of words can surmount to a real life experience captured by one exposure is an interesting thought. Witnessing the event, feeling the hard emotion flowing through your veins, being there, not here, but there, being part of something raw, something organic, and something new. That’s the type of emotion a single exposure can evoke out of one’s soul. That feeling that you are part of something bigger than you, all trapped within the matting and encased within the glass and framework that is our limitations. A picture is a powerful thing and as a photographer the ultimate goal is to bring life, to evoke emotion, be it negative or positive and to initiate a spark; a spark that can flourish even in the darkest of times. Each and every exposure has meaning, be it symbolic, raw or natural. Be it taken from an iPhone, a point and shoot or a full frame DSLR; each image taken has a certain resonance, a unique tone, a frequency that can really, truly, only be heard by the photographer and left to interpretation by the masses. We risk everything for that one shot, the shot that can not only quench our thirst for perfection, but the shot that can make waves, a shot who’s frequency can be heard by millions and can resonate for many years to come.

Photographers are in a constant ebb and flow; in a search for that one tone; the frequency that drives them, but when it’s all said and done what are they really remembered for? Is it the images they leave behind? The stories they told? Maybe it’s the sheer impact they made by simply existing; by doing the things that others wouldn’t or just couldn’t do. I don’t think that there is any one single answer to a question such as this. The topic is complex and rich; just as the photographs we produce. Perfection isn’t easily attained. We drive hundreds of miles for that perfect moment, the one that gives us goosebumps and sends our hearts racing and leaves us struggling to grasp reality. For me perfection is not in the photo itself, but the journey you took to achieve it. Blood, sweat, tears, aches, and pains; all physical limitations that are exacerbated by one’s own mental inability to grasp reality. We push our bodies to climb, to climb faster, and to climb higher. We climb toward a purpose; maybe it’s to get over that self-perpetuated wall, or maybe it’s to reach the summit. Each and every adversity we face builds character and adds depth and richness to the moments we capture from behind the lens.

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