Make-A-Wish part II

(Text edited Saturday August 27 morning; pictures added Sunday August 28 evening.)

Well, folks, I have to apologize for not getting an entry up sooner, but it's been a busy week.  And sadly, I've missed out on more of Amber's visit than I would have wished.  But it has been good; we've put smiles on her little face and given her and her brothers memories that I doubt will ever leave.  They've had a close call with a cougar, and they've been out riverboating on the Skeena.  They've been to Prince Rupert and dipped their feet in the Pacific Ocean.

As I said, a lot of this, I've had to miss out on a bunch of it, but that's not sour grapes, that's just life.  And so I'll write on what I can, starting with the trip in the riverboat.

My coworker, Kelly, won a boat a number of years ago, and he's one of the kindest people I know, particularly when it comes to young children.  When I mentioned to him that Amber and the guys were coming out from Ontario, he suggested that we get them out on the river.  Because of the weather, we were finally able to make that happen on Thursday evening after work.  My brother and everybody (except Susie and my mother,) met down at Fishermen's Park with Kelly and helped him launch, and I rushed over as soon as I finished working for the day.  The boat is restricted to five people, so it was originally planned that Colin, Alex, Ryan, and Amber would all go with Kelly for a turn, and then come back.  Poor little Ryan got scared, though, and I climbed in in his place.  We took a turn around Skeena Street, saw properties on the south of Graham Avenue, and came up the west side of Ferry Island and looked up at the Big Blue Box (that is, WalMart,) and then circled around Ferry Island, down through Hell's Gate, and then back up around Alberta Bar before returning to where we launched from.  We offloaded Colin and Amber, and loaded my brother, Bob.  We essentially did the trip in reverse to what we had just done, except without going around Ferry Island.  It was a very memorable trip for all of us, and the kids got to see eagles, seagulls, and afterwards, while standing on the boatlaunch, a black bear.  It was a good end to what was a great day.  Here's a quick video:

The next day was the only day I was really able to spend with them entirely.  We had decided to spend the day fishing, and due to restrictions, decided to head west towards Rupert.  We had to get past the Exchamsiks River in order for them to not have to pay extra licensing fees.  The drive was pleasant, with a couple of black bears spotted beside the Kalum River; even the brief rainsquall didn't dampen our spirits as we drove through.  We ended up starting to fish at the Kwinitsa River, seeing at first a few good splashes of trout.  And none of us noticed that the fish stopped jumping while we were there.  After no action on several flies, my brother and I noticed quite a large wage from something we couldn't see, and we naturally thought it was a large fish.  After  it made a 360 turn, we finally realized that something was amiss... the river had been invaded by a seal.  We packed up and started to move ourselves back upriver, looking for a place to fish before we hit the Exchamsiks River.  A number of little creeks were investigated, and rejected, until we ended up on the Kasiks River.  There we saw some nice risers, and decided we would fish it, but after we fed Ryan, who was complaining of being hungry.

Of course... it made us realize WE were hungry, also, so we sat down and had a burger and fries at the Kasiks Wilderness Resort.  This was simply one of the best burgers I've had in a restaurant in a long time.  And the fries... YUM!  Folks... don't let the appearance of the building fool you... don't let the small dining area fool you.  The restaurant has good food, good coffee, and the prices are simply excellent.  Oh yes... don't just simply figure on it being simple truck-stop fare... the daily special was a curry chicken rice hotpot with naan bread.

Afterwards, we returned to the Kasiks River and fished, mostly without success (although I did manage to get a small trout to take my fly.)  We shared the fishing hole with two others on our side of the river, and perhaps eight people who had arrived on the other side of the river in two boats.  One of the fellows on our side succeeded in landing a Cutthroat trout, which after determing what it was (who goes fishing without knowing your species?  Or at least a reference?) he cleaned and kept, and my brother watched the group across the river catch and release a number of larger fish... at least one coho, and probably a few pink salmon.  With time running out, we packed up and returned to town.

Dinner that night was at our place, and Deedee had made a really nice Shepherd's Pie, Coleslaw, baguette, and Strawberry-Rhubarb and Blueberry-Peach pies for dessert.  Dinner was great, and the house was filled with laughter and merriment.  The one person who would have made things complete, my sister, was unable to be there, but it was still simply great to have us all together.  We got people together and took a few pictures, and then, sadly, it was time to begin goodbyes.  I hate goodbyes, especially when it has a tendency to be a year or more between visits... I had last seen Collin 12 years ago, before Dad got terribly ill.  And I was only just getting to know his wife and wonderful children.  It didn't seem quite right...

This morning I brought them up to the airport and put them on the plane.  Well... through security, anyway.  Not much point in hanging out simply killing time when you can't visit with the people you're seeing off.  So be it; I will make the best of my day, and remember our visit, and plan to go out their way for a change.  Next year, I tell you... Next year.  And I hope and pray that little Amber is still going to be around for Deedee, Raeanne, Rechelle and me to go and see again.

Make-A-Wish.....

It's a fantastic thing to do, and most of us make wishes that never come to pass.  There is, however, a Foundation that helps with the realization of wishes for critically and terminally ill children.  It's called the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and they touch the lives of everyday people like you and me.  Now, some of you may be wondering why this crazy photographer is writing about an organization like this, but it's simple: the lives of everyone in my family has been touched by just this Foundation.  And personally, I cannot thank them enough.

Meet Amber McLeod, my great-niece.  This little girl has many, many troubles, and I won't get into all of them, but I will mention that she has cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and is challenged in so many ways, it's heart-breaking.  She's endured more surgeries than most adults I know, and has had the Grim Reaper staring at her far too often for her tender age.  But this little girl keeps on fighting; every time we start to think that "this might be it," she manages to rally and come back.  In spite of the pain and other difficulties she faces, she wants to live.  It's because of all this that the Make-A-Wish Foundation has become involved with Amber and her family.

Now... this isn't a woe-is-us article.  I simply want to raise a little bit of awareness for what the Foundation has done for my family and many other famillies like ours.  And what they have done, specifically, is to make the lives of Amber's parents a bit more manageable with things like providing a van that's equipped with a wheel-chair lift.  Now Colin and Brandi (on the left,) are able to much more easily bring Amber along for a number of things.  And one of the things which they have brought Amber along for, is a trip.  Most children, when given the opportunity to travel anywhere, choose someplace like Disneyland or World.  And that's understandable, because most children think like children.  But you haven't met the rest of the family yet........  But I digress.  The children, when asked where they wanted to go and what they wanted to do, chose an out-of-the-way community called Terrace, where they have a Great-Grandmother (my mother,) and a Great-Uncle (me,) whom they have never met.  Naturally we were more than a little bit flattered about that, and extremely excited.  This could be our only chance to meet Amber!  And yet, as I've already stated, when things look really scary, she comes back fighting.

So... when the plane finally landed, on Saturday, August 20, it was more than a little bit emotional as we waited for everybody to get off...  And then a flight attendant came down the gangway with a little wheelchair and we knew.  Next was my sister-in-law, Susie, with little Amber in her arms, and followed by Collin, and then Ryan and Brandi, followed up by Alex, and last of all, making sure nothing was left behind or missed, Bob.

Well, let me tell you... poor mother could hardly contain herself, my sister was teary, and in all honesty, I had leaky eyeballs, too...  After all, I hadn't seen Bob or Susie for a year, Collin for 14 or 15 years, and I'd never met Brandi and the kids.  This was so worth the wait....

Anyhow... the adventure was just beginning, as we were going to find out.  When Brandi went to see about the vehicle the Make-A-Wish was renting for them, the attendant was nowhere to be seen.  I guess because the plane had been delayed, and we were kind of involved in saying hello and meeting and re-meeting, he decided to wander away from the desk, and I don't blame him.  A quick call to National Car Rental, and he returned poste-haste, and was just as pleasant and helpful as you could ask.  That young fellow is, IMHO, good at his job, and very professional.  So far, that's the only hiccup we've really had, aside from the plane being delayed, and hopefully that's the most serious hiccup we have.

So we got the van, loaded everything and everyone up, and took the kids to the Hotel they'd be staying at, and YES, the Sandman Inn in Terrace does have a couple of wheelchair accessible rooms, that just happen to be across the hall from the swimming pool, so the kids are tickled about that.  Once we had everything unpacked there, it was time to head for mum's for dinner.  I don't know if mum's place has ever had so much laughter and delight, and certainly hasn't had so much noise since she's lived there.  But it's all happy sounds, and such sounds, while they occasionally become a bit loud, are never unwelcome.  Before I sign off, here's a few pics introducing everybody.

Amber

Alex; genius with Aspberger's Syndrome

Ryan; extreme allergies

Colin and Brandi

Almost everybody.

There you have it... that's the arrival of Clan McLeod, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  They've given us a beautiful, fantastic gift.  And my employer, RONA Terrace, is being absolutely awesome and letting me have some extra time off and being flexible in scheduling so I can share this time with them.  It's kind of amazing how people sit up and take notice, and want to help to make this visit go as smoothly and wonderfully as possible.  More to come as the week progresses, with more photos, and more on the family.  It's going to be an adventure, and I hope you enjoy reading about this as much as I do doing and writing about it.

Lewis





Over the Mountain

The title almost makes you think of the old song "She'll be Coming 'Round The Mountain," doesn't it?  For this post, I'm going to reach back into my archives a little bit and write about my trip to Kitsault.  The purpose was a delivery of construction materials, and I was sent because I was somewhat familiar with the territory I was going into.  What I didn't realize, was that I would be mountain climbing with the truck.

I left Terrace at 6:00 in the morning, and the weather was simply terrible.  The rain was coming down in buckets and I couldn't really see a whole lot because the wet pavement was swallowing up the light from the headlights.  Around 7:30, I was in the Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Park and just shy of New Aiyansh.  You can see how soggy it is in spite of the windsheild wipers doing their best to keep things clear.  And in case you're wondering... yes I DID stop to take the photo.  At this hour of the morning, the road is fairly lonely, with only the odd truck coming down the road.  It can be pretty lonely up there in many ways, if something happens to go wrong.

My brother worked up in the Nass and lived in Nass Camp, back in the late 70's and early 80's, so I figured I would take a couple of pictures that would ring some memories for him.  The whole road is different now to what it was back then... just the addition of pavement is a vast improvement.  Truthfully, it's only been paved all the way up for the last 12 or 15 years, and part of the road is totally different.  You now drive up the east side of Kalum Lake, right along the lake itself, and it's very windy and narrow in spots, which make it a real challenge to drive sometimes.  But the road is extremely scenic, even once you get into the lavabeds, which have a beauty all their own.

After you pass New Aiyansh, you eventually come to what they always called the 'Camp Y,' which is a "Y" in the road if you couldn't guess.  Going left would take you in to Nass Camp with its various services and homes, while going right would take you farther up the Nass Valley and into the bush.  For where I needed to go... I went right, on the road less travelled.  It was perhaps a kilometer before the pavement ended and the bouncing began.

I hadn't driven this stretch of road in years, and it hadn't improved any.  I had forgotten just how rough bush roads could be, especially since I had an airseat the last time I was up there.  Now I was sitting on a rock hard bench seat with about a 9-ton payload to bounch me around.  Truthfully... thank God for the load to take the bang out of things!  After debating whether or not to go over "The Hoodoo," I drove on up what's called the Nass Mainline until I came to the Kinskusch Forest Service Road, more commonly called "The Squish."  I knew there was one long sonofagun of a hill to drop down on the Squish to the Nass River, and going over the Hoodoo would be faster, but would make the hill even longer.

The bridge over the Nass is a single lane wooden bridge that you come down to with not a whole lot of warning.  You have to be very accurate as to where you place your vehicle, as you can see.  It could be a little unforgiving if you misjudged it, or didn't know where your wheels were.  Crossing the Nass told me that I was almost to where the going would start getting tough... only about one more kilometer to the Kwinitahl. 

I'd been up the Kwinitahl a few times before... and this sign was there even then, so I at least knew which direction to go so I could find my way to Kitsault.  I knew there were a number of small single-lane bridges, and that it was twisty, with a few surprises that could catch you if you got going a little too carelessly, but I didn't realize that there were a handful of small washouts.  I guess washouts is the wrong term, thinking back... it was more like places where a beaverdam had caused the water to back up and overflow across the road.  But still... if you weren't careful you would end up getting yourself into trouble.  And I didn't notice that the road was slowly, and steadily starting to go up already from the bottom of the valley.

Eventually I got to the far side of the valley, and started very clearly going up.  The road again became twisty with lots of pitches and a few sudden dips... it was challenging driving, but it WAS fun.  And the scenery.... I need to go back with free time and my fishing rod.  Here's some shots, and then I'll carry on again:

The alpine lakes and meadows are beautiful... and you can see a distinct change in how the trees grow, even... But to carry on... eventually the road levelled off, more or less, and the going was easy for about a mile or so... and then... gently at first... I started down.  I got the truck slowed down, and shifted it down into First Gear and proceeded to carry on cautiously, because I had been warned it was a steady downhill.  I took advantage of every single level spot to slow down as much as I could and creep over the top of any hump or drop...  And because I was so heavily loaded, and had no engine brake... I had to keep hitting the brake pedal to keep things under control and not run away. 

Steadily, I continued downhill, working hard to stay on top of everything... and then I looked back in my mirror and saw.........

Smoke.  My brakes had hit that critical temperature and were beginning to burn up.  This required immediate attention or else I was going to end up with a critical problem and not be able to get back to town.  I immediately found a relatively flat spot to stop, set my park brake (which works on the driveshaft with that truck,) and blocked the wheels, and went to inspect things immediately.  You can imagine how excited I was when I saw flames on the brake pads.  Here's a video I took AFTER using the fire extinguisher:

Needless to say, it was time to stop and take a rest.  I had a cup or two of coffee, a couple of cigarettes (yes, I had that habit at the time,) and ate a sandwich.  After about a half hour, I decided it was time to proceed down the road in the hopes that I was close to Kitsault.  It turned out that I was close... and proceeded to find where I needed to unload.  I was also able to send word back to my employer of what had happened and that I was going to make my best effort to return, and if I was longer than a certain time, come searching.  As it was, I made it safely back to the yard, although THAT trip was uneventful, and done almost nonstop.

I'd love to go back... either with the truck or simply for recreation.  It's beautiful, and it's worth the trip.

Shades of Gray.

A little while back I wrote about doing a little more exploration into Black and White photography.  I've been taking a few pictures since, and a handful of them have been intended for black and white.  Most of them have, not surprisingly, been intended as colour photos.  This morning I went to a staff meeting at my work, and afterwards had a little over an hour to kill before my shift started.  Naturally, me being me, I went and took some pictures.  And due to the weather, I decided that it was a perfect time for Black and White.  I started with this photo of people fishing on Ferry Island... THIS is dedication.  The rain was pouring down, and yet these folks are out there flogging the water in the hopes of landing a salmon.  And yes, I've been guilty of doing this, too.  Oh, wait... I was out taking pictures in that.   I happened to notice something in the process of setting up to take this shot:

What makes this shot unique is that it's a BLUE elderberry, as opposed to a Red Elderberry, which is extremely common.  Now... that's a nice strong image, with lots of colour, structure, and contrast.  So to explore the Black and White more effectively, here's what I came up with:



The picture is STILL strong, but the conversion changes the focus to the tones, contrasts, and structures.  It's no longer about the colour.  It changes the whole feel of it... and either way, the photo works.  Later in the day, I happened to find myself up in the Nass Valley on delivery, and was able to pop in to Vetter Falls on my way back down.  It's one of my favourite spots to photograph, and the lighting today was conducive for both B&W and colour photography.  Let's take a look them and compare the differences between them:

Again... both shots have strength, contrast, and structure.  The removal of colour changes the feel, but doesn't change the quality of the image.  Which image is better?  Personally, I'd have to say that decision is entirely in the eye of the beholder.  There are things I like about both shots, and I'm proud to say that it was time well-spent.

Before I get too far carried away, I want to take the time to thank my employer, RONA, Terrace Builders Centre, Ltd.  for allowing me to bring my camera with me on so many deliveries.  It gives me the chance to see places I've never seen before, and to share some of the events with you.  Coming soon to the blog: my trip to Kitsault.  (Okay, it was a couple of years ago, but it's still worth writing about.)

Patience Vs. Creativity... or Patience AND Creativity?

So now that I've got you wondering, I'll give you a little bit of background.  The other day... I guess it was four or five days ago... I spotted what may yet end up my best landscape photo.  I say "may yet" because I still haven't succeeded in getting exactly the shot that I want.  I made trip after trip there in the evening trying and hoping to get a photo of this scene at the wonderful "Golden Hour" that we photographers love.  On the first attempt, I was about 15 minutes too late.  As I got close to my destination, I could tell that the light there was already gone, and so was that night's chance for the desired shot.  I naturally planned on trying the next day, but guess what?  The next two days were cloudy, and the scene just didn't pack the punch I had in mind.

The next attempt I was able to make, the lighting was PERFECT at my home, and I made haste to my desired scene....... Only to see that clouds were obscuring the sun and diffusing my beautiful light.  Naturally disappointed, I returned to my home empty-handed and camera unshot.  Was I ever going to succeed in getting this photo?  The next day, the skies remained clear, and as the Golden Hour approached, I watched the light get better and better...  Do you know how hard it is to stay patient when you're trying to wait for something you really want???  And then... finally, it was time to head for my location.  I watched the sun steadily drop closer and closer to the horizon as I drove, and I prayed that the lighting would hold up...........  And when I was able to see things and set up to compose my photo... the house was aimed exactly WRONG to catch the light I was praying for.  I started to drive away, determined that I would return at dawn to catch what I hoped would finally give me the scene I wanted, and then I noticed the old cemetary.  And when I turned around and came back... I saw something else....

It wasn't what I was intending to shoot, but I saw it, was open to the possibility, and look what I came home with.  Sadly, I had to work quickly, and didn't have time to compose it properly... but it's not bad, really.  And I can still go back and get it again, this time maybe with a more clear idea in mind.  And who knows what I'll be able to do with it.



"Into the Light"

I can hear you wondering out there... "What about the cemetary? Did you shoot it?" Well, yes, I did... when I looked at it, I had a couple of visions in mind... and I think Ansel Adams might have been proud of my efforts. He approached his scenes with a vision in mind, shot his photographs, and then worked his magic in the darkroom. He had the option of cross-processing in different chemicals to produce different effects, or he could simply use the techniques that we photographers call "dodge," and "burn." The other things Ansel Adams, and all the other great landscape photographers, had in abundance, was patience and persistence. They keep coming back to a scene time and again in the hopes of getting that great lighting that will take a scene from simply interesting to FANTASTIC. And they'll wait for that moment, knowing that it's coming, in which they can put their creativity to use.  Speaking of creativity... the two pictures to the right... were taken about two minutes apart.

"Old Pioneer Cemetary"



So what would Ansel Adams have thought of this Digital Age of photography?  Would he have been a die-hard film purist?  Or would he have stepped up and embraced the freedom of expression that digital photography and photo manipulation gives us?  I don't know about you, Gentle Reader... but I think he would been a Digital advocate.



An Excellent Day

In the grand scheme of things, the title of today's entry is entirely a matter of opinion.  Shouldn't EVERY day be an excellent day?  One would hope so, but the truth of the matter is that some days are better than others; and some days are fantastically worse than others.  But today started off very well for me; for a friend of mine, not so well.  She's grieving for the loss of her dear friend, Bonez.  And yes... Bonez was a dog.  Naturally, having lost dear pets (who truly are like hairy children,) I feel my friend's pain, but my life continues and I'm going to carry on with all of my plans.

So... the first and foremost thing I had planned today was to go for a ride in a helicopter.  White River Helicopters has, for the last couple of years, sent a helicopter up to the Riverside Festival at Har-Lee's place on the Kalum River Valley to provide short sightseeing tours for the modest price of $35 per head.  If you've never done this, folks... I strongly recommend that you take the opportunity next year to get in on this fantastic chance to see a few things that you might not otherwise get the chance to see.  Of the times I've been in a helicopter, which aren't many, I have never been able to sit in the front seat.  Oh, my WORD the view from up there.  We took a quick peek at a valley with a river that feeds into the Kalum.  It was simply spectacular.  Here's a Black and White of it:

Why Black and White?  Well... going back to my last post... this one just works SO much better in B&W, so here it is.  The textures and details just LEAP out compared to the color version; also, in the color version, the curved canopy made it impossible for even my polarized lens to completely eliminate glare and reflection.  But with the B&W, I was able to easily salvage the details.  And it just looks cool :)  But back to the flight.

The flight was short and sweet, and left me with a hunger for more.  Flying in a helicopter isn't like flying in an airplane...  Actually... helicopters don't truly fly: they beat the air into submission.  Which results in a very different experience from a fixed-wing aircraft.  With a fixed-wing aircraft, you can feel the engine pulling you along, whereas with a helicopter you definitely feel suspended from the rotorhead, particularly during takeoff and landing.  Or in any sort of close proximity to other objects.  Sadly, as enjoyable, and indeed, FUN, as it was, it had to come to an end all too soon, and our pilot, Jazmin Ramsay, set us down just as gently as you could ask for.  Thank you, Jaz, for a great flight, and I guarantee that I'll be back next year for more of the same :)

Following the helicopter trip, the weather was just so nice that Deedee and I just had to head up to the lake for a while.  Did we swim?  Not today... but we soaked up some rays and watched people having fun in the sun.  There were children playing with waterguns, adults in boats of different kinds ranging from kayaks to pedalboats, and teenagers throwing footballs and frisbees. 

All the activity out there just demanded that I take some pictures. I even tried my hand at a new artistic style I've been reading about... It flies in the face of everything I've ever been told or thought about photography, and truth be told... I'm not sure I like it.  The standard in photography is to keep your subject, at the very least, crisp and sharp.  A soft focus is acceptable, and even artistic, but what I'm reading about in various sources is to deliberately place your subject out of focus.  Excuse me????  Okay... it's not my thing... but what I've been reading has been written by other photographers, so I'll post an example of my own effort at this technique... and let YOU the layperson decide if this is art, or if it hurts your eyes.  Please post comments at the bottom of this page... if the form has disappeared, click on the link with the number of comments, and it will open up for you.  Let me know what you think... I can take it.

To Colour or NOT to Colour?

I've been thinking about going Black and White in my photography for a while... and lo and behold, my favorite magazine comes along with their annual issue on Black and White photography.  Now I'll be honest... I love colour photos just as much as anybody else... and I've been guilty of taking a colour photo that didn't quite work and making it into B&W to salvage it.  Some photos, just simply DESERVE to be made into B&W because they take on a whole new life that they don't have when left alone.

There are some distinct advantages to shooting in Black & White... It forces you to see a little bit differently, and it also makes you spend more time on composing your photo, because a badly composed B&W photo is criticized more harshly than were it colour.  And when you learn how to see the textures and and tones that B&W photographs can convey, you can truly start to get some powerful shots.

Take, as an example, this shot of a bridge.  In colour, it was just kind of a mess.  It was a neat idea when I took it, and then as I thought about it, I decided that it needed to be converted into Black & White.  A couple of darkroom tools later, out comes this photo which is full of texture, detail, warmth, and life.  Which is perfect, because the whole hike was lively, and the weather was perfect for it.  I could have used a few other techniques to bring everything out of this photograph, but I felt that simple was best for it.  The photo is busy enough as it is.

Other things that I've seen have just simply begged to be photographed in Black & White. A snag in the forest simply leapt out at me and demanded to be photographed... and it was clear that colour would not work. A clump of toadstools on a stump almost screamed it at me. That photo, while good in colour, took on a whole new life in B&W. Winter photos are very well suited to Black & White photography; particularly when you have a subject that is ALSO well-suited to it.

Like I said... a couple of these in colour would be good shots anyway... and a couple of these just simply DON'T WORK other than in Black & White.  Black and White photography is something that I think all photographers should explore in more depth than they normally do, and I intend to.  Am I going to forsake colour?  Certainly not... but I am going to spend more time looking for shots that are going to be taken in Black & White.

What do you think?  Does Black & White photography speak to you?  Is good B&W photography something that you want to hang on your wall?