Last Sunday our family went on a road trip up American Fork Canyon to visit Cascade Springs. We took the kids there years ago when they were little, but hadn't been back since. I heard a co-worker mention that the colors in the mountains should be close to peak, so we decided to head up and see for ourselves.
Helena asked to drive (as always) and did a fantastic job for her first experience of narrow canyon road driving, even though I probably made her nervous by gripping my arm rest too often. It really wasn't her driving... I am always nervous on canyon roads.
We were apparently not the only people to decide to head into the mountains for a Sunday drive, the place was packed!
Helena is taking a digital photo class this term, so she takes her camera with her everywhere. Her teacher gave her a required shot list that encompasses the entire semester, so she can keep her eye out for any needed for the class. I have to say, I met the teacher and I like her! Such a nice change after her Commercial Photo class last year.
Bill carrying Helena's tripod.
Cascade Springs is a natural spring that then trickles down several acres before finally joining other streams. To allow visitors better access without have to tromp through the bogs and damage the wildlife, these wooden boardwalks were built. Bill remembers visiting Cascade Springs before the boardwalks were built. He said it was a muddy experience.
Helena the photographer.
It was so beautiful and the lighting was just right! Unfortunately, there were so many other people there that we couldn't pose ourselves into the photos, though there were plenty of families there trying just that. There was one family in particular that had over 20 extended family members all dressed in brown shirts and blue jeans blocking up just about every good shot venue. Oh. and another family in black and blue staked out one of the ornamental bridges. It frustrated Helena, because she wanted to set up her tripod and take her time working on shots, but felt overcrowded and wasn't able to do so.
"If it was so crowded, why are there no other people in your shots, then?" You ask.
Because I am a master of seizing the moment before the next group comes blundering through!
Ok. So, years ago, when Helena was very little, we brought the kids up here for family photos. She was probably about three. At this exact spot on the boardwalk, all those years ago, we got a candid photo of her kneeling down and looking into the water. This time, Bill took her camera and told her to kneel down in that spot and put her head close to the water. She was highly distrustful of her dad and was reluctant to do it (not having a memory of the first time). She kept asking her dad 'What's going to happen if I do?!" "Is something going to jump out at me?" You can tell from her responses that she does have several memories of practical jokes played on her by her father!
Helena has hyper-extended elbows. That is why her arms look so strange in this photo.
Look over there, everybody! No, really, I have no idea what they are all looking at in this shot.
Such a technicolor world!
It sort of looks like a movie setting, I think.
More pictures of Helena taking a picture!
I told the kids to go stand on the bridge and 'look like you like each other!'
It lasted for a couple of shots.
And then Helena was done with it.
A super rare photo. Bill took this picture, that is why I am actually in it!
What a fantastic picture of Will!
Wrapping up and heading out.
After we finished up at Cascade Springs, Bill took over the driving and decided to take us up a gravel road to a less populated area.
Helena was tired and just wanted to go home.
Will was still enjoying the adventure, though.
Bill was looking for a place where he and his biking buddies had carried their bikes across the stream (more like river back in the spring when he crossed it) to continue on a trail. He couldn't find the spot, and the gravel road was deteriorating rapidly. We were in the Alero, not the Expedition, so we had to give up the search and just tool around at a few more accessible spots on the stream.
This looks much more impressive than it seemed in real life. Still, it took a bit of balance to get back and forth across the logs.
Helena was finally able to set up her tripod and play a bit more with different ISO and exposure times.
The photo just can't quite do justice to the vibrant, burning colors on the mountain side.
I love water shots. I think that is because water is one of the hardest things to paint realistically.
We got back in the car and drove back the way we had come, only to find this amazing spot!!! It was right off the gravel road, so many of the plants were covered in a fine layer of dust, and unfortunately, some other family had found it earlier in the weekend and were camping here. However, although their gear was all right next to this beautiful waterfall, they were nowhere to be seen! So we took a few moments to steal these shots before hurrying on our way. I am sure they never knew that we invaded their campsite for a few minutes. Bill said that in the back country the rules state that you aren't supposed to set up camp within 1/2 mile of the road, but I kinda hoped to be the lucky camper to camp on this exact spot some other weekend!
Driving back down the canyon, Bill suddenly exclaimed over the gorgeous sunset and pulled over for me to take a picture of it. That involved me climbing out of the car and running across the busy road, waiting for a non-car moment to snap the shot, then darting back across the road without becoming road kill. I hope you enjoy the shot.
0 comments:
Post a Comment