Deconstruction

In my last post I talked about the disappearing structures dotting the landscape of the Palouse.  This was the other grainery that we found undergoing deconstruction.  We found this on the last day of our tour and the site was occupied so exploring the structure was out of the question.  

I used Perfect B&W (part of Perfect Photo Suite from OnOne Software) to process this image.  While I like the original color image, I think black and white lends itself to this image.  Currently OnOne Software is having a summer sale on this really cool package!   This program works as a stand alone or integrates within Photoshop.  It's also available as a 30 day trial. 

Changing Landscape

The beautiful landscape of the Palouse is changing.  The grain silo pictured above is being deconstructed.  Last week in Palouse we saw two old silos being dismantled.  The dismantling process allows for recycling the massive amount of wood in this structure.  In most cases the wood is used for flooring and building materials.  It appears that repurposed wood is quite popular.  In talking with some of the people doing the deconstruction, government regulation is the driver behind removal of these structures. 

While I understand some of the intentions behind this type of regulation, the newer silos lack the character of these old wooden buildings and I will miss them! 

A Beautiful Morning

The wooded scene in this shot was taken on Hyatt Lane in Cades Cove prior to our Smokies tour.  We were out early doing our normal pre-tour scouting at Cades Cove and fog was abundant.  I had driven past these trees many times and never saw a picture, or a picture I wanted to make.  But this morning with fog in the background and sun hitting the trees in the foreground it was magical.

First Night in the Smokies

When photographers arrive at their destination we hit the ground running.  At least I suspect that is what photographers do.  I know that I and most of my friends hit the ground running when we arrive, so hopefully extrapolating that theory out to all photographers is not too much of a stretch.  Although as I get older I'm learning that I need to pace myself. Photo workshops and tours often entail long days and nights and when you add the extra days that we spend scouting prior to the start of our tours, well it's easy to burn the candle at both ends.


So in April after securing our hotel room, we headed straight into the park.  I have been to the Smokies at least 6 times and this trip we enjoyed the best conditions I have ever experienced in the spring.

The image above is the dogwood on Sparks Lane but taken from a different viewpoint.  I used Alien Skin Snap-Art to achieve a painterly look and Alien Skin Exposure 6 to achieve the Fuji Velvia look.  Check out the link on the RRPT website to download trial versions of the great products from Alien Skin!