Thank You Italian Stone Masons
In late October we made our last RV photo trip of 2020. The hope was to capture autumn colors in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
The weather leading up to the fall season was unusual and not conducive to producing ideal fall color. Reports from reliable sources about the prospect of robust fall color were discouraging, but we went anyway knowing campgrounds would soon be closing for the season.
There were other challenges that would influence outcome success; late year travel weather, trail access restrictions due to forest fire restoration efforts, and COVID-19 imposed constraints.
On the plus side campgrounds were half empty and quiet. Scenic stops were less crowded and void of tourist buses. But trail access restrictions made it impossible to hike and visit some of my favorite waterfalls and scenic locations.
It is good to be forced out of routine - to consider second alternatives.
Sunrise filters through the cloud cover creating streams of sun rays over Vista House and the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, USA.
The Columbia River National Scenic Area is an eighty mile stretch of river canyon. The Columbia River fills the canyon and also doubles as a state boundary line separating Washington and Oregon.
Beautiful natural landscape flanks both sides of the river. The western end of the gorge is a temperate rain forest receiving 75 to 100 inches of rain a year while the eastern end is a drier grassland.
More than ninety waterfalls, mostly on the Oregon side and many along the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway, make the Gorge a delightful place for outdoor photographers like me.
The Old Highway runs from Troutdale to The Dalles, Oregon and was built between 1913 and 1922. It is considered the first planned scenic highway in the U.S. and modeled after scenic roads in Europe.
It was conceived by Samuel Hill a business man, railroad executive, and advocate of modern paved roads. Samuel C. Lancaster, an engineer and landscape architect was charged with charting the route and overseeing road construction.
Hill and Lancaster did more than just build a modern road. They created the total package. The new road was smooth, had stunning natural scenery and included interesting well-place roadside waypoints.
For instance, the beautiful limestone Vista House at Crown Point, designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2000, and Multnomah Falls Lodge, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 both serve as rest stops along the way.
Vista House at Crown Point, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, USA
Lancaster went a step further. He hired native Italian stone masons to incorporate exquisite stone walls, bridges and barriers along the length of the highway. The stone accents are both functional and works of art.
I so admire the stone detail and artistic craftsmanship that I try to include it when possible in my photographs
Back to the story.
Our abbreviated itinerary and slower pace of the trip was actually a good thing. There was less self-imposed pressured to visit more locations than I actually had time for. The limited options provided more time to slow the photographic process. This meant more time to focus (pun intended) on thoughtful composition and technique.
Stone arch along Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway
I photographed Horsetail, Multnomah and Latourell Falls all easy access from the historic highway. We also hiked to Dry Creek Falls, a dramatic 74 foot waterfall that spills over a basalt column wall. Images of each are included.
But my favorite photos from the trip are not waterfall images at all. My favorite is a series of photos taken near Latourell Falls along the Historic Columbia River Highway.
Each photo includes beautiful fall color trees behind a magnificent moss covered stone walkway banister built by those Italian stone masons back in the early 1900’s. Thank you Italian stone masons! I am convinced the stone work will last another 100 plus years.
The decorative stone railing with its rounded stone baluster columns, occasional square stone recessed panel anchors, and beveled stone top railing adds a beautiful feel to the photographs (so says me).
When I took the images it seemed a single vertical photo didn’t include enough of the stone bannister to appreciate its artistic value. Conversely, a single horizontal image didn’t seem to include enough volume of the beautiful fall color trees.
1900’s Italian stone mason artistic work along Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway, Oregon, USA
Weeks later when I began to edit the images I found a solution.
Historic Columbia River Highway Autumn 201104LND850LE - Single aluminum black background with three 24” (w) x 36” (h) images, black beveled mat & medium olive wood frame.
Displaying three of these images vertically, side-by-side solved the problem. With a small space between each image, the vertical series provided more length to the artistic stone bannister. The bluish-magenta shadowed color of the stone gives the image depth.
The height of the vertical panels gives the trees and rugged moss covered bark a chance to show off their color.
I like the side-by-side presentation. So much so that I created a limited edition group print.
The three images are printed to a single piece of aluminum with a black background. Each print is separated by a narrow space. The piece is matted with a black beveled linen liner and framed in a premium wood frame.
Thank you for your interest and continued support. I do appreciate it.
Cheers,
Steve
NOTES
The limited edition three image print described above is now proudly displayed in my home gallery. To learn more about purchasing this limited edition print visit my website.
To schedule a home gallery visit to see the physical piece, call (480-204-3109) or email (steve@giardiniphotography.com) to request an appointment.