Gopher Snake
Bear Lake Shoreline with fish
Cactus flower
near shore
Paris Tabernacle circa 1888
back lit gull in flight
Bear Lake shoreline
After snapping a few photos we waded around enjoying the perfectly cool and refreshing lake water while picking up interesting shells and small rocks. We headed out south around to the east side of the lake, a place I had never been. It was much dryer and less green with more rock and dirt showing along the mountain side. The road was obviously much less traveled that the west side of the lake, with plenty of poorly repaired pot holes. We saw tons of ground squirrels darting across the road but they seemed to shy to photograph... Most of the campsite on the Utah East side of the lake where nearly abandoned and overgrown with weeds and most lacked any reasonable shade, sun baked comes to mind. I was hoping to get a good shot across the lake look at Garden City, but the haze was out of control and blocked all but a basic view of the mountains behind Garden city. We finally found a nice place to pull over for a splash of cold water for our face and feet at an Idaho run campground that was superb. We got some fun shots of a rabbit hanging out on the freshly water and cut lawn under a picnic bench as well as a sweet shot of a blooming cactus with a nice yellow flower (I am used to seeing pink). The lizards were just to fast in the heat to shoot. After try to shoot the shy squirrels and feeding them some old peanuts we were off again. I was disappointed to see that some of the roads on the map that ran through the Bear Lake Marsh where gated off and inaccessible, the map didn't warn about that. I was hoping for some marsh bird photos....darn....As we rounded the top of the lake I decided it was getting too late to shoot for much longer and to run up to Paris Idaho to shoot the beautiful tabernacle there as my Great Great Grandpa William Budge was in charge of building. Upon arrival the light was strong but turning a nice colorful yellow and orange, so I took a few different angles of the building and noted it was built clear back in 1888. The reddish and tan stones where very unusual and interesting. We headed south toward home as the light was about gone, stopping only to shoot a very old homestead looking house with the lake a strip of blue in the background and a hazy mountain range to finish off the background.
near shoreParis Tabernacle circa 1888
back lit gull in flight
Bear Lake shorelineI decided to spend my day off taking a Bear Lake photo excursion. I packed up all my gear and headed out about noon. I was hoping for earlier but it just took awhile to get ever thing ready and the prep done. I took my friend and often time photo assistant along. We made the trek through Logan Canyon uneventfully and enjoyed the greenery that looks as if it is starting to think about turning into its dried up summer yellows and browns. Personally I am hoping the green lasts as long as possible.
We arrived at Bear Lake lookout which was packed full of people, surprising for a Tuesday. The traveler were reading the signs, eating a picnics, and snapping photos of the view and of each other. I had to resist offering to shoot some of their photos for them so the couples could be in the photos together. I did however answer some questions for a couple that were asking about local restaurants. I took in the view but left the camera in the bag as the hazy was so thick and ugly that there wasn't any point in taking a photo.
Arriving in Garden City I realized I had forgotten to fill my tank in Logan, a costly mistake! Logan was around $3.89 a gallon and garden city was asking a full $4.25... This is the first time I have ever seen or paid over $4.00 a gallon in my life! We grabbed a corn dog and a blueberry banana shake from Labials for a break and a sugar rush. We scouted out a couple of the galleries and furniture stores for fun, we were treated to tons of over the top cabinish stuff. We planned to circle the entire lake, which was a first in my life experience and shoot anything cool and interesting that we good get to hold still for us in front of the lens. We headed south to the public beach before you hit Lake town. Every time I have gone before it has been abandoned or very nearly so, today it was packed.
I broke out the camera and practiced my speed and dexterity trying to shoot gulls in close quarters flight. Thank goodness I wasn't paying for film as birds in flight are near the hardest things to shoot on the planet. I managed to get a few print worthy picks. After wandering out into the water and looking around I realized why there are so few good photos of Bear Lake and so many poor photos out there. The lake is so huge you can't get any respectable size piece in the frame, when you get down to the water the lake look to be just a thin blue ribbon in the frame if your not careful, and the beach for the most part is down right ugly and boring not to mention the long walk to the water of nothing but mud, sand and if your lucky a few weeds and stagnant mosquito pools. I love Bear Lake but it is a real challenge to shoot at a fine art level. Its size make is hard to get the far mountains sharp and to pop out from the bad haze that compounds itself at that distance. I did manage to incorporate some fish that where swimming in the shallows to add some interest and used a polarizing filter to reduce the waters reflection at least at the closer distances. I also managed to find some mildly interesting shoreline after walking along ways down the beach where there was some rare curves and plants to add some elements of interest to the photos.
We arrived at Bear Lake lookout which was packed full of people, surprising for a Tuesday. The traveler were reading the signs, eating a picnics, and snapping photos of the view and of each other. I had to resist offering to shoot some of their photos for them so the couples could be in the photos together. I did however answer some questions for a couple that were asking about local restaurants. I took in the view but left the camera in the bag as the hazy was so thick and ugly that there wasn't any point in taking a photo.
Arriving in Garden City I realized I had forgotten to fill my tank in Logan, a costly mistake! Logan was around $3.89 a gallon and garden city was asking a full $4.25... This is the first time I have ever seen or paid over $4.00 a gallon in my life! We grabbed a corn dog and a blueberry banana shake from Labials for a break and a sugar rush. We scouted out a couple of the galleries and furniture stores for fun, we were treated to tons of over the top cabinish stuff. We planned to circle the entire lake, which was a first in my life experience and shoot anything cool and interesting that we good get to hold still for us in front of the lens. We headed south to the public beach before you hit Lake town. Every time I have gone before it has been abandoned or very nearly so, today it was packed.
I broke out the camera and practiced my speed and dexterity trying to shoot gulls in close quarters flight. Thank goodness I wasn't paying for film as birds in flight are near the hardest things to shoot on the planet. I managed to get a few print worthy picks. After wandering out into the water and looking around I realized why there are so few good photos of Bear Lake and so many poor photos out there. The lake is so huge you can't get any respectable size piece in the frame, when you get down to the water the lake look to be just a thin blue ribbon in the frame if your not careful, and the beach for the most part is down right ugly and boring not to mention the long walk to the water of nothing but mud, sand and if your lucky a few weeds and stagnant mosquito pools. I love Bear Lake but it is a real challenge to shoot at a fine art level. Its size make is hard to get the far mountains sharp and to pop out from the bad haze that compounds itself at that distance. I did manage to incorporate some fish that where swimming in the shallows to add some interest and used a polarizing filter to reduce the waters reflection at least at the closer distances. I also managed to find some mildly interesting shoreline after walking along ways down the beach where there was some rare curves and plants to add some elements of interest to the photos.
After snapping a few photos we waded around enjoying the perfectly cool and refreshing lake water while picking up interesting shells and small rocks. We headed out south around to the east side of the lake, a place I had never been. It was much dryer and less green with more rock and dirt showing along the mountain side. The road was obviously much less traveled that the west side of the lake, with plenty of poorly repaired pot holes. We saw tons of ground squirrels darting across the road but they seemed to shy to photograph... Most of the campsite on the Utah East side of the lake where nearly abandoned and overgrown with weeds and most lacked any reasonable shade, sun baked comes to mind. I was hoping to get a good shot across the lake look at Garden City, but the haze was out of control and blocked all but a basic view of the mountains behind Garden city. We finally found a nice place to pull over for a splash of cold water for our face and feet at an Idaho run campground that was superb. We got some fun shots of a rabbit hanging out on the freshly water and cut lawn under a picnic bench as well as a sweet shot of a blooming cactus with a nice yellow flower (I am used to seeing pink). The lizards were just to fast in the heat to shoot. After try to shoot the shy squirrels and feeding them some old peanuts we were off again. I was disappointed to see that some of the roads on the map that ran through the Bear Lake Marsh where gated off and inaccessible, the map didn't warn about that. I was hoping for some marsh bird photos....darn....As we rounded the top of the lake I decided it was getting too late to shoot for much longer and to run up to Paris Idaho to shoot the beautiful tabernacle there as my Great Great Grandpa William Budge was in charge of building. Upon arrival the light was strong but turning a nice colorful yellow and orange, so I took a few different angles of the building and noted it was built clear back in 1888. The reddish and tan stones where very unusual and interesting. We headed south toward home as the light was about gone, stopping only to shoot a very old homestead looking house with the lake a strip of blue in the background and a hazy mountain range to finish off the background.
Out of light we hit the gas pedal and sped for home where a shower, dinner, and a soft bed all awaited our arrival. Now to mention a hand full cats that were probably missing us by this point.
