Tag Archives: favorite photos

Green River Gorge Resort

For 47 years, since I first started teaching Psychology at Fort Steilacoom Community College, the Green River Gorge has been one of my favorite places in the world.

Soft water cutting through solid rock over millions of years, the roar and clearness of the water, the steep trail down to the river, the waterfall, and the once hot tub under that waterfall. These all make me feel humble at the beauty, and grandeur, and “mysticalness” of this place. The fact that the place is overrun by drunks and rude people during the summer means only that I must go there when few people are there.

A few weeks ago I went again and was able to capture the best shots possible of this place (and nothing can compare to the reality of this place). Here are a few photos.

Beauty in the photographs details: Lily B&W

Below is the original photograph, and the final edited photograph of the lily.

I wanted to emphasize the gorgeous nature of the Lily, eliminate the distraction of the background, eliminate the orange of the stigma, and make the background black. What remains is the awe-inspiring shapes, curves, and texture of this amazing flower!

Beauty in the photographs details: Hollyhock Chair Boat

There is so much in this photograph that I love.

The place itself I love. It is the Hollyhock Retreat center on Cortes Island in British Columbia, a beautiful, remote, and Magical, Transformative place, especially in the summertime. I first went there in 1978 And attended a 13 week long Resident fellow program with a different workshop each week. I attended a dream workshop where I learned that I was Dan, Dan, The rainbow man, a healer and a teacher. And for the last 45 years, I’ve lived being a Healer and a teacher. I learned about Quan Yen (or Kuan Yin),The bodhisattva of compassion. I learned it from John Blofeld, that Very British China convert, Who wrote so beautifully about Quan Yen (or Kuan Yin), and also  translated the I Ching. John Blofeld so enjoyed his afternoon tea :). I learned about the I Ching, and Tarot cards. And I learned from the wind, the trees, low and high tides, I learned from the lapping of the water, BJ, Whiskey and orange juice, early morning sunshine, the wonderful gardens, and even more wonderful vegetarian meals. I learned by working with Bill Glackman, now a lifetime friend, doing handyman work around the then COld Mountain Institute.

But what do I love about this picture! I love the early morning light, with the side-light and long shadows. I love the empty chair and the empty boat, both waiting for us/me/you.

I can feel myself sitting in that chair, with my eyes closed, warm, with the sunshine on my face and arms in the cool morning, and ever so gently, I feel a slight breeze. With each breath, I breathe in the light, salty smells of the sea. I hear the gentle lapping of water on the beach. I hear the bird calls of morning,  welcoming the new day. That chair is a place to simply be, mindfully and appreciatively.

The empty boat, red and white and waiting, Is not about mindfulness. The empty boat is about adventure awaiting! Come,Let us row away to adventure! Morning is the time for both contemplation and beginning of adventures! I love that in this photograph.

I love the colors, the greens of the grass and the tree. I love the shades of blues in the sea, and in the mountains across the sea.  I love the bands of lighter color blue on the water.

I love how small I am in that early morning light, And how big that quiet sea is,  and how the shrouded mountains are at the top the photograph.

I love the lines of the small waves, lapping towards the shore.

I love the juxtaposition of the living Green tree, the stump, and the wooden chair. Three stages of existence?

I love the variations between the rocky shore, The tidal zone with it’s small rocks and mud , and the two big rocks In the nearby shallow water.

When I look at this picture, I feel gratitude, the hopes of a new morning, The beckoning of mindfulness and adventure, and the sheer beauty of it all: colors, bands of blue and green, and waves, sea, trees, shore, chair, boat, and distant mountains… and ME!

Dan’s “Images of Peace” art show at St. Placids in Lacey May 19 7-930pm

Below are my photos that I will be sharing and selling at  the “Images of Peace” Art Show at St. Placid Priory in Lacey, WA on May 19 7-930pm.

Tickets are available at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2906826

I find that these photos bring me a sense of peace, and I hope that they also do that for you!

Dan

 

Glacier Bay National Park Alaska Icebergs 2016

After breaking off the glacier, the icebergs are what I found most fascinating. Below are photographs of these ephemeral beauties that were floating near our ship.

With shapes like birds, animals, and wonderful blues whites and greens these were tremendously beautiful.

Hope you enjoy them!  Simply click on any image to see the larger version. I will be making individual blog entries of my favorites.

Daisies and stump on summer jubilee trail walk

Daisies basking and bowing to the sun, next to the brown tree stump,  along the Jubilee trail. Color and Black and white version of the same photograph.

Cactus shimmering from within: 3 views

Outside of the La Brae tar pits in Los Angeles was this wonderful cactus that seemed to shine from within. Below is the original and two B&W versions of the original. Beauty seen from multiple color and Black and white  persectives!

 

 

Snoqualmie Falls in Winter

This is a 16X20 poster of Snoqualmie Falls in Winter.Snoqualmie Falls varies from a trickle to a cataclysm in different times of the year. WInter is magical. Does the gentle mist know of the crashing waters that gave it birth? Power and gentleness, mist and majesty. Ice and water and mist. All one. Meditative. In-Joy Enjoy.

 

Cloudy day: Pond Shapes and Light

It has been awhile. Still recovering from open heart surgery six months ago, finished full-time teaching and am now on summer break!

These are photos of water, and shapes, and cloud reflections, taken on my walk in February 2016.