A ghostly cottonwood at Summer Lake, Oregon
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A ghostly cottonwood at Summer Lake, Oregon
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Please Participate by Jeppe Hein 2015 at Portland Art Museum, Oregon
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These two well-loved camels are at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Numerous children have climbed onto these large sculptures. Though they may not remember what was inside the museum, they likely have fond memories of their time spent sitting atop these large sculptures. The two camel sculptures flank the doors of the Seattle Asian Art Museum, formerly the Seattle Art Museum (SAM).
Of the nearly 24,000 objects in SAM’s collection, two sculptures have probably had the broadest impact on visitors’ experience of the museum since it opened in 1933.
The original marble camels were created in the late 14th-mid 17th century in China. Due to conservation concerns, in 1991 the originals were moved inside SAM. Today, the well-loved camels outside the Seattle Asian Art Museum are replicas.
Here is a 1933 picture of the Art Deco-style building that shows two camel and two ram sculptures in front of the museum.
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Milkweed seedpods are beautiful and unique. Milkweed, Asclepias spp., is well-known for attracting monarch butterflies. Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds are attracted to this plant’s flowers. They produce abundant nectar.
In the fall, milkweed seedpods mature and split open. The seeds inside are attached to white floss called coma. This floss allows them to be carried long distances by the wind.
Fun fact: During World War II, when the supply of kapok was cut off by Japan, milkweed floss was used as a substitute to fill life jackets.
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Polo player sculpture, 7th-8th century. Earthenware with traces of white slip and paint. China, Tang dynasty (618-907). Seattle Asian Art Museum.
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I took these two pictures of Bar Rio in B & W during a recent visit. This restaurant is in downtown Bend, Oregon.
When I saw all the lines in the interior decorating, I immediately thought pictures of it would look good in black and white.
While the decor was interesting, the food was a little disappointing. I may have to give it a second try.
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Here’s a photo of part of Grizzly Falls in B & W. I took this picture in Kings Canyon National Park and thought it looked best with a monochrome effect. Grizzly Falls is a 75-foot tall waterfall right beside the road.
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This 1914 Model T Ford is on display near the entrance of the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. The Ford Company produced the Model T from 1908 to 1927. Over 15 million were sold in that time period.
Moving assembly lines were utilized to produce this affordable vehicle. Production speed was increased by having groups work together in an 84 step process. In 1913, a car was produced every 1.5 hours. In 1923, production time was cut to 23 seconds. Wow!
In 1999, the Model T was recognized as the Car of the Century.
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This Plesiosaur model can be seen at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana. This museum has an amazing collection of fossils, articulated skeletons, and models.
Plesiosaurs were always one of my favorite dinosaurs as a kid. Pterodactyls, a flying reptile, were also a favorite of mine. I must have admired these creatures’ ability to travel through water and air, respectively.
Plesiosaurs were 11 to 14 feet long and weighed between 400 to 1,100 pounds. They fed on fish, reptiles, and cephalopods. Plesiosaurs disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous period.
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Bobcat in black and white at the High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon
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Today I’m sharing an image of OMSI in black and white. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon has great architecture for pictures.
It looks interesting from inside and the outside.
Though you’re supposed to share black and white images for Monochrome Monday, I couldn’t resist showing this pop of red color on the sign. 😀
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This photo, taken in downtown Bend, Oregon, shows a bright future. I used infrared processing to show the light not always visible to the naked eye.
A sign on a lamppost reads, “Shelter, Help, Hope.” It’s from one of the homeless shelters here in town. Sometimes, if people in difficult situations can focus on the light ahead, they can find their way out of the darkness.
Monochrome Madness (MM)
I saw this Kendall Planetarium ceiling art on a recent trip to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), in Portland, Oregon. I thought these metallic strips hanging from the ceiling would look great in black and white. For this post, I’m showing them with infrared processing.
Monochrome Monday (MM)
Sunday Stills (SS) Monthly Color Challenge – Things that are metallic
This backyard buck visited our yard on a cool winter day. Mule deer are frequent visitors on our property. Most of the year, we see does and fawns. The bucks are more common in the fall and winter months.
I took this picture of a snowy divide in my front yard last winter. Snow mutes colors and I decided to accentuate that by showing this image in black and white.
Though it may be a while before I get much snow at my house, snow is beginning to accumulate at higher elevations. In Bend, there’s a snowy divide based on elevation. I live at an elevation of 3,400 ft.
Continue readingFounder’s Square features a large open-air pavilion at the Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon. At certain times of the year, the Silverton Market Garden, located behind the pavilion, is full of color.
The Founder’s Square pavilion structure is beautiful year round. I’m highlighting its architecture in black and white. This pavilion is one of several venues available for rental at the Garden.
The Oregon Garden is designed to showcase foliage and flowers throughout the year. It’s easy to overlook the architecture and many outdoor sculptures. This is the kind of place where you will notice new details every time you stroll through it.
While visiting Livingston Montana last summer, I was impressed by the well-preserved downtown buildings. Livingston, founded in 1882, currently has a population of about 8,000. This town was established while construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad was making its way westward.
To learn more about the historic downtown, consider going on a walking tour. This site gives more information on 22 historical locations in Livingston Montana.
This enormous Sasquatch sculpture is part of the Sensing Sasquatch exhibition currently at the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. Sensing Sasquatch considers this mythical creature from a Native American perspective. It will be at the Museum through January 12, 2025.
The Protector was created by Hollyanna CougarTracks DeCoteau (Yakama, Nez Perce, Cayuse, Cree). This work is based on her memories of seeing the shadows of Sasquatch in the forest.
She noted that Indigenous peoples admire Sasquatch because they are “protectors of all living things… if they die so too does everything else.”
The fur-covered Sasquatch sculpture was impressive, but so was the way they separated the sculpture from the rest of the exhibit. Long strands of string hung from curving ceiling tracks, adding to the sense of mystery. I loved the shadows created by the curtains surrounding the artwork.
This antlers & horns & skulls chandelier is at the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center and Trailside Museum in Yellowstone National Park. A metal circle is adorned with bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain elk antlers & horns & skulls. It’s suspended by heavy metal chains.
This museum is small and probably overlooked by many visitors to the park. I recommend stopping by to see its collection of historic bird specimens. If you want to see mounts of many of the park’s birds to help identify them in the field, this is a great resource.
This chiwen roof decoration is at Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland, Oregon.
These dragons, placed on both ends of roof ridgelines, are thought to protect the inhabitants from fires. Fengshui theory says they also protect against floods and typhoons. Chiwen translates to ‘hornless-dragon mouth.’ This dragon likes to swallow things, including evil influences.
This post shows what they use to make brews at Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon. Last year we went on the Barrel House Tour at this brewery. I highly recommend this tour that focuses on their barrel-aged beers.
While on the tour, I thought some of the sights seen in the factory might look good with black and white processing.

Monochrome processing highlighted all the angles and straight and curved lines of the equipment.

However, I admit, the high alcohol barrel-aged samples consumed on the tour may have made everything they use to make brews look special to my slightly blurry vision. ;D
The dramatic cloud formations caught my attention in this Soda Springs scene.
Soda Springs is a small city in Idaho known for its geyser and mineral springs. The Soda Springs Geyser is on a timed release valve and it goes off once an hour. Yes, really!
Hook & Plow is a farm-to-table restaurant that recently opened in Bend, Oregon. The seafood, meats, and produce served here are sourced locally. Wines and craft beers on the menu are also from the local area. Take a peek at their full menu here.
I’m highlighting the interesting architecture with sepia tone processing. Straight lines, curved lines, and various textures stand out in this monochrome picture.
Monochrome Monday
Elk sculpture in snow at High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon with infrared processing.
Here are some treasures of the Old West at the Museum of the American West, in Lander, Wyoming, shown in both color and black and white. Click on the arrows to see monochrome versions highlighting their symmetry.
Wheels may carry you forward, towards new horizons
Or back, to a final resting place
You may choose to wander in another’s shoes
Continue readingThese three sandstone formations are located in Tillamook Bay, north of Garibaldi, Oregon. Known locally as The Three Graces, they’re also called Crab Rocks. If the tides are low, they’re a great place to explore when out kayaking. Check tides before venturing there.
The Oregon coast has several seastacks near the shore. These are smaller in stature, but still very photogenic.
This Curtiss JN-4A Jenny, shown without fabric covering, shows the structure of wings. This is one of the many aircraft on display at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
Here’s an informational poster next to the plane. Note the photo of a couple playing tennis on its wings!
I saw this well-known quote on where the path may lead you at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon.
I took this photo of lighted leaves at Winterfest in Redmond, Oregon. Sepia tone highlights the shapes and textures of the leaves on this lighted tree.
These ladles in waiting are at the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site in John Day, Oregon.
I took this picture while having dinner at Spork restaurant in Bend, Oregon. The decor is a mixture of straight, industrial lines and curving lampshades and baskets made from natural materials. Houseplants add a touch of color. The menu includes an eclectic mix of wonderful tastes and textures.
In the early morning light, shadows shift with the rising sun
Playgrounds wait patiently, quiet and still
Continue readingBison in steamy landscape near Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park.