Zilker Botanical Garden - Austin, Texas
I’ve been down in Austin, Texas for a few weeks now. The city is one of the most interesting I have been to so far. Full of good beer and good food (Go check out Nomadic Beerworks near SOCO). Along with some incredible places tucked right in the middle of the city. The Botanical Gardens at Zilker was an incredible place to spend most of the day. Wandering around the gardens I couldn’t help but be drawn back to the Zen Garden and the Prehistoric Gardens. I found myself wandering back between the two for a few hours. Searching for a composition under the hard sun was a challenge. Trying to see it I found myself switching the picture style on my camera to black and white to help myself see the scenes with some fresh eyes. Which gave me a little inspiration to make the time I spent here as a black and white series. My time in Texas has been fun. Exploring a new city and the lands around it have been nothing but fun. Off to Nebraska soon..
Zilker Botanical Garden 2019
Zilker Botanical Garden 2019
Zilker Botanical Garden 2019
Zilker Botanical Garden 2019
Zilker Botanical Garden 2019
Zilker Botanical Garden 2019
If there is a photograph you would like to order a print of reach out by email and lets chat. Print gallery will be coming to the website soon.
Chance@ChanceKeso.com
Shootout - Photo Arts Club
Just this past week The Spokane Falls Photo Arts Club held their annual Shootout Competition. It is a week long photo competition. This years event was Time Travel themed. For me this year I didn’t have the same amount of time to shoot. I only had a few brief moments to go shoot a few photos. The photo I made for this years shoot was a very simple shot. Overall I really just wanted it to be darker portrait. Though for my final image I went with a full body photo. I did make a mistake of not having enough help for the shoot. Some extra hands would have been nice. Next time!
An Interesting Way to End The Winter
Well, the end of winter came and went in a flash. So did my shoulder. Because you know what, sometimes you just have to send it. I ended this past winter with another tear to my right shoulder. I took an awkward fall and ripped out the anchors in my labrum, again. This time much worse than I ever have. So, for me, it was back operating table to have it fixed once again.
Now, it has been a few weeks since I have had my surgery. Life is slowly beginning to get back to normal. It’s been a slow process because I have had to stay in the sling for a longer period of time to reduce the risk of re injury after surgery. Soon enough I’ll be back into the swing of physical therapy to get myself back to strength. I’m looking forward to being able to get out on the river to fly fish, in the mountains hiking and having my camera in hand to document the journey every step of the way.
Cheers to the summer ahead.
My Favorite Photograph
For any photographer choosing a favorite image is always a struggle. It feels like it’s the next one that will be the best, or it’s the one that missed and could never get out of your mind. For me, I keep looking back at a photograph I made in 2015 at a lake in the Olympic National Forest. A place that near and dear to me. I couldn’t tell you how much time I have spent in that forest over the years. I’ve come to know where almost every forest road leads to and where it ends.
Over year’s I began to fall in love with a small lake located there named Spider Lake. I’ve spent many nights camping near the lake. The lake is nestled right next to a Forest Service road but as you drive along you would almost never notice it. It’s set deep behind a massive row of evergreen trees. As you head down the road you will see a small pull off. High up in a tree there’s a small sign that reads Spider Lake. Once you park there is a trail that heads straight down the slope to the lake and proceeds around the entire lake weaving in out from the shore and through an ancient grove of cedars.
Throughout the days I have spent there I always woke up too late or wasn’t there for the one photo I always wanted to make. I woke up one morning early and saw a small layer of fog sitting on the lake, and the water was perfectly still. There was a perfect mirror reflection. I took a photo with my phone but I knew that wasn’t enough. Over the course of a few months, I kept going back to the lake hoping to see that again. Finally, on a mild winter afternoon around 4 pm, I was hiking along the lake and the fog was back. After so many attempts I was finally able to make the photograph I had been wanting to make for months.
Spider Lake, Olympic National Forest, Washington.
Spring Break
Jessica at the lower falls.
Spring break has come and gone. I’ve settled into my final quarter at Spokane Falls Community College. I’ve been working on getting my A.A.S. in Photography as some of you know. Though, this quarter is going to be a bit more difficult. At the end of my spring break I was doing some spring skiing. I took a very hard spill and ended up tearing a piece of my shoulder, again. This is now my fourth labral tear in my right shoulder. Upcoming is my fifth shoulder surgery. That’s definitely adding a little more of challenge to the quarter.
For the gram.
Over the break I returned to my hometown to spend some much needed time with old friends. I was able to spend most of that time in forests and get back to nature a little. Something I have not been doing enough of over in Spokane. Being back out in them added a little more spark to my creativity. Every time that I return to the forests around Western Washington it reminds me of why I fell in love with photography in the first place. There is something about those forests that always call me back.
Overall it was a good break from life in Spokane. Seeing good friends, making new friends, and spring skiing. What more could I ask for?
No place I’d rather be.
It's Only Getting Better
These last few weeks have been big storm after big storm. It’s been some of the best skiing of this 18/19 season so far, and it’s just piling more snow onto the mountain. Just recently we had a Saturday that started out slow. No snow in the morning but by 11 AM it started to absolutely dump snow. Come 2 PM it has snowed almost 6 inches. The Glades started filling up fast. It was refills as fast as we could ski back to them.
Ripping Through The Glades - Rider: Bridger Lambert.
As the day went on we moved over into some other areas of the mountain. Hitting some of the secret stashes, getting face shots and knee deep snow. The bigger hits on the mountain are opening up to have safe landings and more room for error. Which is always a good thing. Hopefully have some videos coming soon of my friends and local rippers skiing here at Silver.
I have also added a few new photos to the Winter portfolio. Be sure to head over there and take a look.
Sunset - Rider: Jaelen Johnson
Winter Is Finally Showing
Cold beers after a good day on the mountain.
As I sit here and write this I have spent the last dew days staring at the NOAA.gov forecast for Silver Mountain. You know what? It’s finally looking good. Colder temperatures, and lots of snow falling on the hill. Which is good to see. I’m tired of having to watch where I am skiing. Those little exposed rock and baby trees are getting annoying. That hasn’t stopped my friends and I from getting out there to make some turns.
Last light on the mountain. Skier: Casey Winchel.
Right now Silver Mountain is only running on the weekends, but is going to seven day a week operation here in a few days. Last weekend wasn’t the best up there but it was a great couple days. Waking up late to head up and let the snow warm up on the groomed runs since they were less icy was our excuse to head to the bar before we started skiing. It was nice to start the days off with a Bloody Mary and a cold beer. Though my friend Casey and I have had a patch of bad luck with every time we order a beer we blow a keg. Hey, a partial free beer!
Watching all this snow falling around us is getting us even more excited to get that first deep powder day in. I don’t my friends and I can wait any longer. We looking forward to getting those fat skis and jumping off of everything we can find. With all this new snow falling in our mountains remember to ride with a friend and stay safe. Respect the mountains.
When the snow is the best the sends are much more reserved.
Chair 4, Silver Mountain. Skier: Casey Winchel.
A little something extra on the ride down. Wardner Peak in the distance. Silver Mountain, Idaho.
Campbell House Fundraiser - SFCC PAC
As some of you may know I am currently in my second year of the photography program at Spokane Falls Community College. In the end of my first year of it I was elected to be the President of the Photo Arts Club for my second year of the program. As part of the club we have to do community service. For our community service three of us from the club set aside time for spending our Saturday at the Northwest Museum of Arts of Culture. We spent the day taking photos for the Campbell House at the MAC. Essentially we were photographing for Christmas Cards for the families that bought a time slot. It was truly a great experience to be able to photograph inside of the Campbell House as I know that does not happen very often. Getting to spend the whole day inside photographing was something else. It’s something I wish I could do again. Maybe I can sneak in next year when the new leadership takes over and I can help them out.
Happy Holidays! I know I am little early for it. I’d rather say it now before I forget!
Outtake from the Campbell House shoot.
Elsie Lake
This morning I woke and the first thing I saw was that it wasn’t raining. I’ve been in Kellogg the last few days. I knew I wanted to crawl out of bed, make a cup of coffee and head to Elsie Lake outside of town. The last few days have been nothing but a downpour here in the Silver Valley.
Heading to Kellogg on Tuesday afternoon. Shot on DJI Mavic Air.
Fourth of July Pass, Idaho.
After packing up my truck with some camera gear I headed toward Elsie. The drive up Burke road is always fun. After passing the mines and into the forest you follow Big Creek up the valley. It is one of my favorite fall drives. As you ascend you will start to see the changing tamarack trees in the distance. In the sea of green they shine in the sunlight. Even when there is a lack thereof. Finally after driving almost the whole way to the lake I rounded a bend on the forest road and there it was… Snow. I was so excited. It was the first snow I have been in this season. It immediately had me excited for the ski season. After a little bit more driving I made it over the ridge and down into the lake below. I pulled into the parking area and got my drone out before the rain started back up again. I took a few photos on the drone and a couple videos. The video is for a project that I am starting to work on with my friend Nathan. More to come on that soon. We need some snow first. That’s a little hint to what it is, but that’s all I will say for now.
Looking down on the north side of Elsie Lake. Mavic Air.
After burning through one of the batteries for my drone I decided it was time to get my camera out and photograph a little more. I shot a few frames to make a large panorama of Elsie Lake. The panoramic photo I made is made up of 26 photos of the lake. The photo was processed through CaptureOnePro and then stitched together in Photoshop. I’m not sure if this is final photo or not yet. I see things that I want to change on it, as any photographer does after they’ve worked on a photograph. I will take a short break from it, and then come back to it to make those changes.
Elsie Lake, Idaho. Shot on Nikon D4 and Tamron 70-200 f/2.8. 26 Photos.
Black Canyon of The Gunnison
The Black Canyon is an impressive National Park that lies on the west slope of Colorado. The canyon on average only receives 33 minutes of direct sunlight daily. Hence the name Black Canyon….
Black Canyon Rd. The canyon can be accessed from the Montrose side or the Crawford side.
The Black Canyon is an impressive National Park that lies on the west slope of Colorado. The canyon on average only receives 33 minutes of direct sunlight daily. Hence the name Black Canyon. The drive into the park is very unassuming. As you drive up you really cant see anything, everything just appears flat. That is until you park and walk up to the edge of the cliff.
From the edge of the canyon. Not for those who are afraid of heights.
When you reach the canyons edge it is truly something else. It is an absolutely incredible drop down to the Gunnison River below. At the deepest the canyon is 2,722 feet deep. That is from the Warner Point part of the canyon. Seeing the walls up close is thing of beauty. The walls are different everywhere you look.
East wall of the canyon.
From the depths of the canyon.
There are a couple trails into the canyon. The trails into the canyon are less of a trail and more of a scramble mixed some light rock climbing. Beware, if it starts to rain you need to get out out of there. It’s dangerous enough to climb up and down while its dry. On the West Slope of Colorado this is one of the must see places. If you ever find yourself nearby make sure to stop in and spend a few hours exploring the canyon.
Waiting For The Snow
Wardner Peak, Silver Mountain Ski Resort.
As the seasons change and the leaves begin to fall I patiently wait for the snow to fall. The changing of the seasons is something I always look forward to. The first snow is always the most exciting time of year for me. There is nothing better than waking up and seeing that first layer of fresh snow and the silence around it.
Mornings on the gondola.
Popping off the road near chair 4.
With that first snow and the snows after it begins to pile up in the mountains. Which means its time to step into the fat skis for those deep days on the mountain. I don’t think there is a better way to spend a day. The feeling of flying down the mountain in the deep snow and shooting off natural features into the air. That time will soon be here. If you’re ever at Silver Mountain in Kellogg, Idaho feel free to shoot me an email. I’d love to go ski with you. I will be there a majority of the winter working on personal project with a friend.
A few Hot Springs and the National Bison Range
Our journey started out on a Friday afternoon where we headed out from Kellogg, Idaho on a mission to visit three different hot springs over the weekend. Our first day we had a late start and drove over to Lolo Hot Springs for the night. It was fun place to visit but we were only there for a short time since we arrived later in the day.
Kettle House Brewing, Missoula, Montana.
Early the next morning we headed to Missoula to visit a couple breweries in town there. We popped by Kettle ouse Brewing and Tamarack Brewing. Both the breweries were incredible. Some of the beers are only available in Montana which I really enjoyed. Seeking out those new beers to try is a blast.
After our time in Missoula we headed North to Hot Springs, Montana for a night. I couldn’t resist sitting in the springs for as long as I possibly could. After the first soak we headed inside for a few drinks and live music. The artist that night was Larry Hirshberg. You can find his music over at http://larryhirshberg.com/
#86sqft in its natural habitat.
The start of our third day was a chilly one. I spent the night in the bed of my truck. It was a great reminder that I need to add some insulation to the bed to keep it a little warmer now that the colder months are back again. We warmed up our vehicles and hit the road to the National Bison Range. After driving for about an hour to get there we decided to take the longer two hour loop through the Bison Range. Which was well worth it. It was foggy and dark for the beginning of the drive. Slowly but surely as we drove the sun was making the fog burn off. By the time we reached the peak and began to head back down the other side the clouds broke.
Road side snacks in the Bison Range.
Lost in the fog.
As we descended back down the mountain we could see some of the bison off in the distance. Just a little too far away to get a photo of. Towards the end of the drive there was a great spot wide open spot that looked towards the mountains. There was about 20 bison in the field in front of us. Luckily one was just close enough for my 200mm lens to get a shot. Unfortunately the one nearest to us wasn’t looking too great. As you can see in the photo below. Before this quick trip I had never heard of the National Bison Range. I am beyond happy my friends showed me this place. It is truly gorgeous. I’m looking forward to making a trip back there and back into Big Sky Country.
Deer Park Campground - ONP
Nestled high in the Olympic Mountains is a truly magical place. The Deer Park Campground is a small campground on Blue Mountain, just outside of Port Angeles, Washington. The views from the campground and the summit are incredible. On my last trip there it was slightly different. It was foggy and rainy day. Typically you would see across to Vancouver Island and almost all the way to Seattle. Being up on top of the mountain in the rain was a very welcomed experience. Especially after all of the wildfire smoke that has been sitting across the North West lately.
Foggy days from the summit.
Around 14 sites are at the campground. With a few walk-in sites tucked away by the Three Forks Trail head parking area.
This last trip I took up the mountain was to do a little work for a brand. It was a nice little solo escape for a night. I pulled in around 1 PM and proceeded to set up camp for the night. Well, the little bit I have to set up for camp.
Camp all set up.
This past trip in the rain made me realize I need an awning or a tarp for the rainy days. Probably a tarp..
The rainy days are always a nice change for shooting up there. I was looking forward to that. I've been in a creative rut lately and I felt like being back in one of my favorite places would be just what I needed. When it rains so many of the small plants on the mountain begin to sparkle in the light that casts across them.
Just a short hike out from my campsite is a large open field where you can almost always find a group of deer wandering. I only saw two on my walk to here off in the fog.
Just up from camp is perfect spot to sit and relax. I personally like to sit here and watch the clouds roll by. On a clear night its a perfect spot to stargaze. There is also perfect spots right next to your campsite to set up a hammock and spend the day relaxing.
The fog makes for an incredible time to be at Blue Mountain. There is just something about the quiet stillness of the place that is something I have not experienced anywhere else. I always look forward to my time there. I can't wait to go back there.
In the meantime I have to head over to Spokane as I get ready for this next school year to start. I am heading over a little bit earlier than I normally would. I think it will allow me to take one last little trip before school starts. The tentative plan is to head down into Stanley, Idaho. Stay tuned..
A summer of Colorado.
It's been about two years since I up and moved to Colorado on a whim for the summer. I was working a job I really did not enjoy. Stuck in the same routine every single day. I was growing tired of that. Out of the blue I had a direct message on Instagram from someone I haven't seen since 2012 when I was working at Silver Mountain. It was from a family I had met while working there. The father worked as a general manger of Luxury Ranches that catered to the outdoor lifestyle. After meeting me he had offered me a job in Montana. A year later one in Moab, Utah. Then once again the summer of 2016. They were short handed and needed the help, and I needed to get away. Long story short I immediately took the job and left.
I loaded up my Yukon and off I went down to Crawford, Colorado.
One of my favorite things about being in Colorado was the roads were always so much fun. They also took you somewhere fun. Like Needle Rock Road, it was the road you took into the Luxury Guest Ranch I worked at.
Others took you deep in the forest and surrounded you with aspens.
Another one of my favorites that was just a short distance from the ranch took you into Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park. Which is by far one of the most impressive places I have ever been. The massive rock walls that just drop straight down into the Gunnison River below. In my time there I was able to hike down into canyon for a day. I only took a few photos while down in the canyon since I was taking a guest down into it for the day.
In my time there I truly fell in love with the state. The mountains, the trees, the people, the lifestyles. There was so much to enjoy and I only was able to get a small taste of it. The fly fishing stood out here. I went as often as I possibly could. When I was able to have two days off I would pack up my SUV and head north to the Grand Mesa. The Mesa is a truly gorgeous place. I still have so much there on the Mesa alone that I want to see.
I made friends and connections there that will last a lifetime. Sadly I really only had photos of just a few people. I spent most of time photographing the landscapes and the details of it. I regret not taking more photos of the people around me.
As my time in Colorado dwindled, the seasons began to change and winter began to arrive earlier than expected. Something I would never complain about. Seeing the landscapes around slowly begin to have blanket of snow made me even more excited for the coming winter in the North West.
I'll be back for you Colorado. It's been too long.
It's been awhile..
Well, I'm sorry for my absence. Life became hectic, and I was all over the place. Never in one place for too long. For now I'm back in my hometown until I head back to Spokane in a few short weeks for school.
I haven't really been shooting too many photos at all this summer. Which is really bothering me. I just have not had the time to do it. I recently forced myself to just go walk around the garden a little bit to see what I can find and force myself to see photographically again. I shot everything on my Google Pixel 2XL instead of walking around with my DSLR like I normally would. I needed to change it up. The only shots I really did over the summer were some social media content work for Deschutes Brewery. That was pretty cool to say the least. I also have more content creation work that I am working on right now but that is a story for another day.
Okay, the last one isn't from the garden.. It was near Spider Lake in the Olympic National Forest.
Place: Silver Mountain
For one of the last assignments in my Photo 112 class I was to photograph a place that mean something to me. For me that means Silver Mountain in Kellogg, Idaho. It's a place I can indulge both of my passions. Skiing and Photography.
I shot most of the assignment over one day of skiing at Silver.
It started out like any other ski day. Waking up and taking a peek out the window to see what the weather is looking like. From what I could see it was going to be a good day.
After heading up the mountain it was time to head down into locker room and get ready for a day in the snow.
Once geared up it was time to out and onto the mountain.
After that it was time to make a few turns. First off we head to down the bottom of Chair 2 and head up to the top of Kellogg Peak. Making a few quick turns to get down to the chair we could tell it was going to be fun.
After getting to the top we took off to the left and headed to one of our favorite stashes on the mountain. The snow was deep and the level of fun was high. Who could complain about an epic powder day?
After a hard day of skiing it was time to head back to the Mountain Haus to grab a beer and head down the mountain for the evening. Then wake up the next day and start it all over again.
A Downtown morning in black and white.
One morning my class met in Downtown Spokane for a morning of photography. We met at the Rocket Bakery and Coffee shop then headed on our way around a small portion of Downtown Spokane. One of the first sights that caught my eye was a small parking area with kegs behind the fence.. I felt lucky to get this shot with the train passing by.
As we walked on I saw a fairly tall apartment building with such interesting repeating lines all the way up it. I couldn't help but stare at it. I found it funny that the only spot that the patterns were ever really interrupted were by a satellite dish on some curtains.
One last photo I took was of a parking area with the sunlight beaming down into the area. It felt so cinematic when I first saw it, and it was my favorite photo from the morning spent wandering downtown. I could just imagine some sort scene being filmed there under the light that was there.
I was going to end on the black and white photo but I had another version of this photo that I processed in Capture One to kind of have that more slightly cinematic feeling to the photo.
A walk around the SFCC Campus
