How not to be a Ramblin Rose, Part 1

Ramblin' rose, ramblin' rose
Why you ramble, no one knows
Wild and wind-blown, that's how you've grown
Who can cling to a ramblin' rose?
 - Noel Sherman and Joe Sherman

I love Nat King Cole. His sweet and silky voice makes me weak in the knees and sends shivers along my spine. His is the voice that soothes the savage breast.

After sitting through a photographer's presentation a while back, I thought I could use a little Nat King Cole. I was frustrated, angry and felt betrayed.

Why?

Because the photographer rambled about himself and how wonderful he was for two stinking hours. That is two hour of my time that I will never get back. Nor will I ever get the money I paid for this frustrating honor back into my pocket.

Money and time lost. For nothing.

Have you ever had that experience? Eagerly heading into a presentation and then getting to the end, the presenter is answering questions and you're wondering what was even the point? There wasn't a single statement throughout the whole presentations that you could cling to and you begin to wonder why you wasted your time.

You didn't waste your time. The presenter wasted your time. And shame on them.

A rambling presentation isn't just damaging to audience members, but it's damaging to the presenter also.

When you are speaking to a group of other photographers, you are representing your photography brand. Which is you. You are your brand. You are the photographer. You are the one with your vision. And the folks who have come to listen to you want to know about you and your vision.

Who are you? What is your inspiration? How did you get to where you are?

Do you want to inspire? Or confuse? Please, tell me your answer is to inspire.

What inspiration do you want them to take with them as they leave? Answer this question and you are well on your way to being a solid speaker and not a rambling rose.

Remember back in school when you had to write an essay and the essay revolved around a certain thesis statement? Well, the answer to the inspiration question above will be your thesis for your speech. Yes, speeches have a "thesis statement." If you make every point in your speech connect to your thesis PLUS make every image you show and example of the point that links to your thesis you can become a successful speaker.

You can make people excited to listen to what you have to say. Dare I say maybe become a Nat King Cole and soothe your audience.

Washington State Parks: Potholes

This may be just the park the started it all. Not my initial thoughts on photographing Washington State Parks, but to write a book about them and for them.

I had been reading another photography guide book that I had been recommending to others and even lead a group out on one of the authors "trips." The book is well written, filled with insightful hints and tips. My intent here is not to discredit the author or his book. I have great respect for the author who is a talented photographer and writer who has written more than one photography guide that I use - which is why I am not sharing the title here.

However, while researching some parks on the east side of the Cascades, I ran across a passage for Potholes State Park that got me thinking. The passage said that Potholes State Park, like most Washington State Parks was no more than a campground in a mowed lawn. The author did go on to say that there were some nice marsh areas along the shore of the reservoir lake that are perfect for birds and bird photographers. But it was the - like most Washington State Parks, mowed lawn and campground - that got me wondering. Is this really the perception of our State Parks?

If that is the perception, then I want to change that perception. I wanted to show others that Washington's state parks can be photographic destinations.

And then the birth of a book.

I will admit that it you go to many of the parks that have campgrounds, the campsites are mostly on mowed lawns. Does make for room for kids to run and play near their parents. And the primary camping are for Potholes is just that. The cabins and tent sites are tucked away in the trees closer to the lake and creek. Here cottonwoods line the campsites, willows separate you from the marshes, marshes lead into the lake. Each of these provide food and shelter for birds and subject matter for bird photographers. There is also plenty of textures to photograph in these areas.

Near the day-use area and boat ramp are views of the lake and low-lying hills of the surrounding agricultural land. The park sits on the west end of the lake and faces the sunrise in the morning. They are tranquil mornings on the lake before the campers are awake. The birders begin to stir and swim across the pastel colored lake waters or fly through the multi-colored sky.

Beyond the campground, away from the lake is a landscape filled with sage and rabbit brush. Follow the short trail along the creek through the brush and grasses. More birds can be found here, but don't forget to look to your feet. In the spring lupine, phlox, lomatium and other wildflowers grow in the shade of the shrubs. I've even watched a beaver swimming in the grasses along the creek bed.

There is a lot here to explore and photograph.

Getting here:
From I-90 east bound - Take exit 164 for C NW Rd/Dodson Rd. Head south to Frenchman Hills Rd W, 10 miles and turn left. Follow Frenchman Hills Rd W to WA-262, 5 miles and turn left. Continue on WA-262 for 5 1/2 miles to Potholes State Park.
From I-90 west bound - Take exit 179 for WA 17 S and head south to Rd M SE for 2 miles. Turn right on Rd M SE and continue to WA-262, 7 miles. Follow WA-262 to Potholes State Park in another 7 miles.

Washington State Parks: Conconully

On the outskirts of the little town of Conconully which lies on the edge of the Okanagan National Forest, sits the small park of Conconully State Park. On the east side of the park site the town of (at last count) 210 residents and on the west side, Conconully Lake, a reservoir lake created by the Conconully dam.

I fist came here late one 4th of July. I didn't have a reservation for the campground and the town was buzzing with revelers. For a small town, they sure do know how to throw a party with live music well into the night and an old western-style gun battle scheduled for the next day. I found a parking spot just outside of the park along one of the roads, in between a truck and a couple of motorcycles, the riders of which were in town having some fun.

Zillah and I snuggled into the front seat of the car for a restless night's sleep - at some point in my life, sleeping in the car has ceased to be fun - but we made the best of the situation. At some point in the night, a storm passed through and fat raindrops splattered against the open window and into the car. I rolled the window up a bit. Cars drove by, drunks stumbled home and the night turned into morning.

It was morning that gave me my first sight of Conconully State Park, nestled in the hills looking out over the lake. Zillah and I startled some ducks as we meandered along the shore. An osprey dove into the water fishing for breakfast and the sunlight lit the surrounding hills, still trying to hold onto the last of the green of spring.

But that was last year. This year is a different story - the town residents and visitors have been ordered to evacuate the town as a fire bears down on the lake, the park and the historic buildings.

Fire has no direction - it goes as the winds push it and the fuel pulls it. And now a cute little town with 100+ years of history, festivals and western gun fights is in the path that fuel and wind have built for the fire. The little park on the shores of Conconully Lake with the ducks, osprey and old cottonwoods could be surrounded not by rolling green hills but hills blackened by flame and smoke and soot.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who had to flee for safety and the fire fighters trying to save the town. And prayers for big fat raindrops splashing down.