The Palouse Guy

Busy at Harvest - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009- All Rights Reserved

Lines are wonderful elements in a photograph. They draw the viewer’s eye through the image from one spot to the next, sometimes all the way around and sometimes in one direction. In the image above the line in the wheat as well as the direction of the combine leads you to the other elements in the scene.

Truck Fills the Landscape - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Lines can put emphasis on distance or illustrate a relationship between foreground and background elements. The truck in the image above acts as a leading line as well as gives some perspective to the combine hard at work in the background.

Riding the Slope - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Curved lines or S curves suggest sensuality, elegance and a serene sense of balance.  S curves don’t necessarily need to be S-shaped; any form of a winding line can be used.

Combine at Work - Copyright Gary Hamburgh 2009 - All Rights Reserved

Evening Harvest by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

A busy time of the year is upon us in the Palouse. According to my local sources, wheat harvest has begun in some areas. When the wheat is ready, work is happening seven days a week from dawn to dark. For me, it is an exciting time with the dust, large combines, golden wheat and the exotic patterns that are created as everyone rushes to gather in the bountiful harvest.

Creating Patterns by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

It is interesting to photograph all aspects of the harvest. Visiting small one man operations as well as large scale farming lets you see the full spectrum of this seasonal event. Many opportunities to see the combines at work can be seen as you drive along the highway. It is also a thrill to travel some of the gravel and dirt roads in the region to see the harvest in the back country.

Harvesting the Wheat by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

I usually ask around who is cutting and it seems as though most people are very much aware as to where the harvest is taking place. Another way that I find a field that is being cut is to follow the large trucks that are in the process of hauling the grain to the various elevators in the area.

A Deere at Work by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

I hope you have the time to get involved in this fascinating world of big time productive farming in the Palouse. I know you will come away with wonderful memories and a great collection of images from your experience.

Farm in the Fog by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

My favorite place to spend time while visiting in the Palouse is Steptoe Butte. This thimble-shaped quartzite butte with an elevation of 3,612 feet provides a viewpoint to observe the rolling landscape in any direction. I truly enjoy how a different view is provided each time based on the available light and time of year.

I visit the butte each time I am near Colfax because I am always rewarded with the exhilarating feeling of driving the narrow road with its switchbacks to the top. The feeling is that you are on top of the world.

Allow plenty of time to enjoy the changing light either in the early morning or  evening.  This will provide you the opportunity to be a part of the entire experience. Capturing great images is always a bonus but this is still a great adventure even if the light is not perfect.

Take the time to visit this butte and enjoy an incredible “mountaintop” experience.

Dahmen Barn with Wheel Fence by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

From time to time I like to just share another place that I enjoy shooting in the Palouse. One of my favorite areas is in the vicinity of Union Town. There are many barns and fields in this area that add to the photo opportunities. Union Town is located about halfway between Pullman and Lewiston.

One of the main attractions in Union Town is the Dahmen barn which has a famous wheel fence. Currently there are over 1000 wheels in the fence. I like to photograph in the early morning for the best light but any time of day provides an interesting attraction allowing for creativity in combining the fence with the barn.

Barn through the Wheels by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

There is an art gallery in the barn which makes for an enjoyable way to see art as well as explore the barn. This is definitely a great area to visit and should be on your short list as you explore the Palouse.

If you would like more information about the barn and the activities that take place there follow this link Dahmen Barn.

Canyon View by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

I stated in an earlier post while talking about Palouse Falls State Park that there are some good opportunities for views of the canyon in the area. It is alway difficult lighting so I used a series of three exposures to create an HDR image. I am using the software program Photomatix Pro for combining and processing the images to the final HDR. It has been a good tool for me as it actually includes tonal mapping to get the final image.

I will outline the steps below that I used to process the final image that you see at the top of this page. The 3 original images are pictured below. I took them at a 2/3 stop exposure difference.

Image 1 by Gary Hamburgh

Image 2 by Gary Hamburgh

Image 4 by Gary Hamburgh

At this point I imported the HDR image into Aperture for storage and some final adjustments. Once in Aperture I used the plugin Color EFX Pro 3.0 by Nik software for some tonal curves adjustment. After this process the image as seen at the top of this page was created.

I have been very happy using Photomatix Pro software to create these kinds of images. As with any special processing, I believe this kind of tool should be used sparingly but it is useful in high contrast situations to control extreme lighting.

Hopefully this view of the Palouse will encourage a trip for some unique photo opportunities to this beautiful area in eastern Washington.

The Codger Pole by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

While visiting the Palouse you will encounter in some of the small towns a landmark or statue that has significant meaning to the residents of the town. In Colfax, if you ask a local what are the sights of interest I almost always hear “Have you seen the Codger Pole?”

This Pole is located in the middle of town and as you drive down Main Street you can see it from your car. I would suggest getting out and exploring the Pole and the sign that tells the story. Below in the photo, I have included the sign that tells the legend.

The Codger Pole Legend by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved

These side trips can be taken during the middle of the day while you are waiting for the evening light to photograph the landscape of the Palouse. Exploring the small towns and getting a feel for the culture can provide some very rewarding experiences for you.