Ashley Fetner Fine Art Photography

Looking across the Great Salt Lake from Antelope Island State Park you can see the mountains of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Due to the great recreational area found in these mountains, Salt Lake City won the right to host the 2002 Winter Olympics. The forest has 1.3 million acres including 7 wilderness areas and is the most frequently visited forest in the nation. Wasatch is a Ute Indian word meaning “low places in high mountains” and Cache is French meaning “to hide”. The name of the forest pays tribute to the early fur trappers and the Indians whose survival and livelihood depended on the resources of the forest.
Kay

 ”Work of the Master”

The Outer Banks is a string of narrow barrier islands, more than 130 miles long, that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean and covers approximately half of the North Carolina Coastline. The history of the Outer Banks dates back to the 16th century with England’s attempt to colonize the New World. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is the birthplace of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World. The nations longest running outdoor drama “The Lost Colony”, on Roanoke Island, depicts the mysterious disappearance of the 116 English men, women and children that first occupied these islands.
No changes were made in the colors in this image—this is the way it was when the sun came up that morning on the Outer Banks-
Kay
        

 The Cotton Press

This cotton press in Oak Grove South Carolina is thought to be the oldest in existence. It was built in 1798 and was first owned by John Bethea III and later owned by Henry Berry. After the cotton was picked it was weighed and spread out to dry in the sun. Then the cotton fiber was separated from the seed by the process known as ginning and the fiber was put into the press to form the bales of cotton. The press was powered by mules or oxen rotating the beam to tighten the press. To preserve the press, in 1948 a Berry descendent moved the press to its present site.
Visiting this site brought back memories–when I was in the 8th grade I decided to build a model of the cotton press for my history project. I knew enough about building to know that I needed to ask my Dad for help!  When “we” finished I had a working model of a cotton press—complete with mules (plastic) and cotton bales!
Dad was very pleased to know “he” had the best history project in the 8th grade!
Kay

“Fire Within”

Ashley and I recently visited Lower Antelope Canyon on the Navajo reservation in Page Arizona.  In both the upper and lower canyons there are hidden “slots” that are carved into the Navajo sandstone.  Sam, our native guide told us that as a child he and the other children wanted to play in the “slot” canyons but they were not allowed.  The Elders believed these to be the “Home of the Spirits”-a spiritual and sacred place –only to be entered in a state of quiet and reverence.  Even today the Navajo ask that as you enter you do so in a respectful manner.

Descending into the canyon I had a sense of another time and a “presence” that was not my own.  Light and rock worked together as the changing patterns, shapes and colors swirled and curved all around me-truly a magical and beautiful place!  There were rocks like giant waves and I found myself “listening” for that roaring sound they make when they hit the beach!

I am not found of “tight” spaces and there were times when we had to turn our bodies sideways and “wiggle” through the rocks (with camera equipment & backpack!) to continue on in the canyon.  When taking camera equipment in you have to be careful of winds gusts up top.  They will cause fine sand to sprinkle down that will damage your camera lens if they are not covered.  We had a couple of gusts just before we climbed out but we had covers!

Ashley captures some wonderful images and I definitely agree with the Elders…the Spirits must reside here-

Kay

“Nurture”

 
 The world famous Skyline Drive runs the full length of the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and connects directly to the 469 mile Blue Ridge Parkway. Construction began even before the park was begun. President Herbert Hoover brought the drive about as a drought relief measure and it was completed in 1939 during President Roosevelt’s administration. Along both sides of the Skyline Drive you can experience ridges, valleys, hills, hollows, streams, waterfalls, meadows, forests and countless mountain ranges.
 The Big Meadow area lies approximately in the middle of the park along Skyline Drive.   It was in this area that Ashley captured this image.  It was early morning as we were walking through the meadow and we saw the doe and her fawn from a distance, just as Ashley set up his camera to photograph, the fawn began to nurse!
Kay

  So I guess you were expecting Clint Eastwood??  Sorry to disappoint you!

We visited Paria Canyon, located between Kanab Utah and Page Arizona.  It is a beautiful canyon (pictures in later blog) made up of multi-colored sandstone and is in the heart of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.
The Lost Lady Saloon is part of the Paria Movie Set located in the “middle of nowhere” in Paria Canyon where television shows and movies have been filmed.  The saloon is just one of the buildings on the set.  It appears to be a main street in the old west complete with a general store, bank, jail and other buildings.  In fact, now that I am aware of this area, I have seen the canyon and this “main street” in several television movies.  The last movie to be filmed here was “The Outlaw Josey Wells” and inside the saloon are posters on the wall to commemorate the film.
We are the only “drifters” in town today—streets are deserted –the only sounds are the dry winds blowing through the canyon- 
Kay

 In the early 1800’s it was estimated that 65 million bison roamed throughout North America. But market hunting and poaching had a devastating effect on the population and by 1890 only 1,000 remained. Even after the establishment of Yellowstone National Park, the protection for the bison did not occur until the army arrived in 1886 to protect the park and its resources. Bison are the largest mammals living in the park and Yellowstone is the only place in the lower 48 where the population of wild bison has persisted since pre-historic times. They are truly majestic animals weighing up to 2000 pounds and standing 6 feet at the shoulders. They may look big and slow but they can run up to 30 MPH! In the summer you can find them in the grassy areas and in the winter they stay near the thermal areas of the geyser basins for warmth. Some of the best areas in Yellowstone to spot the bison are the Hayden Valley along the Yellowstone River, Lamar Valley and the Madison, Firehole and Gibbon Rivers.
We were going around a curve and started up a hill when “out of nowhere” a herd of bison came running full speed down the road straight toward us—Ashley stopped, opened the window and began to photograph—they ran on both sides of the car so close I could have touched them! Snorting and wild eyed they just ignored us like we were not there! There must have been 10 to 15 bison—it took us “a minute” to re-group and continue up the road.  If we had been a few minutes earlier or later we would have missed this amazing encounter- 
Glad we were “on time”-
Kay

“Portland Head Light”

 Cape Elizabeth Maine is the home of the Portland Head Light which is the oldest of Maine’s sixty-six lighthouses. It was built during the Presidency of George Washington and is the oldest operating lighthouse in America. It is located along the shores of Fort William Park. Fort William was a military asset in World War ll not only protecting the shoreline of Cape Elizabeth, but also providing the Harbor Defense for Portland.
It has been said that it is the most photographed lighthouse in North America with nearly one million visitors per year.
I found it interesting that the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland and visited the lighthouse frequently in his younger days.  He wrote a poem “The Lighthouse” which was probably inspired by time spent there -
                                               The rocky ledge runs far out into the sea
                                                 And on its outer point, some miles away,
                                                 The lighthouse lifts its massive masonry,
                                                  A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day.
                                                                          - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “The Lighthouse”
Kay

 This total lunar eclipse occurred when the entire moon passed through the earth’s umbra shadow. This whole event was visible from Europe, Africa, parts of South America and some areas in North America, Asia and Western Australia. In this photograph the 6th Magnitude Star 56 Leonis can be seen coming out from behind the moon.

Ashley photographed this image from the balcony of the hotel where we staying for the North Carolina Professional Photographers Convention.  What was interesting to me –he was the only photographer at the convention photographing the eclipse!

Kay

 “Mammoth Hot Springs”

Yellowstone National Park headquarters are located at the Northern entrance to the park at Mammoth Hot Springs. Here you will find some of the oldest buildings in the park, including barracks when the US Army was managing Yellowstone. Also you will find some of the most unique geological formations of terraces and hot springs that makes this one of the most popular destinations in the park. Water from melting snow and rain seep into the earth and is heated by magna with in the Yellowstone volcano and rises to the surface through cracks in the earths crust. This super-heated water pours out over the terraces leaving mineral deposits that create a living sculpture. The amazing range of colors is due to the micro-organisms and living bacteria in the water and without the water there would be no terrace growth and the colors would disappear. The terraces are constantly changing with new pools forming and others drying up.
Words are inadequate to describe Yellowstone National Park—just when you think you have seen the most extraordinary site - you round a curve or turn a corner–
Kay