Coloured Rocks, River, Dry Grass (B&W): Smith Rocks, OR

On a walk after a day of rock climbing, I found a grand view of this lazy, winding river from the rim of a fantastic basalt canyon.  The water was low, and I could see how it had worn away at the volcanic rock, taming and smoothing it, leaving a soft white trace of minerals to mark its work.

The river rocks looked to me like slowly melting ice cubes, and I photographed it that way.  There were cold white clouds in the evening sky, adding a delicious cool cast to the shady valley.  I filled the frame with the melting rocks, letting the river slide smoothly through the corners of the frame.  The end result reminds me of a creek bed full of ice, breaking up under the chilly spring sun.

Coloured Rocks, River, Dry Grass (B&W): Smith Rocks, OR, 2005

I have created two interpretations of this scene.  The Colour Photograph is a match to the original slide, while the Black and White Photograph is a second interpretation in monochrome.