“Sparks Lake Garden” Fine Art print

Description

“Sparks Lake Garden” Fine Art Print

Sparks Lake, Deschutes National Forest, Bend Oregon

This beautiful fine art photo was captured just 25 miles from Bend, Oregon, along the Cascades Lakes Scenic Byway.  Sparks Lake has a naturally elegant composition which excites the senses outdoor adventurers and landscape photographers, like myself. Sparks Lake was a favorite photography location for the legendary Oregon photographer, Ray Atkeson,

Sparks is a shallow lake with a maximum depth of 7 feet.  It’s epic views of South Sister, Broken Top Mountain, and Mt. Bachelor and shallow depth make it a watery playpen for Central Oregon. With 780 acres of surface area, Sparks is one of the gems of the Deschutes National Forest. Fishing, paddling, hiking and camping and Mt. Biking are some of the favorite activities associated with Sparks Lake.

The Cascades Lakes Scenic Byway makes for a glorious drive in spring, summer or early autumn.  Other nearby stops on the Cascade Lakes Highway include, Elk Lake, and Hosmer Lake.

Sparks Lake Garden the Fine Art Photograph

As I live in Bend, only 25 miles from Sparks Lake, I’ve photographed this beautiful lake hundreds of times.  I’ve captured other beautiful fine art prints of this fantastic location but this image had eluded me until recently.  Please visit my other fine art photographs of Sparks Lake, “Sparks Lake Sunrise” and “Morning Elegance“.

Aquilegia formosa, Western Columbine

This fine art photograph, Sparks Lake Garden, had its own difficulties.  The wildflowers in the foreground of this scene can be gorgeous or….non existent, dependent upon the yearly weather patterns.  Some years, this image doesn’t exist.

The beautiful Orange wildflowers in the fine art print are Aquilegia formosa, commonly know as the Western Columbine.  They are stunning.  They are also fraught with frustrations. Western Columbine blow in the the slightest wind.  They have a very short  bloom period, leaving brown, dead, crispy, ugly flower carcasses in their wake.  Also, they get aphids.  I hate aphids!  Aphids leave a gooey, gelatinous debris on the leaves of Western Columbine.  Fortunately, in optimal weather years, Western Columbine may not be stricken by the nefarious aphid and this was one of those aphid free years!

Without aphids, Western Columbine are spectacular.  They have a whimsical form and wonderful color combinations of orange, yellow and green.    In addition to columbines, Sparks Lake Garden includes Bleeding Hearts and yellow composite in the senecio family.

Wildflowers and the Oregon Cascades aren’t the only elements that make this fine art print.  The reflection is key.  As Sparks Lake is settled in an open basin, it tends to be windy.  Winds not only juggles wildflowers, it disturbs reflections.  This windless morning allowed for mist to settle on the surface of Sparks Lake and for Broken Top Mountain to be reflected in the glassy waters.

Another note about composition….This image captures much of what makes the Cascade Lakes and all of Central Oregon.  Mountain Views, wildflowers, greenery, and volcanic origins all make for an elegant fine art landscape photograph which shares the natural essence of Bend and the Central Oregon region.