I am proud to announce the release of “Smith Rock Morning”, my newest fine art photograph which I will unveil at the upcoming First Friday(11/6/2015) Art Walk at Crows Feet Commons( 875 NW Brooks Street, Bend, Or).  I’ll be at Crow’s Feet from 5-9PM with a huge collection of my new and old work, as well as my new Bend Wild Calendar. My work will be displayed at Crow’s Feet through the end of December, so stop by at any time to enjoy great coffee, wonderful beer and My fine art landscape photographs!  My newest work, “Smith Rock Morning” is seen below.

Smith Rock State Park and the Crooked River, Central Oregon.

Smith Rock is a jewel in the Oregon State Park system and gladly it is located just a short drive from my home in Bend, Oregon.  I’ve been traveled to Smith Rock hundreds of times and have alway been amazed by the variation in photographic conditions that can occur.  I visualized this fine art photograph years ago and finally the conditions cooperated for me to capture this beautiful image.  The Crooked river levels were perfect, fall color was near its peak and amazing clouds were swirling over the pinnacles of my favorite rock feature at Smith Rock, know as “The Monument”.  I had visited this exact location for 3 consecutive days before capturing this image with my trusty 4×5 film camera.  To reach this spot, in the middle of the Crooked River, I had to precariously scramble from boulder to boulder while not dropping my 45 lbs of camera gear into the the depths below!  At several spots, I could barely stretch from one rock to the next.  I was thankful for my 6’2″ frame!  I spent several hours on that boulder enjoying the spectacular clouds overhead  and enjoying the playful antics of a family of otters, until just the right moment, when the Monument was illuminated, with moody clouds overhead.  This new fine art photograph of Smith Rock State Park achieves my primary goal as a photographer.  That goal is to capture, on film, what I consider to be the essence of a place.  Stunning vertical spires, an elegant river, dramatic clouds and the fantastic textures of one of Oregon’s most beautiful locations.  Please come see this beautiful new photograph of Smith Rock,  at Crow’s Feet Commons, tomorrow( 11/6/2015) during the First Friday Art Walk!

Thanks For Visiting,

Mike Putnam