I-80 : Donner Pass

Continuing on my I80 series, this is the latest portrait near Donner Pass, CA.

Often under snow at this time of the year, this field is usually part of the Donner Memorial State Park's cross country ski trails. But last week it was very warm.

Donner Lake, 1866 (photo Library of Congress)

The most notorious history about this area is the infamous winter of 1946, and the Donner Party's failed attempt at crossing the pass in late November.

 

More about Donner Lake history:

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-donnerparty4.html

I-80

(the series finally has a real title)

On a cold day in mid-January, we decided to bail on skiing for the day on ice and rocks (very little snow this year in Tahoe) and focus on exploring the nearby structures. 

This corrugated steel structure is an enigmatic guardian to something we can't figure out. It has a bit of an overhang in the front, looking almost like a loading dock for loading up a truck bed with road salt. But there's no trap door, the window is boarded up and it's pretty much seemingly unremarkable. I set up a couple lights, moved a couple giant logs and did my thing by the lone pine tree and window in back.

 

 

The next day the sun came out and we rode the gondola:

Hike through the railroad tunnel at Donner Pass

On a rather balmy afternoon last week we hiked through an abandoned railroad tunnel at Donner Pass, look at graffiti and some artists at work, and saw a view of the mountain we'd never seen before.

Tony at the Oddfellow's Hall, Reno

Today I woke up early, intent on making a photo at this mural in Reno. 

One can see it from Interstate 80, and it turns out that it decorates the outer wall of the Reno Oddfellows Hall. It was rather hard to find, due to it being a private parking lot to a private building.

The rock and the tree peeking over the top are all I feel like saying about the rest of the space..

 

The colors tell a bit maybe of what hellfire might do to the sky, and what a flood might do to the desert, but are really cool and make for a great mural.

Looking westward from Sugarbowl's Mount Disney, this is a bit of what you actually see up in the mountains. The only orange is in a big warning not to make ski patrol have to come find you if you go beyond the sign.

standing in under the tree..

Portrait / Not a Portrait

Ski Season 2014. 

Again, seasons passes to the slopes, and time to push the boundary of what's mundane and challenge myself to make some new photos while on the road.

The added knowledge of learning that my portrait subject is beginning to dread this ritual, I am trying to learn to make quick decisions on what will be photogenic and what will be worth the set-up and standing-around time. Deciding to poke around more in the tilt-up warehouse region of suburban Sparks, we drove until I found this play of light and shadow.

 

There is something interesting to me in taking a portrait of someone, but making them a minor element. As this project progresses I find that I'm more drawn to the photos with less of Tony and more of a setting Tony happens to be in.

The wall without artificial lighting and without human.

poor little snow-barren Sugar Bowl

some miscellaneous notes for next time:

ate brekke here

learn to ski moguls better

gas was $3.35 at Arco in Auburn