June 14, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Aurora Borealis in Washington State

The featured image above and this next image are from June7,2013, as Northern lights danced in the midnight and early morning sky while I danced around my camera in the silence of a mountain night… which is never really silent, but alive with the songs of the stars, the movement of nocturnal birds and animals. The sort of silence that refreshes my spirits even without the Aurora dancing overhead!

ahhh, a night when color filled the sky to the north of Mount Adams, in southern Washington. What a great night!

More of the same feeling of the deep night on June 1 as I snapped images from 1 am until sunrise near Mount Adams. The rich tones of the night recharged my spirits and brought me energy. This next slideshow is taken throughout that night into sunrise. I hope you enjoy!

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Please check out the sidebar links for more information on ordering prints of my work, as well as links for photo books .

The About the Photographer page is full of information and links as well!

Some helpful sites for watching Aurora forecasts include the following

http://www.softservenews.com/Aurora.htm

http://spaceweather.com/

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast?Date=20130601

This PDF document from NOAA explains more of how Auroras come about and why

I will include several larger images that are in the slide show, since it is so small and won’t let you click on individual images.

Image May 26, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Four Kitties and a loving Brother Roger

I love to go visit my brother Roger and his family in The peaceful friendly little mountain town of Trout Lake, Washington. I am always greeted with love and affection from the moment I step on the front porch. These four cats have grown up in this sometimes harsh outdoor environment with extreme heat and cold, and have thrived. Growing up sleeping together in one soft little bed on top of the wood box they’re always wrapping around each other like a continuous dance. I love to bury my face and arms into the pile trying to pet every one of them and receiving love in return. They are a challenge however to get a good picture of, because they’re always moving and so curious, and because the light is not so good under the covered porch. I was thrilled to finally get this picture. I had posted it on Facebook and we had a good laugh as each person in the family claimed those are their kitties. Through winter storms with snow sometimes 10 feet deep, through summer heat with temps up to 104 F, these cats have become the healthiest cats I know.

My brother Roger Black is a kind and loving man, treating others with compassion and humor mingled with a love of others he no doubt learned from our Mother and Father. About 11 years ago he had almost died from a heart fibrillation, alongside the road while driving. His loving daughter Sarah was able to get the car stopped, call 911, and then pull him out of the car onto the road where passersby helped her do CPR until the paramedics got there 15 minutes later. They thought he would possibly be a vegetable after that but because of the CPR he pulled through and surprised them all. If you ask him how old he is he will tell you 11 years old! He has enjoyed his new lease on life and along with it his grandchildren.

Roger and his kitties are survivors full of love and appreciation for life. I learned from them things like being grateful for the moment, being grateful for a roof over my head and food to eat and those who love me. I am grateful to those who believe in my talent, and my brother Roger is one of my biggest supporters And encouragers. He carried me on his shoulders when I was two and he was 18. He carries me through hard times now when he is 70 and I am 55. In spite of ongoing CLL Cancer, COPD and other problems, Roger keeps on ticking (with a defibrillator in his chest) and always has an encouraging word for others. He has great love for his wife Connie, his houseful of kids and grandkids (daughter Sarah, her husband Mark and son Aidan; a grown grandson Bugsy), as well as his daughter Carmen and her big family in Goldendale.
And still he always has lots of loving pets for the four beautiful Kitties on the porch
In this old family photo Roger is in the middle in the back row. I am the baby on Mom’s lap
.

And this is Roger today

May 25, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Rockaway Beach Kite Festival 2013

I was at the coast last week and caught the Kite Festival at Rockaway Beach in Oregon. The day started out cloudy but some blue sky started peeking out from the clouds, and it was a lovely day for kites.

Here are a few of the many shots I took. I may well add more as time goes on!

Enjoy

May 21, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

The Earth Cries

My heart and prayers go out to the people of Moore, Oklahoma as they struggle to overcome and find their lives after the tornado tore through their town and life on May 20, 2013. The stories that are pouring out on the news are unbelievably heartbreaking.

You can find links on the side bar for more information about my work and products along with the music of Leannan Sidhe. Thank you for viewing, and for adding your prayers for those who struggle.

May 10, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Wild Horses Couldn’t Drag Me Away!

I had the opportunity to drive over Satus Pass and see some herds of Wild Horses, with nearly as many colts as adults. They are so beautiful to watch, and the herds were made up of all colors. What a great treat! My one zoom lens, an EF 55-250 IS just was not up to the challenge and the detail is not great on the shots… I had to crop them hard to show the horses big enough, but they are still worth seeing!

This next two shots brought back happy memories of childhood… my favorite book was The Black Stallion! This might be a mare, I could not tell for sure at that distance.. but it really made me smile!

And a zoom in on a colt with a mop top bristle of a mane, they were so adorable!

WOW, HUH???

On the same day I also saw a Black Bear sniffing along after a Cinnamon Bear… I can guess what he wanted! She was PURTY! lol

Then he noticed us watching from the road

But his chosen Lady was calling his name and leaving scent for him

So on down the hill he went after her

After one more glance to be sure we were not coming any closer they both disappeared down into the draw

We waited around for a few moments, and sure enough they came back up closer to us, but the Bitterbrush and Sage was so tall along the slope all we could see was the tops of their backs moving, until the big Black came to a Ponderosa Tree and stood up in the shelter of its branches to better see what we were up to. When he threw himself back down I think the ground shook… his fur rippled heavily. Needless to say we were staying right in by the truck ready to jump back in if necessary.

It was also a lovely wildflower day, but I will save that for another post! Thanks for looking, and PLEASE DO FEEL FREE TO SHARE MY POST AND MY PAGE ON YOUR FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE PLUS, DROP ME A COMMENT AND LET ME KNOW SO I CAN COME VISIT. I LOVE COMPANY!

Also check out the links in the sidebar for prints and calendars and books, and there is even a donation button for those who just enjoy seeing my work online and wish to help me be able to continue sharing. I would not EVEN be able to take all these photos or have sharing sites without the support of those who believed in me and helped me out to this point.My heart is full of gratitude!

Thanks so much for your visit!

May 8, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Finally! A SmugMug Storefront for Prints!

After much learning I finally am opening
my SmugMug store.

Magical Kingdom of Aurora

I am still not happy with their pricing system, so I am going to set up a discount code to use on the Thin Wraps, Canvas Wraps, and Metal Prints. Meanwhile you can still go directly through me on those items via email at starlisa.black@gmail.com The discount code will be about 35% off the listed prices.

Feel free to give me suggestions or feedback if you see something not working well, or you can help me make it better.

I also still have books and calendars, you can find information in the sidebar menu under Calendars and Books..

April 8, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Gratefully Home From My Adventures

I just got back from a week in Utah. I will do a longer post soon with more photos but will give you the brief highlights here. I was able with the help of others to go to my aunts funeral and visit with family. I also made a three-day trip To Arches National Park which was wonderful. Coming home we had a Vehicle malfunction in Pendleton, Oregon, however we made it on home by midnight with the help of AAA and friends and family.

March 20, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Emerald Roads Call My Name

Have you had moments in life when the sun suddenly pops out from behind the clouds and grabs you attention, telling you “GO THIS WAY NOW!!!”? I had one of those Monday morning.

I headed out early in hopes of a good sunrise, and although sunrise fizzled I still got to spend a couple hours in a magical green kingdom far above the busy world below. Rolling on moss beds taking photos of Grass Widows and moss, and River far below, in a world apart. Yes it was a bit cold, but I was well prepared.. Sure the wind was a lot to take while shooting flowers, but there were calmer moments. A perfect morning simply discovering the details in a place not far from home that i had never seen before.

Grass Widows along the bluff above the Columbia River

THere were bits of history laying about too, parts of life from long ago.

and across the river I can almost see my home among the many homes in White Salmon, Washington.

and there was even a hint of a rainbow in the distance on Underwood Mountain!

ALSO a reminder before I go… I have my gallery show at the White Salmon Community Library until the last Saturday in March.. not much time left to go check it out if you are in the area! Turnout has been amazing, and feedback has totally surprised and recharging to my spirit, thank you to all who have given me such lavish feedback!

You can also check out my side bar links, under Calendars and Books tab, to find galleries detailing my available photo books.

Thank you!

Darlisa Black

Starlisa Black Photography

Image March 16, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

February Fire and New Photo Sites

February Fire

Sunset in the Columbia Gorge on 02/02/2013 from White Salmon, WA

I have been working hard on creating a SmugMug site. At this point i have not paid to upgrade to Pro, and so I do not have a store enabled, but when I am ready to make that change it should be easy. At that point I will tie my website and SmugMug site together better, but meanwhile here is a PREVIEW OF MY SMUGMUG GALLERIES if you would like to come poke around. It is still under construction, and feedback on design and ease of use is VERY WELCOME!

Meanwhile I have happy news, my Artist Reception at the White Salmon Library was an amazing success thanks to my many friends and family and a few random passersby. There were 60-70 in attendance, and several people made print orders. The show is still hanging until the last Saturday of March, and if you contact me I can try to meet you there!

Thanks everyone!

Darlisa Black

February 23, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Welcome to My World, where the air is fresh and the Clouds are Beautiful

STARLISA BLACK PHOTOGRAPHY

Darlisa Black PO Box 190, Husum, WA 98623 http://www.starlisablackphotography.com

EMAIL: starlisa.black@gmail.com

My Mother and Father taught me to love the world around me… and if I can help others to see with new eyes and find joy by showing that beauty through photography. I have accomplished my hearts goal. Husum, WA is my childhood home and I consider home to be anywhere from Mount Adams to the Columbia River. I give thanks to my parents for their love for Nature and God, and for the years we spent immersed in nature as i grew up in this paradise.

I do NOT have a storefront, but you can contact me about special orders . MORE INFORMATION in sidebar links under Calendars and Books

CURRENT EVENTS:

February 2013 is a showing at Skyline Hospital, and

March 2013 will be a showing in the White Salmon Library with an Artist Reception March 9, 6-8 pm.

Photo notecards can be purchased locally at Artisan’s Jewelry and Gallery, in White Salmon; and in Heavenly Grounds in Trout Lake; as well as The Hood River Hotel gift shop. In the summer I can often be found at the Trout Lake Saturday market with my new photo books, calendars, cards and prints. Here is another link for a PDF brochure about Trout Lake, in Klickitat County, WA.

LINKS for my Photos online:

IN THE SIDEBAR ON THIS PAGE are links to all my photo sharing sites such as Facebook, Flickr, and Google+ as well as my other blog “In Search of Life’s Beauty”.

Keeping up with this modern age of social media and such has finally pushed me into the modern age and I can now take debit and credit cards with my iPhone, as well as Paypal, cash and checks… got it covered! I do not yet have an internet storefront however.

Most of my images are available as prints of many sizes, as well as Metal Prints, Thin Wraps, Canvas Gallery Wraps of most sizes.

: The Photographer, Darlisa Black

There have been several gallery showings of my photography in 2011-2013

PREVIOUSLY SHOWN

at Grounds Espresso and North Shore Cafe, and The Inn of the White Salmon, and North Shore Clinic in White Salmon, Washington; Three finalist images in the Chasing the Light Show in the Columbia Art Gallery in Hood River, Oregon in August 2012.

December 2012 and January 2013 was a photo exhibit at Solstice Wood Fired Cafe in Bingen, WA.

Published Works:

Several of my images have now been published in books, magazines and calendars . Here are a few examples

“Weather Guide Calendar” by Accord Publishing has featured some of my rainbows and lenticular Clouds for 4 years running (2011, 2012 both have full page month images and 2013 had a small Lenticular image. 2014 will have a full size Lightning photo)

“Weather of the Pacific Northwest” by Cliff Mass, atmospheric scientist at University of Washington, is an excellent weather book for the Northwest, and includes a lenticular image over Mount Adams. On his weather blog, Cliff posted about my work, calling me a “SKY POET”. I liked that! I am particularly fond of Lenticular clouds and have a large collection of images featuring these unusual formations, and am known on Flickr as the Queen of Lenticulars! That bit makes me chuckle… as I know I am no queen! But I thank my Flickr and Facebook friends for the encouragement.

Cross Country Magazine has printed two of my Lenticular images in an article on Mountain Wave Clouds

The Stranger Magazine, Seattle Magazine, and others have published images of mine, and many have been shown on news stations such as KOIN 6 and KPTV 12 over the last three years.

“The Infinity Loop”, a travel guide published by Clackamus County had a Gorge and Mount Hood image on the cover in

2011

On another note… I have two website addresses, starlisa.net currently points to this blog as the website with that name was hacked and I have yet to fix things!

Thank you for coming to VISIT!!!