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.

June 6, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

The Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain

Recently we have been blessed in the Columbia River Gorge by a visit from the Tall Ships. This set of images were taken as they approached Hood River on the East bound journey

Along their way at various ports these historic Ships give tours (for a small donation of $3) of the ships, often with people in costume and focused on education. And for a larger price they also sell tickets for rides on the sailing vessels.

In these images, the ship with sails up is the Lady Washington, and the other ship is the Hawaiian Chieftain.

They are a joy to watch sail!
You can find more information about their schedule here. http://historicalseaport.org/sail-with-us/public-sail-schedule/
Thurs June 7 in Arlington, Friday in Umatilla, and a mock battle in Pasco Saturday afternoon.

Also please do check out the links on the right-hand side of my blog and my menus. My photography can be found for purchase at smug mug, Or by contacting me directly at starlisa.black@gmail.com. There are also links for my Facebook and Flickr sites. I currently have a small show Amy at North Shore Café for a little bit more time. I have pictures on display at skyline Hospital in the waiting room for the visiting physicians, as well as one in the lobby. North Shore clinic near the hospital also has several of my images, Some of which are for sale along with the ones in the hospital.

If you are in the area I may be set up half the day on Saturday at the new Saturday market in Lyle, Washington. Starting at the end of June for the rest of the summer I will often be found at Trout Lake Saturday Market with my books, cards and prints. I do calendars as well although I am currently out for 2013 and have not yet designed calendars for 2014.
Hope to see you around somewhere! Oh and by the way I am currently having a sale for a few days at North Shore Café in White Salmon, Washington. You can find all of these links available on my about page.

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!

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

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!!!

January 29, 2013 by Starlisa Black Photography

Joy in Living

I found myself thinking about the idea of Joy and what it means to me, and it has little to do with acquisitions in the world, how much money I have, or what kind of work I do. It is those moments in time when all feels right in the universe, and I can feel the Divine Love reflected in the beauty of that moment. It might be in the smile of a child, a spunky spirit in a 90 year old, the brilliant temporary flash of a Rainbow, the spring leaves unfurling, or a tendril of hair tossed by a capricious breeze that wants to play. Life is full of such moments if you are aware… in fact today I stood and visited for half an hour with a woman who is 90, and we laughed and cried together remembering long ago days…I felt recharged!

My Daughter provides many of those moments of Joy for me, as it should be! Leannan Sidhe is a musician, an artist, seamstress, dancer and writer among other things, and of course I love her with all my heart! She is currently trying to finish up her second album of her own original music,

Leannan-GreenEyes-4963

Leannan Sidhe can also be listened to on my playlist on YouTube

She also has a BandCamp page with her first album available for purchase here

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This next image called Land of the Light was a magic moment that I am convinced was a gift from my Mother, Nina Black. She loved these lenticular clouds we get over the Cascades, and I carry on her tradition. I felt a push that day to drive up a road I don’t often go, and as a result got this image that was a contest finalist in the Chasing the Light contest and displayed in Hood River, Oregon at the Columbia Art Gallery in August 2012 along with the other 39 finalists. So THANKS MOM!

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As many of you know, I LOVE clouds, and wild skies… especially lenticular clouds. This next one was happening one day as I got off work in White Salmon… the cloud is up near to Mount Adams and this is only half of it peeking over the Ridge. All my tiredness washed away and I chased it all the way to Trout Lake.

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This next image has a wild feeling of Joy for me… hope you enjoy it too Joy in the midst of adversity, against all odds

So, just a few images to bring you a smile I hope! Browse the links in the side bar for information about my books and calendar, and I have prints available on order. I am now able to take credit and debit cards via paypal by sending money from your paypal to starlisa.black@gmail.com or by contacting me at the above email. i am able to take payment over the phone also.

and now the sun is returning outside so I am tying this up until later! Enjoy!

Darlisa Black

December 29, 2012 by Starlisa Black Photography

My daughter Leannan Sidhe and her Music Project

Click on the photo to visit Leannan Sidhe’s Indiegogo project and see her fun video from Halloween concert.

Leannan Sidhe is a Singer Songwriter working on recording her second album of Original Music. Her melodic tunes take on mystical and fairie like qualities, at times reminiscent of singers like Enya and other Celtic musicians. She is also my daughter, and I am so proud of her! She writes her own unique songs, based on stories of life.

Her first album sold well, and with help from an earlier Kickstarter Project she has made it mostly through recording on this second album, but does not have enough to finish Mastering and Duplicating the album. By jumping in and pledging now, you will be prepaying for a copy of the music when it is finished, or depending on the level of pledge there are other prizes as well.

Please take the time to go listen to her title song on the link above, and come tell me what you think!

Thanks!

Darlisa

December 16, 2012 by Starlisa Black Photography

Snowstorm Dec. 15, 2012

White Salmon was turned into a fairyland Saturday afternoon and evening, children and adults were throwing snowballs and walking around looking at Christmas lights in the snow… invigorating and beautiful! Good to enjoy while you can, by morning it was half melted and looking more bleak.

These are all iPhone shots taken around town during the storm