Art – Page 2 – Ryan Voigtman

06Jul 2017 by Ryan 1 Comment

Exploring Whiskeytown: Brandy Creek Falls

Last week I hiked to Brandy Creek Falls. It is a short 1.5 mile hike with around a 500 foot elevation change. At the start you go mostly uphill on the way to the waterfall, so when you head back out its faster and almost all downhill. This is a hike that I've always felt is more about reaching the destination (Brandy Creek Waterfall) and not much else. I went early in the morning and had the trail to myself. On the way out there were two other people headed in. Unfortunately because of the time and coolness the mosquitoes were still out in swarms and if I stopped to take a photo they were on me in the dozens. Seriously I've never felt so many of them on me…

04Jul 2017 by Ryan No Comments

Independence Day Fireworks

Art, Series and Works

After work today I went to watch the fireworks in Redding. I wasn't sure where I wanted to go, but ended up at the Bank Of America at the end of Placer Street. I wanted somewhere that was convenient and easy to get out of, otherwise you get stuck in traffic for a while. In this aspect the spot worked out great. The view of the firework show was alright. Some of the lower fireworks were hidden by trees of buildings. I probably wouldn't go back to this spot just because of the view. [gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="469,470,468,467,466,465,464"]

02Jul 2017 by Ryan No Comments

Exploring Whiskeytown: Crystal Creek Falls

Art, Series and Works

Crystal Creek Falls is my favorite Waterfall to photograph out at Whiskeytown Recreation Area. It not much of a hike, being only a half mile round trip. I usually stop by this waterfall anytime I am in the area. The photographs below are from three different visits to Crystal Creek Falls, two in February, and one just last week when I was at Crystal Creek Water Ditch Trail. I also have two Photo-Spheres from the falls, one was taken with my Nexus 6P last week, the other with my old Galaxy phone in February, when I took the photo it was a light drizzle that day and makes the photo look almost foggy. [sphere 460] [sphere 459] I find it interesting that in just four months my Processing style has changed.…

30Jun 2017 by Ryan 2 Comments

Exploring Whiskeytown: Crystal Creek Water Ditch Trail

Art, Series and Works

This trail just recently reopened, after being closed in 2013 due to flooding of the trail. I hiked this trail once before it was closed, and had found memories of it. So I am glad to see this trail once again open. The trail reopened on June 15th, 2017 and I was there on the 21st. I think this is one of the less known about trails at Whiskeytown. As the name implies this hike takes you along a historic water ditch that originally provided water to the Camden House Orchard, and now once again after some repairs is providing water to the same orchards. You start just above the Clean-Out house, more of a shed really. It houses a water-wheel mechanism that will rake larger debris such as a…

23Jun 2017 by Ryan No Comments

Exploring Whiskeytown: Mill Creek Trail

Art, Series and Works

Mill Creek trail is one of those connecting trail, it seems like its purpose is to connect to as many other trails as possible. I decided to just do the creek side of the trail that you can access from the Tower House Historical District. And even at that I cut it a bit short. According to the guide page this trail crosses the creek 20 times. I believe it from what I saw. I crossed the creek 9 times on my adventure into this trail, and eventually I was just over it. Hopping from stone to stone and then walking 500 feet and doing it again. Yep totally over it. Judging from the state of the trail it is not well traveled as it was a bit overgrown, often…

22Jun 2017 by Ryan No Comments

Exploring Whiskeytown: Camden Water Ditch Trail

Art, Series and Works

Fast forward from March to June...that was a long break from hiking looking back, I was using work as an excuse to do nothing. Anyways last week on June 15th I was back at the Tower House Historical District to walk the Camden Water Ditch Trail. Also known as the wildflower trail, to me anyways. The trail is flat and easy going and only around a mile long. [gallery columns="4" size="medium" ids="378,387,386,385,384,383,382,381,380,379"] The Panorama Sphere for today looks down the hill at some wildflowers, and in between the trees you can see the Camden House. [sphere 390]

21Jun 2017 by Ryan No Comments

Exploring Whiskeytown: Clear Creek Vista Trail

Art, Series and Works

Well I feel behind on blogging about my exploration out at Whiskeytown. So this hike is from all the way back on March 31st. I had been completing the hikes out at the Tower House Historical District, and this was on on my list that I had never done before. Now that I have completed this hike I'm not really sure why I hadn't hiked this before and I highly recommend this one. This hike starts off with a small climb up the mountain, but then it levels out as you are walking along an old irrigation ditch. After a short walk you get to the main portion of this hike, the views. You can see a long ways from the vantage you have into the valley below. Including the…

17Apr 2017 by Ryan No Comments

Exploring Whiskeytown: Whiskeytown Falls Trail

Art, Series and Works

On March 23rd I ventured out to the Whiskeytown Falls Trail area, also known as the James K. Carr trail. Over the years this has at times been one of my favorite trails at Whiskeytown. I think it is a combination of a big waterfall at the end, and a decent workout to get there. I had the trail mostly to myself on the way in, there was just one person still on the trail and they were headed out, we passed each other around the 1.5 mile mark. When I reached the waterfall I had plenty of time to enjoy the site, eat my lunch and climb up to the trail closed sign, before some other hikers caught up with me. I've always found this to be one of…

02Apr 2017 by Ryan No Comments

Review of Sleeklens: Landscape Adventure Collection

Art, Reviews

Early in March I received an Email from Sleeklens about reviewing their Landscape Adventure Collection workflow for Photoshop. In essence it is a collection of Photoshop actions with the aim of making Landscape Photographs faster to process. The results are good, as long as you take the time to learn the workflow. It is also important to keep in mind that this set of Actions will not make you a better photographer, nor can it fix a bad shot. You have to start from a good photograph in order to get a good result. [caption id="attachment_281" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Stamp Mill Building[/caption] The basic workflow is that in your Actions menu you will now have a Sleeklens Category with a bunch of actions you can run. They are sorted into sections such…

31Mar 2017 by Ryan No Comments

Exploring Whiskeytown: Brandy Creek Trail

Art, Series and Works

On March 10th I hiked Brandy Creek Trail, this trail starts out in an Old Growth Forest and progresses along Brandy Creek. The trail is about 2 miles with a moderate elevation change. There are some good views of Brandy Creek along the way. Although my favorite part of the trail is the section of Old Growth forest. This trail will take you right by a group Campsite at Whiskeytown, and if you continue you can actually reach Brandy Creek Falls. Past the campsite this trail loses a lot of its interest, you are no longer near Brandy Creek, and it is a mixed conifer forest you are walking through. [sphere 338] [gallery size="medium" columns="4" ids="330,331,332,333,334,335,336"]