Field Trip to Picher Ok Superfund site

16 entrepid photographers went to Picher and Cardin Ok and Treece Ks to document the site of one of the largest ecological disasters in this part of the country. Zinc was mined in this area (under the town) for most of the last century. When they quit mining, the tunnels filled with water and contaminated the groundwater. the government has been trying to move people out for years but many remain. To add insult to injury, a tornado struck last year, killing several and demolishing many houses.

We took pictures of old buildings and abandoned houses. We also shot the "chat piles" or mine tailings. They are everywhere and they contribute to the contamination. Most of the buildings will be demolished eventually. More pictures at SpiveyPhoto.

We had an excellent time and had a wonderful mexican lunch in Miami.

Early Spring Drive

Early achiever, originally uploaded by lefturn99.

The temps were up even if the sky was dreary, so Toan and I headed out to see what we could see. One of my favorite roads is the road to Murphy, Ok, right off 412. We kept the GPS off on purpose and just drove, making a decision at each intersection based on how the scenery looked each way. We did end up making a big circle once. Saw some early Daffodils and some friendly Mules.

We ate at Peggs, then took back roads to the Illinois River. No canoers this early. The campgrounds are deserted. Then we drove through the J. T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve, which has been hit hard by the ice storm that ruined so many trees in Arkansas a month ago.

We wandered east from there and found a nice cascade that will look incredible in high water. At this point I turned on the GPS, both to save the location of the cascade and to find our way back to civilization. Back through Siloam Springs and back to Tulsa. Nothing earth shaking but a very nice day's drive. Thanks, Toan.

Official Photographer

Official Photographer, originally uploaded by lefturn99.

I wish.

Cold Arkansas workshop

Barn and Stars, originally uploaded by lefturn99.

Last weekend I attended a Tim Ernst workshop in northwest Arkansas. It was a waterfall and star trail workshop. When you sign up for a workshop in February, you have to know there is a chance the weather will be bad. It was. Saturday was over cast and spitting snow. Overcast is great for waterfalls but there hasn't been much rain and they weren't running that much. We did go to Falling Water Falls, which I have shot before.

It looked like the star trail part would be a bust but the clouds started moving out Saturday evening so we decided to get up at 3:30 and go shoot. We got up and the temp was 15 degrees and the wind was blowing. But the stars were beautiful. With no light polution and the air scrubbed clean by the snow, there were millions of stars visible. The Milky Way, which city dwellers rarely see, was very clear. We shot the stars while Tim "light painted the barn". Not technically a great shot, but it gives me tremendous inspiration for when the weather turns warmer.