A dozen favorites from the Spokane River (2018-2019), a river we saved from ourselves, and a living monument to the good work of good people who understand the power of nature to inspire and sustain our lives.
To the extent I fancy myself a nature photographer, I don’t usually organize my time in the field to make a record of things that move through and above the fields. This is partly to shield my psyche from the frustration of trying to outsmart animals, and partly a grudging acceptance that I’m better equipped to photograph subjects that aren’t purposely trying to avoid me.
And still… I’m out there. Mule deer pop their heads above the sagebrush. Northern harriers, with their owl-like faces and low, swooping glides, capture my gaze. And the next thing you know, I’m trying to take their pictures. To be sure, rocks are better behaved. But critters have more charisma. A sample…
In a tropical childhood that colorfully rumbled through chaos, sunburn, clouds of bougainvillea, and mass perspiration I was blessed with devoted parents. My father, “the coach,” pushed me to become a swimmer even before I could store memories. I am blessed by that shove, but also his later willingness to share his hobby with me. He loved photography, even to the point of converting one of our small rooms into a dark room where he taught me to brew negatives and make prints.
He passed a year ago, suddenly, and he’s been on my mind ever since. Last August, on what would have been is 86th birthday, I spread his ashes in the Spokane River, where many of these photos were taken. So, yes, this collection is dedicated to him, with gratitude and a whole heart.
all images (c) copyright, 2018, Tim Connor
