#dundee oregon

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An Insider's Guide to the Willamette Valley

An Insider's Guide to #WillametteValley, Oregon. #ORwine #InsidersGuide #wine

Having worked in the Willamette Valley in Oregon since 2012, I am often asked, “Where would you go if visiting the Willamette Valley?” My answer generally will include places that I know that person is likely to enjoy.  However, if it were up to me, I would have some specific, special recommendations. Here are a few of my top recommendations.

A Grape Escape Tour

Tour companies: Either select a…

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Enjoying golden light in Oregon's wine country near Dundee, Oregon.

This, my friends, is less than an hour's drive from Portland.

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The challenges of landscape photography

The thing about shooting landscape photography, for me at least, is that even if you come close to capturing the beauty of what you’re seeing with your own eyes, the viewer doesn’t feel the warm breeze on your cheek or hear the quiet hum of the bees on the lavender. It’s the unique and brilliant photograph or painting you see occasionally where the artist truly engages all of one's senses and imagination and takes you there.  I have a long way to go.

These photos were taken last week in the Dundee Hills. It was one o'clock in the afternoon and the lighting was harsh. The sky was hazy and I had little hope that these images would turn out. In fact, I had so little confidence, I took only four pictures the whole afternoon before putting the camera away. It was a happy surprise to later see that they actually had turned out quite nicely.

Perhaps you can sense the serene moment of the day.

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Oregon's Dundee Hills

I've shared a few wine-tasting excursions with you before and here I go again, heading off to the Dundee Hills with my friend to check out the wineries. We pack a cooler full of water, some cheese and crackers and a bar of good chocolate and off we go.

Why this activity has just recently come into my life is beyond me. The rolling landscape filled with grapevines and sweet-smelling air is one Oregon's best assets. Add a little bit of alcohol (and I do want to emphasis little) during the middle of the day with a friend and you have a perfect win-win situation.

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If we were playing the one word to describe a wedding game I would choose ”Laugh” for Kathy and Matt’s beautiful wedding at Vista Hills Vineyard. From our first meeting I knew what kind of wedding this was going to be. The couple had such an easy way about them and it instantly was friends grabbing drinks after work, just talking about a wedding and not a photographer asking about his clients wedding. Fast forward almost a year and here we were the long anticipated wedding day. Everyone knows that in the great Northwest weather is always a roll of the dice and we were all, and by all I mean all, glued to every outlet for weather this day. There were different reports of either raining all day or raining in spots or a swarm of locusts or the repeat of snowmageddon. The wedding was taking place at Vista Hills and we were all looking forward to seeing the sunset shine behind the ceremony site shinning across the hillside of grapevines. Even though it was threatened, it turned out to be an awesome day. We definitely dodged some drops but came away unscathed. As Kathy and Matt said their vows, the breeze kicked in a little and the sun was beaming as bright as their smiles. It was a beautiful day. As the sun went down and DJ Paradox got the party going, it was like everyone made an agreement to have a real good time. Some crazy dance moves were thrown out there on the dance floor and fun was had by all, especially me. Waving goodbye to the couple as they left by way of limo and sparklers, everyone was still beaming. Afterwards, I hugged it out with the groomsmen and we called it a night. Sweet day