9/28/15
JWallisPhotography was honored to be hired for a photo session in Anadarko, Oklahoma for Miss Summer Terry of SNT Performance Horses. Below are some examples of the photos taken. It was so much fun being around these beautiful, well trained horses as Summer took them through their paces.
Fires can be devastating. Just ask Luther residents about the fire that swept through the town a few years ago. Today, as you drive along Route 66, you can still see where the fire jumped across the road. All you need to do is look at the trees. There is new undergrowth present, but the beautiful oaks that once lined the highway are all dead. One positive is that it makes for some great photography!!!
I am starting a new project in which I visit as many ghost towns as I can find in between my sales calls. These towns are long forgotten, but they still offer an immense amount of beauty and culture if you just take the time to visit. Using the website http://www.ghosttowns.com, I am charting my trail to bring you some cool photos from these old decaying locations. First up, the towns of Scipio and Francis.
Next is the town of Albion, which is close to Talihena, Oklahoma. This town was burned to the ground decades ago and has since been abandoned by most everyone….except a few.
The town of Acme, Oklahoma. All that remains of this once thriving mill town is a lone house and concrete machine building.
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Here is the town of Picher, Oklahoma. I think you could call it America’s newest ghost town. The town was forced to evacuate due to lead poisoning in the water – a remnant of the mining surrounding the city. There are also so many tunnels underneath the town that authorities believed sink holes could open at any time. Then, a few years back, a violent tornado took many of the remaining structures, dealing Picher the death blow. Not much remains…
TEXOLA, OKLAHOMA
Where the only resident was a lonely, slightly angry, wet dog.
As I venture into the world of professional photography, I would like to take you with me. This blog and website is a way for me to share with you the many stories that describe where I was and what I was thinking when I took each photo. Sometimes having the back story can help you to appreciate the efforts and techniques it requires to capture each image. For example, the image above was taken in the early morning as I was driving to Guymon, Oklahoma. The George Nigh Northwest Passage is a favorite route of mine to take when traveling to the panhandle. Normally it is a barren wasteland of dead trees, dust and more tumbleweeds than you’d ever be able to count. However, this year we have had record breaking rainfall and the desert is ALIVE. There were showers moving in from the west and my camera was focused on the eastern sunrise. I had actually pulled over to shoot the storms behind me, but when I turned around, I immediately noticed that the sun was perfectly behind the clouds. The field was green and the colors were amazing. This photo was taken around 7:00 a.m. Morning is widely known as the perfect time to take photos. I couldn’t agree more.
Thank you for your support on this journey. I hope to entertain you and enlighten you on the amazing topography that our great state has to offer. I will be setting up a paypal account so that you can order prints if you wish. My work can be seen at The Good Life Gallery in Nichols Hills on the corner of NW 69th and Western. Please stop by and take a look!!!
-Wallis
jwallisphotography.net 