Naramata life

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” Ansel Adams

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Storm Sunrock PANO – Epic summer storms from the Sun Rock viewpoint on North Naramata Road. Photography is a love affair with life. Burk Uzzle

Caillum Smith has made photographs that engage us visually but more importantly they illicit strong emotional responses and herein lies his talent, his passion and his calling. A Naramatian through and through, Caillum has been published and awarded by National Geographic, North Face, Time Magazine, Google+, the CBC, Sigma Lenses, the International Mountain Summit, Outdoor Photography Canada Magazine and the Canadian National Commission among many others.

Here is why Caillum wins awards and captures us:

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Okanagan Lake Autumn Sunset – Crepuscular rays erupt over Okanagan Lake. Photography is an art of observation. it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them. Elliott Erwitt

The how is a bit more difficult to analyze. He uses strong compositional techniques, unique perspectives and dramatic lighting but there is more to it than this.

“Finding a balance between the two (technical and artistic) is essential,” says Caillum. “Better gear won’t necessarily make your photos better but can assist in tapping into further creative potential. You can have a technically sound photograph with top notch editing but if it is lacking a strong composition and creative lighting, you are simply left with a high quality, sh*t photo. Good photos are not only visually engaging, but emotionally engaging as well. Having said that, creativity and instinct will always trump technology.”

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Northern Lights Naramata Bench – Once in a while the northern lights will appear over Okanagan Lake and Naramata. This was captured from Munson Mountain during the summer. Photography helps people see. Berenice Abbott

It is always amazing to me when a young person discovers a passion at an early age that will become their life’s work. Imagine all the years ahead to relish that passion and hone their skills. Most of us cast about for years and never find a career and calling all wrapped into one.

“My interest in photography first began after my grandfather gave me his film camera when I was 17, or so. I used the camera as a visual diary to document the world around me; photographing wildlife, landscapes and anything else I encountered while outdoors in my Naramata backyard. Once I left high school, my parents bought me a DSLR as a return to university bribe when I dropped out but ended up skipping final exams to go mountaineering in the Andes. A few years and international awards later, I quit my job at a winery and started Preserved Light Photography.”

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Naramata Bench Vineyard Okanagan Lake – Overlooking Manitou Beach from Kettle Valley Winery’s “Old Main Red” vineyard. When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. Ansel Adams

“I’ll usually have a pre-visualizated concept of what I want to create but some clear signs of a killer photo are when your eyes pop out of their sockets as your jaw simultaneously plummets to the ground. I’ll often tell my workshop students, ‘The best way to create better photos is to stand in front of better subjects.'”

The life of a successful professional photography is not all sunsets and adventures in the wild though. Caillum says the most challenging part about being a professional photographer is finding that balance between business tasks and personal projects. “There are times where I’ll go several months without capturing a personal photo, having depleted all energy, and hours of the day, working for clients. However, I really enjoy the challenge of being given, or coming up with, an idea for a client and turning it into a creative reality. Nothing more rewarding than when your art makes even the smallest ripple with others.”

With photos like this one Caillum is making waves:

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Naramata Aerial Photo Old Main – Aerial panorama of the Naramata Bench orchards and vineyards near Old Main Road. Photography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world. Bruno Barbey

When I asked him about a typical day he says there is no such thing. “I only sleep four to six hours a night (if that) and have driven over 20,000 kms in the last three months alone. The thing that would surprise most people is that I’m not out adventuring and creating epic landscape photos as often as it may seem. There are many days that slip into 15+ hour digital succubus’; making blog posts, emailing clients, editing photos and what not. I’ll often grab my sleeping bag, venture into the mountains, set up a time-lapse video and have a nap beneath the stars whenever I feel my sanity slipping.”

As for the future…”That is what is so exciting about this lifestyle, I can never be truly certain what it holds. As for this winter, most of my time will be spent working with Apex Mountain & Discover Naramata’s digital marketing & media.

“I always chuckle when someone asks, ‘Aren’t you worried about wrecking your camera?’. Probably because it happens so often. If my camera isn’t dangling from a string while climbing a mountaintop, getting blasted by snow while skiing, soaking beneath a waterfall or enduring -40 temperatures filming time-lapse video of the northern lights, it isn’t doing its job!”

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Aerial Photo South Okanagan – Early morning flight over North Naramata Road and the South Okanagan Valley. There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs. Ansel Adams

When I asked Caillum for five tips for us wannabes he says,

Gear doesn’t make great photos, creativity does.
There is no magic formula for camera settings.
Most online forums are a terrible place for constructive criticism.
Find your style and stick to it.
Buy a tripod

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Summer Solstice Little Tunnel KVR – For two weeks surrounding Summer Solstice, the sun will set through the KVR’s Little Tunnel. In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality. Alfred Stieglitz.

I spent two hours with Caillum on a workshop last week and learned a ton which I will post about soon. The biggest thing I came away with was sharing the excitement of the possibilities that photography provides to connect to people in a meaningful way. We also talked about the Okanagan and the stunning canvas it presents for his professional and my amateur but enthusiastic eyes.

I took this photo of Caillum during our workshop.

You know you’ve made it as a photographer when your husky Astra has her own Instagram account with hundreds of followers…Huskyadventuredog… Seriously, Caillum has that indefinable instinct for making photographs that move us. I need no words to make my case.

November 9, 2016 0

Fall farmer’s market leek soup

Sweeter and milder than onions, leeks make a lovely, creamy and delicious fall soup loaded with bucketful’s of fresh market garden vegetable healthy goodness like carrots, onion, potato and celery and a dollop of Naramata Bench wine for added flavour.

Some assembly required

8 medium leeks (3 pound), trimmed, leaving white and pale green parts only, and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup butter
1 small potato
1/2 cup dry white wine…I chose Tightrope Winery’s 2015 Pinot Gris (Why not use a nice wine as you only need a 1/2 cup and the Chef can appreciate it a wonderful glass or two while cooking.)
3 cups chicken or turkey stock …I used my homemade turkey stock frozen from my Thanksgiving turkey
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves…still growing in my garden luckily
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chilled heavy cream

Directions

Wash sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water and lift out and drain well in a colander. Leeks collect a lot of dirt and sand generally so need a good wash. My market leeks were perfectly clean which was a bonus. Cook leeks, onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper in 4 tablespoons butter in a large heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.

Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, then add to onion mixture along with wine, stock, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in parsley and simmer soup, uncovered, 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and keep soup at a low simmer.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 cups simmering stock (from soup), whisking vigorously, then whisk mixture into remaining soup and return to a simmer, whisking.

Blend soup in 4 batches in a blender until smooth. Reheat if necessary, then season with salt and pepper. Any leftover soup freezes well. (Don’t add the cream topping before freezing).

Beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it almost forms soft peaks. Serve soup topped with cream. A dollop of sour cream would also work well.

October 30, 2016 0

Leaf off already

Still banging on about the fall colours. Can’t help myself this year. A few more photos from a walk today in the Village.

Shut the front door! Guessing they painted the door of this Village home in the fall.

October 25, 2016 0

Naramata Falls

It is possible to take landscape photos in the Okanagan that don’t include the lake. Yesterday’s fall walk with friends to the dramatic canyon that created Naramata Falls is in my hood. The first time we discovered the falls it was like an unbelievable scenic bonus. Our raspberry farm borders one of the numerous creeks (Arawana) that spills water into the lake but this much larger one has carved an impressive canyon that doesn’t get much sunlight and is home to mosses and other flora that stand apart from much of the Okanagan’s desert-like environment. It smells all damp, mouldy and piney and the rushing water is audible long before its visible.

Working without a net here (tripod), I did my best to brace myself and hold my breath to capture the falls with a long shutter opening, hence the blurry leaves.

It would have taken a lot of years of rushing water to carve this canyon wall.

The canyon, just above the Trans Canada Trail or Kettle Valley Rail trail, is a cool place for a summer hike on a hot day.

Thanks guys for your patience as I lagged behind taking photos.

Enjoying capturing this long autumn long kiss goodbye this year.

October 24, 2016 0

The long gleaming farewell

Old vines with the Naramata Bench in the background

We are into borrowed time now in our gilded season. The low, slanting light that is wonderful for photography and that fleeting feeling, knowing the blue skies and gold light will too quickly fade to our long season of gray are getting me outside every chance I get.

The light: thick, plush, gold is not something we are imagining. The position of the sun in the sky is changing. That, in turn, alters how we perceive colour and light. In the height of summer, the sun is as far overhead as it gets. But the sun drops and drops after the summer solstice in June — and the change speeds up at the midpoint toward winter, which is the light I’m capturing in these photos.

This special golden light is also great for photographing people bathing everyone in a warm glow.

The farther from the equator, the more obliquely the sun’s light strikes Earth — that’s the longer, slanted light we are bathed in now, instead of the full-on beams we bask in at high summer.

Such a great name for the winery where these shots were taken…**Blue Mountain**… yup.

Winter is coming but not first without this gleaming farewell.This year’s fall colour has been supreme. No hard frosts or strong winds to crash the party early so nature can do its thing and linger in all its golden glory.

The view from Blue Rock on North Naramata Road yesterday.

Still nice enough for a sail on Okanagan Lake.

October 23, 2016 2

Orange is the new green – The $100 view

Okanagan Lake banded with orange for a few more days before the stark beauty of winter takes over.

Atop Munson Mountain in Penticton is a good spot to be benched although they present a Goldilocks dilemma.

The 360-degree views from the mountain offer a view of ordered orchards and vineyards with a peak at Skaha Lake in the distance.

Looking toward Penticton and my favourite swimming beach.

The park sits right above Penticton’s landmark giant letters first created in 1937 to put the town on the map. The sign has been maintained by volunteers ever since.

One hundred dollar view – literally – The view from atop Munson was featured on Canadian $100 bills from 1954 to 1974.

Aside from the striking views, native vegetation makes this a special place with its spicy sage smells.

In the distance is the road to Naramata that is a beautiful drive home no matter the season.

October 21, 2016 4

The Holy Grail of ginger cookie recipes

Literally dozens of ginger cookie recipes carefully filed away are now in the recycling. I have found it. Best-ever ginger cookies that more than live up to their name.

The ultimate in fall comfort cookies, the humble ginger cookie, can get no better than these. The recipe is from my new favourite local cookbook called The Butcher, the Baker, the Wine & Cheese Maker in the Okanagan and it’s genius creator is the Bean Scene Coffee Works in Kelowna.

It’s hard to pin down what makes this recipe so good. I think it’s the combination of the spices and of course, butter.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp good quality cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup white sugar + 1/2 cup for rolling cookies
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1/2 cup fancy molasses

Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk the flour, baking soda and spices in a medium bowl and set aside. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar and 1/3 cup of white sugar together on high speed, until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue mixing on a lower speed until blended. Add molasses and mix again for about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry mixture, mixing on low speed until all the flour is incorporated. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.

Roll dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls and drop onto a plate containing 1/2 cup of white sugar. Roll cookies in sugar and press lightly to form a disk, making sure to coat both sides. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Bake one cookie sheet a time on the middle rack for 11 minutes. The cookies should come out of the oven with the traditional crackle appearance and looking slightly under-baked.

Best eaten warm with a lovely cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

I’m not kidding about these being the ginger cookies I’ve ever baked although I fully admit I’m prone to exaggeration. I love it when you can bake the best of the best of simple, traditional recipes… like the shortbread cookies I made yesterday which were elevated into another realm with the addition of fresh vanilla bean (French Laundry recipe).

October 20, 2016 1

Fall and soup go together like a good book and a crackling fire – Roast maple butternut squash soup

I used my wood-fired oven to roast the squash…a regular oven will do the trick too.

Only a few simple ingredients are needed for this recipe which can easily be scaled up if you plan to make a lot and freeze some.

Butternut squash are inexpensive to buy and are a farmer’s market staple.

I cook outside whenever possible. I get the whole idea of a summer kitchen. All the mess is easier to sweep off the deck.

Ingredients

4 cups roasted butternut squash (2 medium squash)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1 apple and/or 1 pear
pinch cinnamon
1 to 2 teaspoons salt (to taste…important as some chicken stocks are very salty and you may want to only add 1 teaspoon of additional salt)
pinch of pepper
1/4 cup real maple syrup
3 cups chicken stock (substitute vegetable stock if you like)
1/4 cup cream or milk
1/4 cup sour cream (for garnish, optional)

Here is a batch roasted in a conventional oven.

Instructions
Roast the squash, apple/and or pear: Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut squash and apple and/or pear in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds and dark orange stringy flesh and the apple or pear core. Brush with a light coating of olive oil. Place squash and fruit cut side down on to a baking sheet. Roast in pre-heated oven for 55-60 minutes or until very soft when you press on the top of the squash.
Remove from oven and using a spatula, flip the squash halves and fruit halves over and allow to cool a few minutes. Using a spoon, scoop all the roasted squash flesh out and in to a bowl, being careful not to take any of the skin.

For the soup: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring, until onion has softened and is translucent. Add the 4 cups of roasted squash and stir. Add the chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and stir to combine well. Bring to a light boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes to blend the flavours. Add in the maple syrup and cinnamon. Using an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender, puree the soup just enough to remove any big chunks. It doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth unless you like it that way.
Taste soup. Add salt as needed and some freshly ground pepper. You may wish to add a splash more maple syrup, again, if needed.

At this point I cool and freeze any soup I have made for later. (Do not add the cream or milk before freezing.) Before serving, heat up the soup again and add the cream or milk. Garnish with some chopped parsley or croutons and a tablespoon of sour cream. I like to add a side of homemade corn bread.

October 16, 2016 6

Guess who’s coming for dinner…the whole darn Village

“Slow down your movin too fast,” is seldom heard in Naramata, an internationally officially-designated slow town.

A Thanksgiving harvest pot-luck at the Naramata Centre beach brought together 182 people who arrived with baskets, platters and bowls filled with locally-grown ingredients crafted into home-made dishes to share at long table under golden-leafed trees by the shores of Okanagan Lake while toasting with Naramata Bench wines. If that sounds a bit too schmaltzy and bucolic, you weren’t there.

Mel, Yanti and Don provided the perfect sound-track for the event that could well have been a scene from a movie.

The Naramataslow dinner was designed to celebrate Naramata’s special status as slow city bestowed on us by Cittaslow, an international organization formed in Orvieto Italy in 1999. Only three special towns in Canada are Cittaslow. We join Cowichan Bay and Wolfville as places where the pace of life is a bit more human.

To quote from the charmingly translated Italian on the Cittaslow website, “A Cittaslow place is motivated by curious people of a recovered time, where man is still protagonist of the slow and healthy succession of seasons, respectful of citizens’ health, the authenticity of products and good food, rich of fascinating craft traditions, of valuable works of art, squares, theatres, shops, cafes and restaurants. These are places of the spirit and unspoiled landscapes characterized by spontaneity of religious rites and respect the traditions of the joy of slow and quiet living.”

Slow food or local food of high quality with connection to the local land made into traditional recipes where the community comes together for a shared meal to savour this intrinsic part of life is pretty much the essence of Cittaslow and last evening’s Naramataslow dinner.

In the midst of a rainy weekend, the sun chose to shine on the 182 diners in one of the most picturesque places in Canada.

Centre stage on the menu for the special dinner was a pit-roasted pig and not just any pig but one that was raised on the bounty of the Village and surroundings. Pig-raiser and Roast-master Jay Drysdale of Bella Wines and his wife Wendy raised this particular pig on mash from Legend Distilling, whey from Upper Bench Winery and Creamery and fruit culls from local orchards.

“I hate to ask but did the pig have a name,” I say. “Yup,” says Wendy, “Chorizo.” Makes sense right and in some strange way makes me feel better than if had been named Babe or Wilbur.

It’s hard to make meat photogenic but I think I nailed it here…apologies to all the vegetarians out there who had many, many options to choose from at the feast.

Naramataslow organizers had the foresight not to over-plan the event, although committee member Miranda Halliday of Elephant Island Winery says the event was a bit of a “leap of faith. We didn’t have tons of time for preparation and what with harvest being so early this year and all of us small business people being busy it came together rather organically and was actually sold out before we had done much advertising.

“It turned out that the simplicity of it was brilliant. The community came together to pull this off.” As for the weather, Miranda says, “You just can’t script that. What a bonus to have the sunshine on our first harvest dinner so we could eat outside by the lake.”

Tickets to the dinner were a whopping $5 and guests were asked to bring a dish for sharing that celebrates our local bounty. Wow, did we ever step up to the plate. Here are some of the offerings…

Committee member Dawn Lennie of Legend Distilling dresses her work of art.

Recipes like the one for these colourful latkes are being collected and will be shared in the coming days.

A part of the Naramataslow miracle, Miranda says there was an amazing balance between sweet and savoury items amongst the lovingly prepared recipes with no complicated pre-planning or sign-up sheets.

Still life #3…apple pie with caramel sauce by the lake.

This nameless person had the forethought to assemble dessert before tackling that healthy looking main. The **raspberry almond tart** topping this dessert plate is my contribution and the recipe can found in the link. The last of my fall raspberry crop ended up in the tarts.

Wine was available by the glass or bottle from a wonderful selection of Naramata Bench Winery Association members. Cheers to them.

General conviviality is a Cittaslow prerequisite. Crushed it.

Miranda says that there was a nice mix of ages at the dinner. (I like the adult supervisor’s style.)

Miranda says there is a long list of people that help pull off this amazing dinner including the RDOS (regional district), OAP (senior’s group), the Naramata Centre’s Jim, the pig providers Jay and Wendy, the organizing committee (Dawn, Miranda, Jay, Trevor and Nicole and their kids who helped with the set-up, the musicians (Yanti, Don and Mel), Ian who set up the sound system, Naramata Bench Wineries Association, local photographers Lone Jones and Callum, the poster designer Renee and Chorizo.