Colton~ Variations on a View

 

As Cooper had his high school (and a concurrent English class) online, and Keaton's college classes shifted online due to Covid, I had been able to peek at the boy's school classes and assignments. I enjoyed seeing their write-ups, and even helped a little.  As Colton completed his first/freshman year away at college/Clackamas, I asked if he had any of his assignments he could share, especially those of a more personal nature. He mentioned there had been one where they had to take a picture from the same spot, and write up thoughts and impressions about it. The original was in the correct MLA format, but I've reworked it a bit for the blog ...

Colton Blackham
Trevor Dodge (WR 121Z)  16 February 2025

Creativity has never been a strong suit of mine, so finding the motivation to start this assignment was a struggle. And that struggle started with picking the spot to take my photographs at. I ultimately took the words from the instructions to really not overthink the location and that just about anywhere could work. This brought me to the stunning view of a small parking lot from the balcony of my luxurious, no air-conditioning second story apartment. The pictures might even be too glamorous to look at, I know. Having moved to Oregon only five months ago, I felt it would be more fitting to capture a spot that I have familiarized myself with a bit more rather than some spot I have never known about until recently.

Interestingly, stepping out on the balcony to take these photos is by far the most time I have spent on the balcony since having moved into this apartment. This can absolutely allow me to say that this project has helped me explore new areas, even if this area is inside my home. 

1. In the first picture I took, you will see that there is a clear sky, which I have learned is a pretty rare sight in Oregon during the winter season. It’s definitely the clearest of the seven pictures I took, which is a little representative of my experiences with the weather since moving here. When I first moved, it was incredibly sunny and warm outside, then I was quickly welcomed with the actual weather conditions here a few weeks in.
2. When snapping the second photo, the first thing I noticed (and will keep noticing in the rest of the pictures), is the cars. In this picture, there were fewer cars parked, making the area just look far more open. I feel like I have grown quite the relationship with this white truck, my eyes are always drawn to it first and I wonder where it’s being driven to everyday. Also, this picture gives me a more accurate view of what the sky looks like on an average day. I noticed the balls on the ground that have clearly dropped from the tree, there being a lot more than the day before. Makes me wonder about how the tree might have looked before Fall and Winter hit. Although it might not be the case, I like to think that in more habitable weather, it is one of those green and puffy trees that you first picture when thinking about Oregon or Washington. The view from the balcony would improve immensely if you look out and see this gorgeous tree directly outside, there to offer the cars some shade from the hot summer sun.
3. This third photo highlights the wear and tear on the parking lot road. You can see clear squares where construction has taken place, you can see lots of discoloring in the middle of the parking spaces, especially with the absence of our beloved white truck. It might be a strange thing to notice, but in this picture I unintentionally captured a few different people. It led me to think about all the people in this same apartment complex as me, seeing the same view as me when looking out the window. Wondering if they have ever taken the time to try and observe what is around us.
4. Rain, Rain, Rain. I mean it does not bother me too much, but I’ve never been a big fan of it. Something that stood out to me in this picture though is that the rain has made the road of the parking lot look better. You can’t see the cracks, the aftermath of the construction, it just looks like a nicer ground to drive and walk on. It can probably be said for lots of other things in Oregon, that the rain contributes to how beautiful it is. Although I don’t enjoy rainy weather, I admit that Oregon definitely would feel like a different place without it. And not just different, but probably worse.
5. A very obvious difference in my next picture, we caught some snow. Refreshing to see a much more noticeable difference in one of the pictures. The snow felt like a big event, the college was closed, our basketball practice got cancelled, and it almost felt wrong to be on the road later in the evening as I barely saw any cars driving. The leftover snow from the storm reminded me a lot of Utah (where I’m from). There would often be days where we would get just incredible amounts of snow, then calm weather right after. But that snow from the storm would linger around for days, just built up on the sides of the road, sidewalks, and roofs.
6. In this next picture you can tell there was some more snowfall, from the roof of the small garages. It’s amazing how undisturbed the snow on that roof is, absolutely no debris, dents, or anything really to ruin the layer that landed there. You can also notice the small piece of blue sky creeping behind the clouds, almost seeming like it’s attempting to break through.
7. Coming up to the last picture, you can see the time that has passed since the last. The snow on the roof has begun to melt, the walked-over snow on the ground has almost completely cleared up, and there’s less cars present in the parking lot.

After a week of watching this ordinary parking lot, I realized that even the most everyday places can hold meaning. What first seemed like a dull choice of a spot turned into a reflection of my transition to life in Oregon, from the familiar snow that reminded me of Utah to the constant rain that defines this place. The white truck, the cracked pavement, the sturdy tree, and the changing sky all became part of the story, helping me make sense of my own adjustment to this new environment.

Works Cited: Auster, Paul. "Auggie Wren's Christmas Story." New York Times, 25 Dec. 1990. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A175604459/AONE?u=clackamasccl&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=9d7c8f7a. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.