SPE NW 2009: Reflex, Seattle, WA

Above is a page from the 2009 NW SPE conference catalog. John Laursen's lecture on the book Wild Beauty: Photographs of the Columbia Rive Gorge 1867-1957 was fabulous. As someone who grew up in the Columbia River Gorge, the lecture taught me a plethora of interesting information on the history and culture of this unique place. It was really quite spectacular to see photographs of the gorge prior to dams, and how the dams completely reshaped not only the river landscape, but the Native Americans cultural heritage. Wild Beauty also has a lot of photographs by Careleton Watkins that I had never seen. I highly recommend this book!