Insect Vision

Here's another image from a growing Tim Borski/El Pescador collection. This is a Warholized shot of Tim's son inspecting and being inspected by a large praying mantis.

Original photo by Tim Borski Image by El Pescador

Coming Soon

Photo by Tim Borski Movie poster by El Pescador

Bird Vise

Tim Borski takes some interesting photos in addition to painting and fly designing. Here's one photo I received that I couldn't help toying with. The image shows Tim's hand holding a bird that flew into his studio with a fly resting next to it. I've created some unusual versions of this image but here is a version that's close to the original. I used Flickr toys Framer to soften the edges and Matte to frame it up "museum style". This is not your average "still life". Maybe a collaborative series will emerge.

Original photo by Tim Borski

Artistic license exercised by El Pescador

No Upwelling

From the Associated Press
March 4, 2008

GRANTS PASS, ORE. -- Scientists examining the sudden and widespread collapse of West Coast salmon returns are pointing to the unusual changes in weather patterns that caused the bottom to fall out of the ocean food web in 2005.

NOAA Fisheries Service oceanographer Bill Peterson said the juvenile salmon that left their native rivers and entered the Pacific Ocean in 2005 found little food being transported by the California Current, which flows from the northern Pacific south along the West Coast.

The reason was that the jet stream had shifted to the south, delaying the spring onset of winds out of the north that create a condition known as upwelling, which kickstarts the ocean food web by stirring the water from bottom to top, the agency said.

If there is no upwelling, there is no phytoplankton growth, no zooplankton growth, and basically you have no food chain that develops, because it all depends on the upwelling," Peterson said.
"We are not dismissing other potential causes for this year's low salmon returns," NOAA Fisheries Service Northwest Science Center Director Usha Varanasi said in a statement. "But the widespread pattern of low returns along the West Coast for (both coho and chinook) salmon indicates an environmental anomaly occurred in the California Current in 2005."

Read the complete article by Jeff Barnard (AP Environmental Writer) - click here

Drawings by Noah Stracqualursi
Flickr illustration by El Pescador

Old School

February 28th marks the anniversary of the very first Way Upstream post. I would like to thank everyone who has visited and especially those who have joined conversations and made their voices heard over the past year. I consider Way Upstream to be a group effort and I feel fortunate to have a global community of people involved who are willing to gauge risk, share ideas and to take action. Keep it up. Now that Way Upstream has reached the one year milestone do you think this blog can be officially referred to as "old school"?

Jigsaw puzzle

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission released a peer reviewed stock assessment for striped bass for the fishing year 2006. The bottom line of the assessment was that striped bass are not being over fished, although the spawning stock biomass – the total weight of all spawning age fish – has declined each of the last four years, and fishing mortality is at the “target” fishing mortality rate – the maximum rate at which striped bass should be killed by fishermen. In summary, it was decided that no action needed to be taken on striped bass management this year and that the situation would be reviewed again next year.

This information appears designed to reassure the public that all is well with striped bass, but Stripers Forever believes an in depth review is warranted. Their concerns with the stock assessment center on the fluctuations that these statistics have had over the last five or six years, and what they perceive to be the determination by fishery managers to put a positive spin on striped bass stocks in spite of some serious negative indications. To read the complete article click here.

Illustration by El Pescador

World Trout

The mission of World Trout is to identify individuals and groups that protect native fish, tell their story and support their conservation efforts. Since its inception in January, 2005 (through March 31, 2007), anglers purchased 41,612 World Trout t-shirts and raised $208,060. World Trout supporters have also been seeking out grassroots groups to donate funds and volunteer their time. Patagonia plans to continue the World Trout efforts which help provide funding for groups who protect fish and enhance natural habitats. Help support grassroots groups in your local areas (fresh and saltwater) by volunteering your time and/or providing financial support. In the case of World Trout, simply buying a limited edition, organic cotton t-shirt can help protect species at home and around the world. Click on the bold text to learn more. Visit a Patagonia Dealer or Patagonia Retail Store near you.

Click here to watch a short video on artist and World Trout co-founder James Prosek.

Teach your children well

First-of-its-kind global study shows "a real and fundamental shift" away from nature
Arlington, VA — February 4, 2008 — New Nature Conservancy-funded research shows that across the U.S. and in other developed nations, people are spending far less time outdoors than ever before. The study will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Researchers say this study — the most comprehensive look yet at nature recreation — is a "grim confirmation" of a long-held theory that people, especially children, are spending less time in the great outdoors.

The research builds on earlier studies that showed visits to American national parks were declining, and it illustrates that the problem isn’t limited to parks — and isn’t just found in the U.S. "As a scientist and a conservationist, I find these results almost terrifying," said Oliver Pergams, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and lead author of the study. "We are seeing a fundamental shift away from people's interest in nature, not just in the US but in other countries, too. The consequences of this could be deep and far-ranging for health, for human well-being, and for the future of the planet."

To read the complete article click here.



Way Upstream Productions 2008

Off the grid

By El Pescador
Copyright 2008 Way Upstream

Puzzled

Original by El Pescador Original Photo by M. Wier

11A > 12

Happy New Year

Way Upstream would like to thank the global community for all the participation, insight, feedback and thoughts provided in 2007. It is with optimism and enthusiasm that Way Upstream enters the new year. I hope the same is true for you. All the best wished. Keep making your voice heard in 2008 and try new ideas.Keep the fly in the water and believe in every cast.

Way Upstream
Copyright 2007

Need a new image?

The tools to alter and transform images used to be for the highly trained artist and illustrator only. Today that's all changed. Image "toys" are very accessible and pretty simple to use. You can make movies, slideshows, calendars, screen savers, magazine covers and more. All you really need is a computer, a digital camera and a USB cable to be in business.....and the digital camera and cable are optional to some degree. The post image is an example of an underwater digital photo that's been run through a watercolor filter (Microsoft Photo Editor). Then I Hockneyized the image to get the Polaroid effect. Lastly I took the Hockneyized image and ran it through Framer to add the stamp frame. Take some of your fishing images and give these toys a try....just for fun. Who knows, you may find a marketable use for your pictures or at the very least discover some creative ideas.

Way Upstream
Copyright 2007

Deep Wading Jacket - Front

Way Upstream commenter Bradley asked to get a closer look at the S8 redesigned Deep Wading Jacket. Here it is for you all to see. Click on the shot and mouse over the comment boxes to learn more.

Way Upstream

Copyright 2007

Angler - Topher Browne

Photos by Rene Braun

Deep Wading Jacket - Back

Here's a look at the back of the S8 Deep Wading Jacket. Click on the shot and mouse over the comment boxes to learn more.

Way Upstream

Copyright 2007