Where Light and Shadow Lead

Aug 31

Written By Bantam

An Interview with Charley Voorhis of Voortex Productions

Charley Voorhis, Owner/Director/Cinematographer at Voortex Productions (shot by Jeremiah Higgins)

It was always about the landscape for Charley Voorhis.

Regardless of shot or subject, one thing was clear to Wenatchee Valley native Charley Voorhis: he knew he shot wider than he really had to, capturing more mountain, water and sky than was truly required. It was visual—an aesthetic connection to the artistry of shifting light on natural features. But it was also emotional—a deeper pull to be in, and of, the natural world. In 2013, he decided to let the landscape, and his camera, lead the way. Where they led was Yellowstone, and an immersive, intensive week of shooting nature on its own, enduring merits. The professional result was Primordial, a career catalyst that led to the highly-acclaimed We Are Wenatchee series the following year, and a new era of longer-form creative projects for his business, Voortex Productions. As importantly, it deepened his appreciation for the landscape he grew up in.

Sunrise on the Columbia just south of Ravenwing

Looking north on the Columbia, at the southern extent of The Meadows at Ravenwing Ranch (shot by Jeremiah Higgins)

“I started shooting local landscapes in a more methodical, light-focused way,” Charley explained. “Cloud cover, season, time of day—the angle of the sun was always putting a new face on a familiar place. I kept coming back to the Colockum and Dry Gulch in the fall, and without realizing it, was getting to know Ravenwing.”

He gravitated to the water, sage and basalt and the wide-open feeling he’d come to realize he prefers. Always at sunrise, always on foot, Charley found a particular peace in this particular area. When Developer Rob Hubbard reached out to him about creating a branding video for Ravenwing—one rooted in a true sense of place, on a historic stretch of the Columbia, in Voortex’s now signature visual style—it was a welcome surprise, and a bit of fate. Charley was pleased to tell him he knew the land well.

Ravenwing Developer Rob Hubbard on left, and Charley Voorhis on right (shot by Jeremiah Higgins)

“We drove, and walked, and talked, and I could tell that Rob knew and loved that land. That mattered a lot to me. I’d come to love it, too,” said Charley.

The two hit it off, and in 2020, Voortex Productions was tasked with crafting a promotional video for Ravenwing. Ravenwing wanted to attract owners who valued peace, privacy and natural aesthetics, and saw themselves as stewards of a truly special place. Developer Rob Hubbard wanted to not just tell people, but show them, the type of culture they could expect at the Ranch.

Watch THE RAVENWING Story

Basalt cliffs reflected in patio windows at the newly-listed model home in The Bluffs

Fast forward a few years, and Ravenwing still exudes the calm that drew Charley here, despite significant activity on the ground. With one model home sold, the second currently on the market, and several owner builds currently in process, Rob Hubbard’s vision of a land-centric, aesthetics-focused community is coming into sharper focus. Charley’s love for landscape, and the light and shadow that shape it, continue to reveal new layers at Ravenwing, telling the story of an environment that must be seen to be understood. He has been on the ground at the Ranch throughout 2023, capturing images that have been featured throughout this year’s blog and social media posts, as well was our new section on nature-based wellness.