From gray to glorious! The Pacific Northwest has been delivering some serious winter weather lately, but today, we were gifted with a bluebird day for the books. It's a reminder that even in the depths of winter, beauty and light can always be found. Feeling so grateful for this stunning landscape and the chance to experience it in all its forms.
Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Cloud strokes
While exploring the countryside of New England many years ago, I forced myself to really slow down and enjoy the scenery. Driving through the backroads and avoiding the high-speed turnpikes proved fortuitous as I chanced upon this beautiful scene at a small rural pond. Its still waters mirrored the vibrant hues of a New England autumn, creating a breathtaking double image. In the sky above, wisps of clouds stretched across the canvas like artful brushstrokes, adding another layer of beauty to this serene scene. This was the epitome of tranquility, even though I was but a few minutes away from a fairly major town. It was a reminder of the simple beauty that surrounds us, even if we are sometimes not aware of it.
Mohawk Trail
MA USA
Amber silhouettes
Bathed in the fiery hues of a summer sunset, the Olympic coast puts on a breathtaking display. Amber clouds paint the sky, casting dramatic silhouettes of rugged cliffs and stoic pines against the vibrant backdrop. Waves gently lap the shore, completing this serene coastal scene.
Witnessing this spectacle in what was initially just a casual summer backpack with friends was a truly unforgettable experience. This was one of the many spectacular stills I captured during the two nights on the peninsula.
Olympic National Park
WA USA
End of an year
At first glance, it just seems like a regular sunset view over the Puget Sound by Seattle in the Pacific northwest. But observe closely and you can spot the telltale signs of high altitude winds from the layers of undulating cloud patterns in the sky. These high altitude cloud patterns are the result of layers of wind blowing over mountain ranges that dot the western coast of Washington state. And these layers will often catch the colorful sunset light, adding to extra drama in the image.
A Washington State Ferry departing to Bainbridge island from Seattle adds to the visual interest in this scene overlooking the sound.
Here is to a closure on 2024, a tumultuous year for many in this world.
Seattle
WA USA
Red Hot Chili Embers
Boom went the mountain. This was followed by a shockwave, and showers of hot lava that spewed from the tip of the volcano and rolled down along the perfectly conical slope of Fuego. And this happened every 20 min like clockwork.
The New Year festivities are often marked by bright lights and crackling sounds. As we approach the next one, I am often reminded of my previous New Year in Guatemala where I also witnessed natures fireworks on a grand scale from atop the summit of Volcan Acatenango. This particular scene is of an eruption that I captured during full moon.
Volcan Acatenango
Guatemala
Layers
From high in the mountains of the Sierra Madre range which runs along the spine of Guatemala, one can spy the innumerable peaks and sub-ranges that branch off. Smoke and dust from the agricultural and industrial activity form a hazy blue layer, leading to an appearance very similar to the Smoky Mountains in the US. Perhaps what I found most fascinating was the sharp line above the horizon with a dark sky and a lighter foreground, formed by the smog catching the morning light.
Volcan Acatenango
Guatemala
Winter Layers
Mount Tahoma in Washington State is one of the tallest peaks in the lower 48 states of the US. With such a high prominence, this perennially snow-capped volcano dwarfs everything around it. Only when climbing upon it does one get to appreciate the layers of mountain ranges that stretch in every direction. Especially in the winter, when all these ranges get a white sheen of snow.
This was from one such winter trip to the National Park. A snowshoe up a popular slope of Mount Rainier yielded this stellar view of the multiple layers of ranges dominated by the snow-covered summit of Mount St Helens in the distant background.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thanks for following my posts so far.
Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA
Winter Blues
Even though this image looks like an late season adventure, this was actually taken early in the season last year. In Nov and Dec 2023, early winter storms dumped plenty of snow in the Cascades, but there was never a sustained subzero temperature to freeze the water. I was fortunate to visit during one of the gaps in the winter storms and capture the icy blue hues of a Cascade winter.
Find this image and more in my 2025 calendar available at this link.
Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Ode to Nature
While I did not get the opportunity to shoot the larches in fall, I did have the opportunity to travel to Iceland and capture its breathtaking natural scenery. Driving around its vast windswept plains with nothing to provide a sense of scale, it becomes easy to misjudge the size of mountains or the distance to a particular place. In addition, the lack of a focal point in the composition becomes a serious hindrance to capture a captivating image.
Thankfully, Iceland has plenty of churches dotted around the island, with many situated outside of the villages and communities they serve. Like this one in the Snaefellsnes peninsula in western Iceland. See this large in my 2025 calendar, available for purchase at this link.
Olafsvik
Iceland
Framed by Gold
The showstealer for fall in the PNW northwest is undoubtedly the golden larches. That is probably why I try to squeeze one trip every calendar year. This year was the only exception. Between travel, work, and recovery from a knee surgery, backpacking to the higher slopes of the Cascades during the one weekend of peak color was just out of the question.
Thankfully I had plenty of archival content from prior years that I could utilize for my 2025 calendar, which I feel would be incomplete without a landscape featuring larches. This specific photo caught my eye due to the elegant framing provided by the backlit larches, which, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to capture fall foliage. See this large in my 2025 calendar, available for purchase at this link.
Okanogan National Forest
WA USA