Its the time of the year that I start working on the photography calendar. I have had plenty of adventures this year yielding many keepers, despite the fact that I was bedridden for about half the year. That said, I had to revisit the archives to get a bit of variety.
That opened up the choices quite a bit more, and I had to make many difficult decisions to keep some and discard others. This was one of those that I had to discard from the 2025 calendar. I still like the image for what it captures: a slice of the fall in the mountains in the North Cascades. Clumps of short blueberry add vibrant reds and oranges to the subalpine meadows in this fragile landscape dominated by glaciated mountain peaks. It lasts but for a very short time, but it leaves an impression like no other.
North Cascades National Park
WA USA
Bruarfoss
It didn't look like much on the map. And even the short walk from the parking lot didn't inspire confidence. But once I got to the wooden bridge straddling the river downstream of the falls, I was taken aback. It wasn't the typical Icelandic waterfall, featuring a tall column of water descending from the lip of hard basalt that you see everywhere. Instead, it was a diffuse waterfall, spreading along a long ledge over which a multitude of streams pour over. Perhaps what was most fascinating was the tiny canyon barely 3m tall and a meter wide that cut its way into the face of the waterfall.
I spent an hour admiring every single detail of the waterfall, from the columnar basalt in the foreground, the faded clumps of orange grass that contrasted with the deep blue water, and the roaring sound of the gushing river.
Bruarfoss
Iceland
Larch Madness
I missed out the Larch Madness of 2024, for the reason that I was in a completely different continent at the peak of the larch season. Larch madness, so named for the precise and synchronous change of color by the Western larches, whose needles take on a amber hue as the temperatures start to dip in early October. Walking in a larch forest at this time is a surreal experience, with backlit trees exhibiting a golden hue. And since they grow in large clusters, the color is very pronounced both up close and from a distance.
This is one such larch grove at one of my favorite destinations for the larches. I happened to arrive at the right time to capture beautiful reflections at this golden lake in the eastern eaves of the Cascade range.
Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest
WA USA
Cascades in the Gorge
Watching the delicate dance of water as it winds its way down moss-clad rocks, or arc over a ledge in a beautiful waterfall, or spread into a million droplets of refreshing mist, is perhaps the surest sign of spring. The cool air was alive with the scent of damp earth and wildflowers, a fragrant reminder that life persists even in the hidden corner of the forest. It hearkens back to an era of unspoilt nature far away from civilization.
Here are a few scenes from the Columbia River Gorge, noted for its amazing variety of wildflowers which tumble down the steep slopes of the Gorge
Columbia River Gorge
OR USA
Blurred visions
Balsamroot in full bloom stretch towards the horizon where the first light of day hits Mt Hood. Framed against the pink sky, the scene was a a perfect reminder of the beauty of spring in the Pacific Northwest, which encapsulates everything from the vivid tulip blossoms in Skagit Valley, the vibrant flowers in neighborhood gardens to vast blooms like this one.
I used the blur of the windswept blooms to highlight the gusty conditions that morning. While I attempted a few shots at a higher shutter speed to freeze the motion, I found that the blurred flowers worked equally well for this scene.
Columbia Hills Historic State Park
WA USA
Floral explosion
The wild and unpredictable weather of California may have impacted the superbloom that was expected after the wet winter. While the colors may be more muted in most of California compared to the color explosion last year, Death Valley is experiencing a resurgence of colors after a perfectly wet winter. It remains to be seen if the other drier regions of the state experience a similar floral bloom.
Here are some of the blooms captured in the various wilderness areas in Southern California
CA USA
Chasms in the sandstone
In the red sandstone canyons of the Navajo Nation, there lies one replete with mysterious curves that bend and reflect the light in strange ways. Even mid-day sometimes never makes it down the canyon, but it highlights the striations that wind along the sinuous walls. Its a delightful photographic journey to walk down the canyon and immersing in the beautiful creation of water.
Navajo Nation
AZ USA
Tulip Season
Its perhaps the last week for the blooming tulips out in the Skagit valley. It is a a bit earlier than other years, perhaps aided by a few warm days last month. But it was as colorful as ever.
Did you get to see the blooms this year?
Blooms of the Gorge
Old wagons, run-down stagecoaches, rusty barns and worn out corrals dot the green hills that slope down to the still waters of the Columbia River a thousand feet below. These were the only vestiges reminding us of the rich history of homesteading in this beautiful region dating back to the mid-19th century. Today, these are part of the Columbia Hills Historical State Park in the Columbia Gorge, which in spring, bursts with brilliant blooms of balsamroot.
Here is one such bloom framing an old wagon, a remnant of a bygone era.
Columbia Hills Historical State Park
WA USA
Wildflower Closeups
I always wonder what led to rich diversity of wildflowers every time I witness a spring bloom event. The blooms I have witness comprise of anything from dainty buttercups with shiny golden yellow petals, blue petaled baby-blue eyes dotting the undergrowth near creeks, vivid reds of the Indian paintbrush in the thick bush, the soft orange of the ubiquitos California poppy fluttering in vast swathes under a sunny sky. And even though I have seen them from up close and from far away, I can never get tired of looking at nature's artwork.
Central California
USA