farmhouse

Return to the Palouse

The long halcyon days of summer have begun. And that means it is time for a trip to the eastern half of the state to once again to experience the beauty the Palouse region has to offer: rolling hilly terrain with a velvety carpet of freshly sprouted wheat and soybean, rustic farmhouses in a bucolic countryside with colorful barns peppered amidst the pastoral landscape. It also means shooting during the longest days of the year, with 4 am wakeups for photographing this divine landscape bathed in morning light, and staying awake till 10pm for capturing the last of the golden light. And driving around in dusty farmroads to find that one unique perspective of the Palouse.

So who wants to join me on this magical, albeit tiring, journey in June?

Palouse

WA USA

Last of the Skagit

The tulip festival in Skagit certainly seems to have underestimated its popularity. Over the last few weekends, crowds have thronged the handful of accessible tulip farms of Skagit Valley, turning the highways into accident-prone death traps and access roads into immobile parking lots on weekends. Driving just a span of 15 miles on the way back, I encountered at least 3 accidents stalling traffic for miles.

As the season winds to a close, I hearken back to the start of the season, where a early morning trip to Skagit to see the early blooms proved far more memorable. I made my way at dawn along bucolic farmlands and sleepy homesteads mired in mist carried by the nearby Skagit river, and witnessed a beautiful sunrise by the blooming daffodils with the company of just a few photographers.

Skagit Valley

WA USA

Country Roads of Vermont

I was driving along a winding country road in search of that elusive farm, up and over rocky ridges, across green grass valleys, cutting through gurgling brooks and rustling forests. The view changed with each bend: glorious fall foliage replaced by rustic farmhouses replaced by mirror-like ponds replaced by hardy livestock. I had transported to a Jane Austen countryside.

And even though I was kicking myself for not having a more accurate map, I was enjoying every moment being lost in the beautiful Vermont landscape going through the last of its fall colors. I eventually did find the working farm - a plethora of cars and photographers waiting for the perfect spot and the perfect light gave it away.

Here is that famous farmhouse in the heart of Vermont's English countryside donning the colors on the eave of autumn.

Woodstock

VT USA

,

Rolling Hills and Red Barns

,

I am back after a long hiatus. And while I haven't been posting, I most certainly have continued to shoot, traveling to some amazing National parks in the desert Southwest, as well as exploring the wonders of the Pacific Northwest, such as the Palouse.

The Palouse has always had a special place in my heart. Having first visited it over 5 years ago, the region of rolling green hills, picturesque barns, historic towns, and a charming rustic life, drew me in once again. And perhaps one of the best places to take in the essence of this unique place is witnessing the sunrise atop Steptoe Butte, a conical butte rising 1000ft above the rolling landscape.

From atop the butte, the lines of shadow and light provide an aerial perspective into the sinuous curves of the farmlands,  creek-beds that wind between the hills, red barns, farmsteads and silos that pepper the region, distant windmills capturing clean energy, and the vast agricultural heartland of Washington. The chaotic sleep schedules, the abundance of dust in the air, and the harsh sunny climate does not make it a destination for everybody, but the place certainly rewards the patient and the perseverent.

This was shot from atop the butte with a telephoto lens at F11, ISO 800 at 1/15s

Steptoe Butte State Park
WA USA

A Different Bliss

As I was looking through my archives for images that portrayed the theme of bliss, I realized that the perfect location was the lush green rolling landscape of Palouse in eastern Washington. I often describe this location as a place known by only two kinds of people - farmers and photographers. In fact, during my 3-day exploration of this place a few years back, those were the only living souls I met in this blissful landscape.

I spent many an hour exploring lonely dirt roads winding their way along and up curvy hills carpeted with green, and dotted with the occasional oak tree, a rustic yet colorful barn, an old farmstead, or even the infrequent windmill rusting away. This dilapidated shack was awaiting me at the end of one such dirt road. But perhaps what captivated my attention then was the blissful combination of lush green landscape and the puffy white clouds suspended in the robin egg blue sky. That was a scene that became etched in my mind as the ideal pastoral landscape.

The transient lighting conditions necessitated quick photography to time the exposure correctly. This was one such exposure showcasing the beauty of the wheat bowl of USA

Palouse
WA USA