paseytan wilderness

A Strike on the Galaxy

As part of the work to create my annual photography calendar, whose proceeds this year will go to National Park Foundation, I look through the archive of over 5000 photos I shoot every year. I don't ever get time to comb through every single one; it is a task which I have been failing miserably at. However, occasionally I chance upon gems that I often missed at first glance.

This is one such catch from a trip to the eastern half of the North Cascades in a remote wilderness region, far away from any light pollution. I visted this place early in the summer, far before devastating wildfires impacted visibility in these areas. As I was shooting a timelapse of the Milky Way, a bright meteor streaked the southern half of the sky. I had no idea if the camera had captured it, at least not until I came back and reviewed it on the big screen. I was lucky to catch this bright streak arcing across the band formed by the central disc of the galaxy.

Paseytan Wilderness

WA USA

Fairy Silhouettes

As I turned away from the last light of the day setting behind the profile of the North Cascades peak, I saw the crescent moon, high in the cloudless sky slowly making its way to its own twilight. A trio of conifers rose up towards the heavens, framing the graceful gradation from orange hues to the dusky twilight sky.

I tried to imagine what it would look like on camera, but I didn't have to. A quick snap with my phone revealed that this composition would work, and that eventually led to this fairy silhouette against the moon-lit night sky.

Paseytan Wilderness
WA USA

High on Light

When we found these delightful little blooms, my partner referred to these as Einstein heads, for they had a straggled appearance of Einsteins unkempt hair. Later, I discovered that these were the seedpods of the Western pasqueflower. And they are really soft as they look.

So I returned back to the spot for sunset, hoping to capture these delightful little blooms at sunset. I just wished I had cleaned my lenses prior to taking the photograph.

Paseytan Wilderness
WA USA