Sometimes I just stare in wonder at what nature can create. On a rare sunny winter day in the Olympics range of Washington, a small cloudburst empties itself into the thin dry air. I found myself drawn in to its inverse pattern created by the pyramidal mountains of the Olympics
Olympic National Park
WA USA
Fairies of Winter
A fresh snow storm transformed the steadfast conifers into angels of white. While trudging to the knee deep snow, I paused for a moment to seek solace in the silence amidst these fairies of winter.
Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Runnels at Rainier
At Mount Rainier, I came across these runnels formed as snowmelt runs down the snowy slopes in a very unique pattern. And I wouldn't have spotted it unless I had stopped to admire the intimate details of the landscape
Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA
Colors to Remember
There was not much holding me back from heading back to the comfort of my parked car that evening.
I was freezing on that beach and the best of the light had already left the skies. I was looking forward to a warm meal on that winter evening, but my gut instinct kept me back. Thankfully my instinct proved right, and the burn lasted for a long time
Olympic National Park
WA USA
Rolling Grains
While Palouse has its star attractions for a photography, what brings me the most delight is wandering around the backroads seeking photogenic barns that stand out against the blue skies and the rolling green hills. I was lucky with this one
Palouse
WA USA
Sparks of Sand
When I photograph sand dunes, I normally seek out patterns in the ripples of the dunes, especially during the golden hours. But this time, I decided to focus on the faint shadow cast by the clouds as a gust of wind whipped up the sand.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
CO USA
Alone at Sea
During a spring hike a few years ago, I was blessed with remarkable conditions over the Puget sound. I specifically sought this location in an urban park so that I could capture the beautiful silhouette of the Olympic range. A lone sailboat happened to be at the right place to frame this scene.
Seattle
WA USA
Misty Woods
Unlike the last photo which was taken on a sunny weekend, this one instead was on a cloudy day, typical of winter in the pacific Northwest. Instead of grand landscapes, I chose to focus on the ethereal fog that keeps the rainforests of the Olympic peninsula rather wet and moist.
Olympic National Park
WA USA
Rainier Scenes
Rainier Scenes
January in the Pacific Northwest is usually characterized by grey gloomy skies and precipitation that lasts for days on end. And rainy weekends were the norm. So it was a rare coincidence that January of 2022 had plenty of sunny weekends where one could spend the outdoors under clear skies.
On one such weekend, I headed up the slopes of Rainier to capture remarkable winter scenes like this one. Such days more than make up for the less than average daylight in the PNW
Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA
Fruits of Labor
The reward for a steep climb up the slopes of Mount Rainier is a panoramic vista of the snow-capped ranges all around. With most peaks topping out at 9000ft in the North and Central Cascades, this winter destination offers a great reward-effort ratio for hikers. I chose to frame this composition with two hikers enjoying a sunny respite on a cold winter day
Mount Rainier National park
WA USA