The warm yellow hues of the late afternoon light, juxtaposed against the gentle shadows on the rolling terrain of the region, add the right bit of drama and depth to a scene that would been boring under the mid-day sun.
Here is one such composition where the light highlights the undulating terrain.
Palouse
WA USA
Aftermath of a thunderstorm
The thunderstorm reason usually passes by the Palouse region a bit before the summer seasons. During the summer, one is typically greeted by bluebird skies over the rolling green fields. However, that is not particularly conducive to photography.
I wasn't hoping to get great weather in a trip earlier this year, but I was a bit more lucky with the weather patterns. Even though it was late June, cumulus clouds continued to roll over the region, an aftermath of a wet weather pattern. That lead to a nice pattern of shadow and light over lush wheat fields.
Palouse
WA USA
Junuary
While summer has officially begun in the Pacific Northwest, it quite doesn't feel like one yet, especially when compared to the halcyon days of June last year. But I am not complaining as the rainy days have kept the temperatures cooler and landscape in spring-like conditions well into summer. I still get psyched about seeing puffy clouds march endlessly into the horizon, and colorful wildflowers showing off their blooms well into June.
While hiking recently along the Columbia River Gorge, I captured a few photos that symbolized the fresh conditions that the wet Pacific Northwest has been having.
Columbia River Gorge
WA USA
Spring in the step
Even though the tulip blooms only last a couple of weeks, they put on a kaleidoscopic show of color that draws in tourists in record numbers. Perhaps it is their fleeting nature that makes them so special - they certainly would lose their charm if their blooms last the entire year.
Which one do you like the most?
Skagit Valley
WA USA
Light in the glade
Earlier this year, I embarked on an short winter hike on a remarkably sunny day. Hiking through the thin fog that hugged the forest floor, I came across this scene where the sun broke through the fog. I realized this was the perfect opportunity to capture the volumetric lighting enabled by this fog. Specifically, I was looking for the chiaroscuro from the sunlight striking the trees trunks in a specific angle, wile leaving the rest of it in shadows. With the right framing, this can lead to a powerful composition
Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Horsetail Falls
Nestled in one of the lush green canyons lining the Columbia river gorge, this waterfall tumbles over an overhang of basalt columns. When I visited this place in spring, I saw the ribbon of white twisting its way through the lush undergrowth. The black walls of the canyon were adorned with fresh growth of mosses and lichens fed by the mist from the gushing falls. From this vantage point, I could spy the trail going under the overhang to give a unique perspective of the waterfall.
Columbia River Gorge
OR USA
The Cherries at Spring
It may be mid May, but the temperatures in the PNW have still stayed below the 60s, and it still feels like spring. So in recognition of that, here are a couple of photos from the spring cherry blossoms at the well-manicured blooms of the University of Washington Campus
Seattle
WA USA
Waterfalls of the Gorge
It had been ages since I had been to the waterfall, but the moment I entered the glade where the waterfall was nestled in, memories started flooding in: a tall column of stark white water set against the dark and sinuous basalt columns, a gushing creek flowing under a mossy wooden bridge, surrounded by the fresh greenery of spring. I still remembered the refreshing scent of petrichor, the ice-cold spray from the fall, and the thunderous roar echoing through the canyon.
Such was the impact of this lovely waterfall along the Columbia River
Columbia River Gorge
OR USA
Tulip Star
It pays occasionally to dip below the line of flowers to capture a photo of the one
I was looking to capture unique compositions of the tulip fields when I noticed that the sun was very low on the horizon. I realized that I could use the dense rows of tulips to block the sun, and capture a sunstar when the tulips swayed with the wind. After a few trials, this was the final composition
Skagit Valley
WA USA
The Misty Woods
Visiting the Columbia Gorge in the midst of a thunderstorm means that not only are you going to get pelted by rain, but you also get the occasional bouts of sunlight. And that light can add an ethereal and primeval feel to the waterfalls of the canyon. This was one of those waterfalls gushing from the recent rain-showers of April
Columbia River Gorge
OR USA