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
Light on the Larches
When I travel outdoors, I am constantly surprised by how life clings on to the barest of environments. While I struggle to grow potted plants indoors, I have found both colorful shrubs and towering trees grow in the tiniest nooks and crannies without any additional help.
Such as this group of larches showing off their golden coat amidst the stark rocky landscape of the eastern Cascades.
Okanogan Wenatchee National Fores
WA 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
The Rocky Frontier
This was one of the most torturous climbs I had ever done, partly due to the fact that it was a fourteener and I hadn't really acclimatized, and partly because I was climbing up in snow which caused traction issues. I still remember reserving all my stamina for the final push to the summit just so that I could have this panoramic view of this amazing mountainscape. Snow-capped peaks towered above the undulating landscape in all directions on this blue-bird day, the last of a rare weeklong stint of sun in the Rockies
White River National Forest
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
Odd one out
One of my classic takes with the spring tulip blossoms of the Pacific Northwest is photographing the odd ones out. I seek out the oddball misfits and the mis-colored ones amongst the uniform rows of neatly planted tulips. I presumed that these bulbs were planted either intentionally or they just crept it. Regardless, they form a great subject to add contrast when shooting tulips
Skagit Valley
WA USA
Frozen Sentinels
While we are slowly transitioning from spring to summer in the lowlands of the Pacific Northwest, the mountains are still winter wonderlands, and it will be a while before it takes on a summer coating. Meanwhile, there is still plenty of snow to enjoy.
Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA