Vulcan's Lair

Vulcan’s Lair is a fun add on to your drive to Portland and beyond as both park are within 20 miles of I-5 and offer wonderful examples of wild geologic forces that built the world and laid foundation for our beautiful state. Of the nearly 20 volcanoes that run parallel to the coast in the cascade range extending from California to southern British Columbia, Washington is home to 5: Mt Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens, and Mt Adams. But according to geologist Nick Zenter, there is plenty of evidence that these 5 are the youngest in a family of even more ancient volcanoes. This road trip introduces you to the most recent and most active of all the cascade volcanoes and one very old eruption.

So, head south with me and we’ll pull off the highway near Castlerock to visit Seaquest State Park and views of Mt St Helens. The main portion of Seaquest is across the road from where we’re exploring which is the Silver Lake Mt St Helens Visitor Center and nature trail. If you have the time, the lush forest across the street (easy access by an underground tunnel), is well worth the visit. But on this trip, we’re here to see volcanoes.

Five dollars will get you in to see the exhibits and other programs in the visitor center. Displays of the history of the area before and after the 1980 eruption discuss the interactions between humans, the fertile lands in the area, and the often-disruptive peak. I like heading down into the model volcano to understand more about the geology and ingredients needed for an eruption like the one that occurred 38 years ago. Stop in the theater for a short movie about the eruption and the destructive forces before heading out to see the (for now) quiet volcano.

From the visitor center, make your way towards the lake and a looped trail that meanders along boardwalks connecting small islets in the marshy areas of the lake. From the board walk and trail you will have views of the now collapsed mountain – if it’s a clear day. Create depth in your images by placing the marsh vegetation in the foreground, find interesting lines or unique foliage that help lead the viewer’s eye to the often-snowy mountain. There are several good spots to photograph the mountain and you walk along the path.

Once done with the boardwalk trail, hop back in your car to continue south to the little town of Battle Ground and the little nearly perfect circle of a lake there. 7700 years ago, a cluster of volcanoes in Oregon erupted and in the aftermath of the explosion a lake formed in the leftover caldera. Crater Lake is considered to be one of the bluest clearest lakes in North America. And is well worth the drive to see it. But just north of Vancouver, WA you can see a miniature caldera lake even older than Crater Lake.

In an event called the Boring Lava Volcanics, the eruptions left a small caldera at the foot of the cascades about 100,000 years ago. The caldera filled with water to become a miniature Crater Lake except without the blue water and Wizard Island. But the depression is a sweet surprise in the forested landscape. Several trails encircle the lake to let you experience the terrain left over from the more active volcanic periods. The trails closer to the lake edge hike past volcanic rocks, remnants of the eruptions so long ago. Higher, on the crater rim, the forest is thick with vine maples that in the late fall bathe the park in a yellow glow. Stop long enough for a picnic on the lake’s shore and watch families fish from the dock before heading on your way.

Directions from Olympia (mileages are approximate):

To Seaquest State Park: Drive south on I-5 for 55 miles to exit 49 and highway 504 east. Head east for 6 miles to the park. The Mt Saint Helens Visitor Center and boardwalk are on the south side of the highway. The campground and wooded hiking trails are on the north side of the highway. There is a pedestrian underpass that links both sides of the park.

To Battle Ground Lake State Park: Leave Seaquest Park and head west on highway 504 back to I-5 south. Continue on I-5 south for 38 miles to exit 11, highway 502 east to the town of Battle Ground. Continue on highway 502 for 6 miles to town and drive through town. Turn left on NE Grace Ave. In ½ mile turn right on NE 10^th St and continue on NE Heisson Road which turns into NE 244^th St then then NE Palmer Road. After all that, turn left on NE 249^th St and the park.

River of Eagles

Pack a picnic and get an early start, for our Nation’s national symbol is at the heart of this trip to the Skagit Valley. At just 46 miles from start to finish you’ll have plenty of time to stop at all the way-sides to look for Bald Eagles. You can find eagles here anytime of the year, but your best bet to photograph these gorgeous raptors is between the end of November to the beginning of March so make sure you bundle up and bring your longest lens.

Bald Eagles migrate into the Skagit River Valley during the winter to feed on spawning salmon battling their way upstream to end their life cycle and nourish another. The eagle numbers are so great here that the towns in the Skagit Valley host an Eagle Festival every year and wildlife spotters help tourists identify and understand these great raptors. That’s one of the reasons I love this trip – all the little waysides that will get you close enough to really watch eagles roost and hunt or scavenge.

Our first stop on this trip is on Padilla Bay not too far from the mouth of the Skagit River at a little park named Bay View State Park. Padilla Bay and its mud flats filled with tasty bird treats (insects and small marine life) are well known in birding circles. While looking for eagles roosting high in the trees, keep an eye out for wintering water birds in the bay or Great Blue Herons perched on the shore. Just north of the park is the Breazeale Padilla Bay Interpretive Center. Swing by to learn more about the role the area plays in the healthy eco-system.

Thirty miles east along the Skagit River, just off highway 20, is Rasar State Park. Perfectly situated along a stretch of wide shallow water, eagles love to roost in the trees looking for the perfect salmon to snack on and screech at each other. From the parking lot, hike down through a meadow with views of Sauk Mountain and listen for the high-pitched screechy call in the trees above. Once you get to the river, walk easterly and look up. Eagles enjoy roosting in the leaf-bare alders here – better fish viewing for them and better bird viewing for you.

As your morning winds down, hop back in your car to drive another 16 miles east on highway 20 to Rockport State Park. While there isn’t river access from this park, the thick old growth forest aides in keeping the river healthy so salmon and Bald Eagles return every year. Check the calendar for one of the ranger led walks through the forest ecosystem to learn more about the interconnectedness of the forest, river, salmon, and eagles.

If you want to continue your adventure, keep heading east on highway 20 through the towns of Rockport and Marblemount. There are several stops along the way with opportunities to photograph eagles. The first is in Rockport at the Howard Miller Steelhead Park where you will find an eagle interpretive center and can take part in interpretive walks. Further along the road at milepost 101, a small park has open views to allow for eagle viewing. And in Marblemount, head across the river to the boat access where you can walk a trail leading down river a bit and eagles watching from trees. 

Directions from Mount Vernon (mileages are approximate):

To Bay View State Park: In Mount Vernon, follow highway 536 through town to the junction with highway 20 in 7 miles. Head west on highway 20. In 2 miles turn north onto Bay View Edison Rd and drive 1.5 miles to the park. The entrance is one your right then you’ll need to take an immediate left into the to drive under the road to the day use area and the shoreline. The Padilla Bay Education Center is just a half mile up the road from the park.

To Rasar State Park: Drive back into the town of Bay View then head east on Josh Wilson Rd. Stay on this road for 8 miles to the junction with I-5. Head north on I-5 for a mile then take the exit to Cook Rd. Follow Cook Rd through 2 round-abouts. The first one, take the second exit. The second one, take the third exit, this will have you driving on highway 20 eastbound. Follow highway 20 for 15.5 miles to Lusk Rd and turn right. Turn left onto Cape Horn Rd and in 1 mile you come to the park. On the left is the group camp area and the right is the campground and day use area with the trail along the river.

To Rockport State Park: Head back to Cape Horn Rd and turn right (east) then turn left onto Russell Rd. This will take you back to highway 20. Continue east on highway 20 for 13.5 miles. Access to the park is on the north side of the highway, but the park spans the highway.

My Favorite Images of 2018

Another year comes to an end and we all seem to look back on the previous 12-month increment with reflection. Reflection of what happened in the year and reflection on what the future holds. As I look back, I think on all the friends, old and new, who helped to write my year’s stories. Of the laughter shared, the tears cried, and the bonds we will always carry with us. So, each of these images has a story to tell, of what I came to treasure I this passing year and sometimes a life-long story of friendship.

January – One of my favorite images from this past year is also one of my first. It is a story of trying something new, of a challenge offered and accepted. When the notification for a dance photography meet-up showed up in my email, this nature-girl and flower photographer knew she’d be out of her element. But I signed up anyway and found joy in the simple beauty of a beautiful human form. I was only able to meet with this group one other time, but I hope to meet with them more in the future – the continuing challenge of stepping away from comfort.

February – It’s taken a long time for me to feel comfortable with promoting myself as a photographer and writer. We all know how real that imposter syndrome is and I had been feeling it for some time as I struggled with my book project and wondering if anybody would care. This beam of sunlight was an awakening. This shaft of light reminded me of all the reasons my book is important – that it is not the grand images of wide landscapes with startling color so often searched for by so many photographers that persuade people to love their public lands – it’s these intimate moments of a simple shaft of light through a misty forest that touches the soul.

March – The boat tossed and tipped under my unsteady legs as I gripped the railing tightly, my heart skipping a beat as each wave hit us broadside. It had been since childhood that I’d been in a boat this small on the open ocean. My cousin casually walked towards the front of the boat and I wished for her confidence on sea. Somewhere I knew the boat wouldn’t capsize, I just needed to remember that and soon, on cautious feet, I followed her. We were here with her granddaughters to see whales something I had yet to see on the few whale watching trips I’d been on. But the guide promised us whales. And whales we were shown.

April – In all my travels documenting the state parks, I have come across a few places within the parks that touch my soul deep to an inner core. The places are unshakable in my psyche and I revel in knowing they are there, waiting for my return. This madrone grove at Miller Peninsula State Park is one of these places. There is something about the madrone tree with its vibrant green leaves and red peeling bark that exposes a lime green under-bark. And seeing so many grouped together on this hillside has me wishing for a chair to lounge in, so I can look up and dream the day away.

May – Three women rocket scientists walking to demonstrate their final project at the University of Washington. Do I really need to say more?

June – In the far reaches of southeast Washington is a little park on a hill overlooking the Grande Ronde river valley. Each spring, the sun paints the park with brilliant colors of wildflowers. If I could be here every June to see this display, I would. This June I got a little more than I had hoped for: colorful wildflowers, gorgeous sunset colors, and a sense of courage I never thought I’d need. For I shared this meadow with a meandering black bear – the most beautiful bear I had ever seen. He was a tawny brown with a jet-black face. And thankfully far more afraid of me than I was of him. We both survived the encounter and I wish him well in his bear life.

July – The father and his adult son pushed their kayaks into the bay as the sun slid closer to the horizon. Quietly they paddled out as my friends and I watched from the beach. We could hear the son tell his father, “This is a great idea, Dad.” We sat on driftwood chatting quietly as the sky darkened then turned to shades of yellow and orange. From across the bay we heard the excited words of a son and father sharing a special moment of kayaking in liquid gold. I looked to my friends, each of them I met on a trail somewhere and thought, “Yeah, this IS a pretty special moment.”

August – As kids we fought and most likely tried to kill each other at some point. Maybe not on purpose. But that’s what siblings do. We pinch. We poke. We punch. And at some point, as we grow, we become friends. I always say, the only time my family got along was when we were camping. My sister and I learned to bond over that. Camping together is easy as we are comfortable in our self-reliance. She is slower on the trail and often in camp, but that only gives me more time to photograph flowers. I fly by the seat of my pants too often, but she’s great at making a plan. Summer seems empty without a trip with her in it.

September – This was a year for trying something new because the old habits weren’t getting me anywhere. In January I joined a writing group to kick myself in the butt and get writing on the book. And I met some of the most amazing people, each with their own backstory and motivations. I admired them all with their ability to tell a story, write a poem, and be vulnerable to the process. We found ways to explore our writing, our friendship and ourselves. A few of us took a trip to Lake Quinault for a writing weekend. With clouds slung low over the forested hills we wrote, we cried, we laughed, then we wrote some more.

October – My mother died too young. Leaving behind two young women still searching for a sense of self. At times her loss is immeasurable even after 30 years. Then there are times where I feel her presence, a whisper on the wind, an agate on the beach, the glimpse of an owl. Mom loved owls and collected figurines and pictures. During my divorce, mother came to me in an owl-shaped pillow I just couldn’t let go of. The comfort I felt from a silly little pillow helped get me through some very tough episodes. So now, I like collecting little owl figurines and pictures.

November – Photographic destinations: Yosemite, Blue Ridge Mountains, Yellowstone, Oklahoma? I had never really thought of Oklahoma as a photographic destination before – it is a fly-over state after all. But there I was, booking a flight to a destination on a whim and a photo I had seen from another photographer. I planned and planned then threw all that out the window as I explored a part of the country I had never been to before. It was a reminder of the journey I find myself on – to show that there is beauty everywhere, you just have to look.

December – As with January, my last favorite photo is one of the last photos I created in 2018. And I notice that Fields Spring State Park made the list twice. On the last days of the year, my whale-watching cousin with my camping sister and a trail buddy (all I need was a writing friend to really tie the year together) packed ourselves into a little sedan and drove to SE Washington for some snowshoeing and solitude. As we explored the winter trails, snow fell on the Blue Mountains with just a hint of sun. It was the perfect blend of winter and friends.

To you and yours, I wish you a story-filled 2019.

Westward Ho! Part 1

As we remember back through our childhood history lessons and the Euro-American migration west crossing the Mississippi Rivers, through the great plains and over the Rocky Mountains, you might recall that there were basically 4 stages of population influx into Indian lands.  First, we saw trappers and miners exploring the wilderness. As interest in settling the west grew, forts were built to help tame the wilderness and protect the settlers from the Native Americans whose homelands they took. Homesteaders followed closely on the heels of the army, they built towns that would support their agrarian business. Finally the great iron roads of the railroad barons began crossing the plains bringing in a greater number of Euro-American settlers and the wilderness of the west was considered tamed.

It was a time of great changes and great troubles as the accomplishments of one people did not benefit all people. Looking at history comes with its own challenges but a historian friend of mine often reminds me that it is a trap with no clear answers or escape to judge yesterday’s actions with today’s sensibilities. All we can really do is observe and report, watch trends and tendencies with the hope of learning from the past and not passing judgment.

Fort Simcoe was built in 1856 near a fresh spring used as a gathering place for the Yakama Indians. The translated name for the area means bubbling water. I can imagine trappers introducing the Yakama Nation to Euro-Americans here. But it is the fort that visitors come to see, and right now I have no proof that ever occurred. The fort was originally built to keep the peace between the native people and settlers and this fertile area was coveted by both populations. So the army being the army, settled the matter and built a fort. Once the treaty between the Yakama and United States was ratified in 1859, the army abandoned the fort to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and it became a controversial boarding school for Yakama children. It’s a hard history to understand, but the beauty of Fort Simcoe will show you why it was a treasured place for the Yakama people.

The fort sits on a hill overlooking the fertile lands of the Yakima River Valley. While most of the buildings are reconstructed – the officer’s quarters and a block house a distance from the main fort are original. Enlisted barracks, jails, block house, and interpretive center are reconstructed in the construction techniques of the time. The Officer’s Quarters are styled in Gothic Revival with high pitched dormers to add a perfect contrast to the rolling hills of Eastern Washington. You can also explore the officer’s quarters and the park has created styled vignettes in each of the rooms.

I like focusing in on the details of the buildings and construction techniques. Try to record the details that help record the era. The vignettes in the officer’s quarters are blocked off as in most historical homes but I’ll use a longer lens and a high ISO to zoom in on the settings and furnishings.

A mile-long trail around the park takes you through shrub steppe and oak forest, giving you an idea of what the land may have looked like before Euro-Americans settled here.

We’ll next drive 72 miles north and a few years beyond Fort Simcoe to 1875 and Olmstead Place Historical State Park to photograph life on a frontier homestead. The Olmsteads settled along the Altapes Creek in Kittitas Valley. Their modest cabin soon grew into storage and animal sheds. As the prosperity through cattle grew in the region so did the Olmsteads. The homestead now includes a pioneer cabin, original out buildings, a more modern barn and house, plus a heritage garden filled with colorful flowers.

The out buildings are filled with agricultural implements from the 19^th and early 20^th centuries while the cabin is filled with home making supplies so the visitor can imagine life on the farm on the frontier. Use whatever lens you’re comfortable with and look for patterns and textures in the details.

We’ll need to speed forward a few years to 1909 and 35 miles west to the Chicago, Milwaukee, St Paul and Pacific Railroad South Cle ElumRail Yard – I just call it the South Cle Elum Rail Yard. As Railroads began to cross the expanse of our nation, a greater number of Euro-Americans made the trek to cities large and small to open libraries, schools, and businesses not entirely dependent on the agrarian culture. The beginning of the industrialization of the west began – very few areas of the west were considered frontier.

Now the South Cle Elum Rail Yard is managed by the Cascade Rail Foundation in partnership with Washington State Parks. It is what is called an affiliated site as it has been preserved through funds and administration of the Washington State Parks Commission. The Milwaukee Road is now a mostly paved trail  - the Palouse to Cascades Trail - stretching from North Bend to Vantage with plans to extend the trail when possible.

But our focus is on the old depot. South Cle Elum became a division point where locomotives were serviced and crews switched on and off. Passengers and freight could also board or depart the trains in the points. A short interpretive trail circles a meadow where you can see some of the old foundations of structures needed to run a depot such as the roundhouse and water tank. The depot is open with exhibits and stop by Smokey’s Bar-B-Que next door in the depot for dinner to end your day.

Directions from Yakima, 106 miles between parks

To get to Fort Simcoe from Yakima: Drive south on I-82 for 7.5 miles to Lateral A Road. Turn right and follow Lateral A Rd for 10 miles to Fort Road. Turn right on Fort road and follow to White Swan in 14 miles. Turn Left on Signal Peak Road then another right onto Fort Simcoe Road. The park will be on your left.

Fort Simcoe to Olmstead Place: Go backwards from the above directions and pass through Yakima on I-82 heading north until the Thrall Road exit just before the junction with I-90. Turn left onto Thrall Road and another left onto Number 6 Road. In 4 miles, turn right onto Kittitas Hiway and follow to the park on your right.

Olmstead Place to South Cle Elum Railyard: Head back out to Kittitas Highway and turn left, follow into Ellensburg to Canyon Road. Turn left on Canyon Rd then another left onto I-90 westbound. In 25 miles, take exit 84 from I-90. Turn right onto Oakes Ave in Cle Elum follow to 1^st Ave then turn Left. Make another left onto S Cle Elum Way. Follow S Cle Elum way into South Cle Elum then turn right onto Madison Ave. Turn left onto 6^th and another right onto Milwaukee Ave. The depot and park will be on your left.

Fall into Northwest Foliage I

As Labor Day rolls past my calendar, my mind turns to thoughts of Autumn. The season doesn’t officially start for another few weeks, but I start thinking of pumpkin spice breves, school supplies, fogy mornings giving way to crisp sunny days, and fiery fall foliage.

Leaves begin to tarnish in the high alpine zones of our Pacific Northwest Mountains in August emphasizing a short rowing season where just a month prior the meadows were exhibiting the fertile vibrancy of mountain meadows speckled with pinks, yellows, and purples of wildflowers. Bees and mosquitoes fill the air with ever-present buzzing. Birds sing from the trees and deer nibble on the plant life. The colors turn red and gold in August as the air quiets. Deer are migrating to fresher fields leaving the meadows to marmots and pika gathering stores for the long winter ahead of them.

Summer holds on for another month in the Puget Sound lowlands. Big leaf maples start yellowing in September and the vine maple secluded in the evergreen forests become ablaze in October. Cooler days and more often then not, overcast skies. If you remember your 4 F’s – the subjects best suited to overcast days – forests are one of the F’s. With cloudy skies, you get less harsh shadows, and fewer blown out highlights – in general, more pleasing images without a lot of post processing headaches. You will also need to make sure you grab your tripod; cloudy days mean less light through the lens so often slower shutter speeds – which can be used for fun creative effects.

As you walk through the parks on each of these trips, look for branches of leaves extending across the trunks of conifers or into the scenery. Open your aperture wide to capture just a single leaf in focus with a splash of color in the background. Look for fallen leaves in the trail, on rocks, on ferns, or anywhere really. Grab your macro equipment and focus in on the veins of a leaf or head out after a rain and compose images with rain drops hanging onto the edge. Slow your shutter down and play with creative zooms and pans. Are you out and about while the sun is shining? Don’t be afraid to turn your lens towards the sun and capture leaves glowing with backlit wonder. Your images are only limited by the amount of daylight you have to play in.

This road trip takes you to 4 parks in the Enumclaw area that have a nice variety of forests for your creativity and pleasure.

First we’ll go to Kanasket-Palmer State Park along the Green River near the outflow of the Green River Gorge. Hike the trails along the river shore for views of the Green River Gorge. Rafters and kayakers are often seen drifting past on the current; their colorful boats are a wonderful punctuation on grey days. Look for fallen leaves along the river’s shore – here is a nice area to practice long exposures composing for the stillness of a leaf on a rock with blurred water surrounding the stationary subject.

From there, head to Nolte State Park. This little lake can often be overlooked as a photographic destination but we’re here to shatter those perceptions. A visit in the fall will have you walking through golden vine maples, their leaves drifting to the ground like vibrant snowflakes. Take the time to meander along the mile long trail around the lake. On sunny days point your camera to the sun for leaves that seem to be glowing from within.

Our next stop is to Flaming Geyser State Park. While the namesake of the park – a gas pocket burning above ground – is pretty much gone, the forest of big leaf maples will hold your interest as you hike the trail to the bubbling geyser. As the leaves fall into the grey sulfur mud they sparkle with color. Spend some time exploring the marshes near the parking lot for birds and wild critter settling in for winter.

Finally we’ll drive out highway 410 to Federation Forest State Park along the White River. With over 9 miles of trails, your adventure here can be as long as you want to make it. Start with the interpretive trail near the Catherine Montgomery Interpretive Center. Vine maple grow in abundance here and offer a bright contrast against the heavy bark of douglas-fir trees.

With Enumclaw as the hub for your road trip, make sure you stop at one of the fine restaurants for lunch to refuel your adventure.

Directions from Enumclaw - 40 miles between parks

To Kanasket-Palmer State Park: From Highway 410 in Enumclaw take 284th Ave SE heading north out of town. In a mile and a half the road turns into Veazie-Cumberland Rd SE. Continue to follow Veazie-Cumberland Rd SE as it turns into Cumberland-Kanasket Rd SE, just after Nolte State Park. After Nolte State Park, travel another 2.3 miles to Kanasket Palmer State Park Rd, turn left and drive to the day-use parking lot near the river.

To Nolte: Travel back along Cumberland Kanasket Rd SE towards Enumclaw and turn into Nolte State Park at 2.3 miles.

To Flaming Geyser State Park: Return towards Enumclaw via Veazie Cumberland Rd SE, turn right on 392nd St. which turns into SE 400th Way. After 2 miles, turn right onto State Route 169. Stay on State Route 169 for 3.3 miles then turn left on SE Green Valley Rd. Turn left into the park at 2.8 miles.

To Federation Forest State Park: Return to Enumclaw via State Route 169. Head east on Highway 410 for 15 miles to arrive at Federation Forest State Park.

10 Tips for Forest Photography

After publishing a post about what makes forests so magical to photograph, I thought I'd give you 10 tips on how to photograph in a forest.

1. Go On Overcast Days

You wake up and notice a bright sunny day beginning to warm the earth. Grab your camera and head to the beach. But if you get a day with a little to a lot of cloud cover, take your camera to the forest. As sunlight streams through the trees, dark shadows cast next to bright highlights. This can be very difficult to capture in one exposure. It can be done, but generally with quite a bit of post processing involved. And if you've clipped your highlights and/or darks on your histogram you might be out of luck pulling details out of those areas. Diffused light is so much better at capturing the colors and textures of the trees and under-story of the forest. Without the harsh highlights and shadows, the wonderful details of the forest come to life. Clouds are nature's diffusers and make for less headaches in light metering and post processing. Added tip: Foggy days add a sense of mystery.

2. Bring Your Tripod

Since you're going out on cloudy days, you will most likely be using a slower shutter speed on your camera. Do yourself a favor and bring a tripod. I can't tell you how many times I've been disappointed when I got home because I thought "Ah, it's bright enough. I don't need a tripod." No, I needed a tripod. The light may seem bright enough, but often it's not - not in the trees at least. Even with higher quality sensors that can be boosted to capturing good images at high ISO's, you might find you want to keep your ISO lower to reduce noise. And if you throw a polarizing filter on your lens (tip #4), your shutter speed will become even slower with the added density of the filter. There have been times that I've found the tripod useful as a trekking pole too.

3. Bring A Variety Of Lenses

When hiking, I generally head out with 2 lenses to help cut down on extra weight in my pack - an 18mm-75mm zoom and a 75mm-300mm zoom. I've found that this lens combination helps me capture pretty much everything. You will also want to pack along a macro lens to capture those close-up details. I personally use a diopter filter for macro - again a decision to help cut down on pack weight plus I do not mind that there is focus fall-off with the diopter because of my style of photography. You might decide differently. But the point here is to bring lenses and play with them. A slow walk in the forest encourages you to experiment and find out what you, your camera and your lenses can do. Having a wide angle lens gives you sweeping forest views with ferns or flowers in the foreground. A longer lens lets you focus on the far-away leaf glittering in the light against the dark.

4. Bring Your Polarizer

Oh my gosh, I can not extol the virtues of having a polarizing filter for forest photography enough. A polarizer helps to cut the glare and reflections on such things as windows, water, and leaves. Even on cloudy days, you can end up with light reflections or glare on the leaves of your subject. Adding a circular polarizer and rotating it will cut down the glare. Test it, see what happens - with the live-view viewfinders, you will see the difference it makes. They cut the glare and all of a sudden your greens are greener, reds are redder and everything around you looks rich and alive. The trees begin to talk and the ferns start showing off. You can feel yourself fall into the wondrous land just like Alice.

5. Watch Where You're Looking (up, down, behind)

As we walk through the world, we tend to look down to watch where we step.  While this is very important in the forest - we don't want to trip over roots and rocks - we also want to make sure we're not missing the beauty surrounding us. Look up:  see how the trees come together in the sky. Look for branches stretching across the trees. Is the sun peaking through? Can you get a sun star or better yet, sunbeams? So much of the forest is above our eyes, so make sure you search the life above. Look down, but for more than where to put your next step. Does the trail offer a beautiful curve through the tree? Are there mushrooms, flowers, or details along the edge of the trail that are talking to you? Look over your shoulder. Is the light hitting that hanging moss differently once you get around to the other side? Or is the grouping of trees offering a different texture? What does the forest look like if you stand on that rock over there? What about if you lay down in the trail? Change your perspective and the forest will tell you another story.

6. Seasons Change

One of my favorite aspects of telling the forest story, is that it doesn't matter what time of the year you go. In fact the more often you go, the better the story. Winter displays of bare limbs open the under-story to wider views. Mists cling to evergreen bows like sparkling jeweled drops or snow fall gently through the trees. Spring wakens with bright green growth of young leaves on bushes and trees - the air seems to glow with life. Ferns unfurl their fronds as flowers open upward to the sky. When summer arrives, head to cooler forests for wonderful textures in the trees. While in tip #1 the idea is to go with cloudy day, why not head out with the sun spotting the forest floor and play with the details of light and dark. My favorite season is autumn, when the leaves begin to tarnish with season's end. While in spring you walk through air glowing green, in autumn the air vibrates with gold.

7. Go Slow and Stop Often

My friends know that when I invite them on a forest walk and pull out my tripod at the trailhead, we're going slow. Sometimes it's as slow as a mile an hour. Luckily they know this and bring plenty of layers and snacks. But it is also a time for them to slow down and really look at the forest details. I often see them hunched over some lichen or wildflower, their cameras out capturing a texture or splash of color. Don't be afraid to stop if something catches your eye - even if you're not sure what it was. Stop, go back, study, move, adjust until you see what initially caught your attention. If you're not seeing it, move on. You're taking a walk in the woods; you're not on a death march. Take your time, communicate with the forest, listen to what it's telling you, then photograph that message.

8. Play With Your Camera Settings

Just like using different lenses to create different effects or bring attention to different aspects of the forest, playing with your camera settings can help to fully tell your story of the forest. First, play with your aperture. A wide open aperture will highlight an element like a wildflower while throwing the rest of the scene into a soft frame. Close down the aperture to show the depth of detail and texture of the forest. Next try adjusting your shutter speed. A fast shutter speed will quickly capture a fleeting moment in time, like a deer peaking through the brush or a flowing bouncing in the wind. A slower shutter speed adds the effect of movement - the bouncing flower becomes a study in motion. Or try panning to highlight the splashes of color. Get to know your camera and the creative possibilities it will help you discover.

9. Add Humanity

I like hiking with my friends, don't you? Why not add human perspective into your images? People are not an other in the wilderness but are grown from it. Our experiences in the woods help form who we are and our relationship with the natural world. Adding a human element helps to tell the story of this relationship. It shows the grandeur of the forest and the awe we feel as we walk in the presence of nature.

10. Have Fun

Finally, Have Fun! If you walk into a forest with an happy attitude, the forest will respond in kind. It will begin to show you its secrets. It will show you its soul. You can't help but be happy trying to capture the story of the forest. Play with your lenses, your settings, your viewpoint. Take you time to get to know the place your in and you can't help but leave with a smile on your face. Photographing in a forest is a time to play and laugh. Look at the forest as a child would, with eyes of wonder and exploration. I guarantee that if you have fun, you're images will show that fun and wonder.

Rhodie-Trip

I like to think of the more archaic definition of truss when I look at the bunches of flowers heaped upon the wide dark green leaves of the rhododendron. That definition describes bundles. You see, the bundles of flowers of the rhododendron are called trusses. It is quite fitting. There’s another definition of truss that comes to mind when I see the pink ruffled blossoms in the forest. This one speaks of being elaborately dressed, in fancy costume. I imagine a teenager heading to her first prom - all arms and legs as she bursts into the room. At once gangly and elegant, growing into the woman she will become. She laughs as she dances in her pink dress, ruffles shivering in the breeze. My heart can’t help but be lifted by her joyous nature.

Washington State’s official flower, the pacific rhododendron, invites our hearts to dance in the stately halls of the cedar, hemlock & douglas-fir forest. Unlike the dense wall-like shrubs of their domestic relatives found in almost every yard in the Pacific Northwest, the wild Rhodies branches stretch through the forest mid-story in search of light between the great conifers. All Rhodies thrive in shaded areas with dappled light, which is why you will sometimes see wild Rhododendrons sometime 20 or more feet tall. The flowers of the Pacific Rhododendron are a soft pink that are in stark contrast to the rough browns of the trees that give them a backdrop. Because of this contrast, many photographers choose compositions with a single blossom or a truss against the trunk of a tree.

To see these beauties up close and close to home, visit four state parks on the northern Olympic Peninsula during their peak season of late April through early June. You will easily understand why the natives of Puget Sound decorated their long houses with these otherwise unusable plants. The only creature that seems to like nibbling on Rhodendrons is the mountain beaver - and my goat Butterfly who could not stay out of my mother’s rhodies even though the made her very, very ill. The light pink flowers can brighten any dull room and amongst the trees they sparkle with a shimmer of joy.

Our first stop on this road trip is Old Fort Townsend State Park near Port Townsend. Once a remote lonely army outpost on the edge of the continent, Old Fort Townsend has once again been reclaimed by the forest. A few old foundations, the old cemetery plot and a tower used to dissect torpedoes are all that remain. A thriving Pacific Northwest forest has reclaimed most of the property, replacing the century old memories with Douglas-Fir, Salal, Sword Ferns and Rhododendron. Walk along the Madrona Trail past the torpedo x-ray tower to connect with the Rhododendron Trail. You will find Rhododendrons peaking at you from behind trees. Be sure to look up as you go, many of the bushes here can be mistaken for trees.

Next travel a short distance to Anderson Lake State Park. While the lake has suffered from a toxic algae bloom and is unsafe to swim in, it is still very pretty spot to sit and contemplate the resilience of nature. Life still swarms along the edges of the lake where reeds and water lilies grow. But to see the pink flowering bushes, you’ll need to travel just a short distance from the lakeshore. Several trails interconnect and encircle the lake adding to the leisurely pace of the park. The best one to see the Rhododendrons and converse with them as they reach out to you along your walk would be the Anderson Trail – approximately 1 ½ miles around the lake. It’s tempting to pick a few flowers to take home, they’re so close to the trail, but please leave them be for others to enjoy including bouncing bumble bees.

Head out to Highway 101 and towards the town of Sequim to our next Rhodie filled park. Miller Peninsula is one of the newer parks for the Washington State Parks Commission and is still considered an undeveloped property. Several volunteer groups, including the Washington Trails Association, have been busy improving the trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders and in recent years a paved parking lot with outhouse and horse ramp have been added. While I have seen wild Rhododendron in all parts of the park, for more intimate views of Rhodies hike along the short parking lot loop trail. You will see pink even before you lock your car and by the end of your walk you will feel as if the joyous pink flowers are your best friends.

We have time for one last park is on this little road trip - Sequim Bay State Park. This little park is known for being a fisherman and birding park but the flowers are not to be missed. You really don’t even need to walk far. Park at the upper parking lot just inside the park gate and walk along the road through the campground. Better yet, walk or bike along the Olympic Discovery trail where Rhodies line the way as if cheering you on to a perfect day.

Directions from Port Townsend (29 miles between parks):

To Old Fort Townsend - Head south on Highway 20 to Old Fort Townsend Rd and turn left. Follow to the park – trail access is along the road and past the ranger’s quarters near the RV camping area.

To Anderson Lake – Drive back to Highway 20 on Old Fort Townsend Rd and turn left. In 1.5 miles you’ll come to a junction with Highway 19, veer left onto Highway 19. Follow this for 4 miles to Anderson Lake Rd and turn right. The park will be on your right in 2 miles.

To Miller Peninsula – Leave Anderson Lake State Park and turn right, this will take you back to Highway 20. Once there turn left and follow until you reach Highway 101. Turn right towards Sequim and Port Angeles, drive another 8 miles to Diamond Point Rd and turn right. The parking lot is on your left about a mile down the road.

To Sequim Bay – Return to Highway 101 by Diamond Point Rd and turn right. Drive 5 ½ miles to the park located on your right.