The Year in Photos

 

Who is ready to be rid of 2020? It has been a very stress-filled year for pretty much everyone on our little blue planet. After a run on toilet paper and hand sanitizer, most of us in Washington became shut-is for several months. Trips to the grocery and walks around the neighborhoods were the only things we could do. People grew angry and we saw the worst in selfish human behavior. We watched in horror as the life of another unarmed black man was choked out of him and the global riots of people angered by his needless death. But we also saw the good in people too. We experienced communities coming together to help each other out. We saw friends and families who found safe ways to gather and share. We found new ways to bond as humans. As I began to stretch my boundaries and my legs, I gained a new appreciation of our natural world. This was a year I truly embraced the forested landscape ass a photographic subject. Nearly ever page in my calendar is of our wondrous forest. So come with me as I look back through my 12 favorite images I created this past year.

Our year started out with hope and enthusiasm for the new year. One of my first outing was with a photography meetup group based in Seattle. We explored one of the industrial areas of Seattle and I had my eye on trying to look at a the world from different angle. That's when this jumble of rusty rebar and colorful nuts caught my eye. I tried several different angles but this topsy-turvy one was my favorite from the batch. Who would have thought that our world would soon be topsy-turvy itself. While we were mourning the loss of a great family man and basketball player, a more insidious threat was sneaking up on us. Not long after I created this image, I was bed-ridden likely with what was to lay the population of the world to rest. It was months later when I started putting 2 and 2 together and realized I most likely had COVID-19 and lost nearly a month to illness. Thankfully I recovered, but sadly most did not. But I look at this image not with the dread of what was coming, but the hope of something new and exciting to come s I walked into 2020 focused on the possibilities.

Knowing we had many miles to travel on our feet this summer, my sister and I began to train and get ourselves into condition. We brought along friends who we'd hope would be able to come with us on our traverses of the Olympic Mountains. One fine and beautiful day in March, just before the shut down orders, 5 of us hiked a favorite early season conditioning hike near Lake Cushman. The day was glorious as we set off up the trail. Sunlight streamed through the forest. As we climbed further into the forest and hills, a soft drizzle reminded us that it is spring in the Pacific Northwest. Soon small white flakes began drifting down through the forest. It was magical, just magical. I look at this photo and remember the wonders of nature and the comradery of friendship. 

Ahh, Freedom at last! After what seemed like years under stay at home orders, we were able to hit the trails again. My sister and I started back into conditioning, but we had lost months and felt as if we were starting from square 1. One of our first hikes back was the Lower Big Quilcene River Trail to the old shelter site and back. Since it was a healthy Washington State spring, we hiked in light mist nearly the entire way. However, the day wasn't dark and dreary day - the trail was filled with a glowing light of spring growth and Pacific Rhododendrons. What I love about this scene is the simple reminder that the world is a beautiful place even in the most mundane scenes.

Speaking of Pacific Rhododendrons - I absolutely live spring in the Pacific Northwest when these pink beauties are blooming. They are the very essence of wild as they reach up through the dark forest - long gangly branches looking like a teenager performing stunts on a skateboard. The smooth green leaves contrast with rough furrowed bark of the surrounding trees. Pink blossoms contrast with the dark greens. my heart lifts when I see them. We hiked a favorite Rhodie hike during the peak season and I found these three blooms making a perfect equilateral triangle against the thick rough bark of a douglas-fir. 

On Father's Day, my sister and I journeyed with our friend Holly to Fort Worden. It was her first Father's Day without her father. As we hiked through this large meadow before heading up to Battery Hill, I spied this fabulous Madrone tree at the edge of the forest. The red against the green made a striking image. But I also thought of my friend who was now several paces ahead and her striking resilience for all that she had experienced in her life. I do love Madrone trees for their ability to thrive in some of the harshest conditions. Holly has lived through personal and family tragedies and has come out stronger for herself and those who need her. I will forever see her in this image.

The first of our long treks was postponed due to COVID concerns. But we had to get out. My suggestion was to load up the dogs in Kristi's Jeep and find a dispersed camping site near Mt Rainier National Park. We found a not-so quite creek-side spot on Skate Creek Road and relaxed - soaking in the smells and sounds of nature. Always wanting to explore an area, we started to hike around where we camped and found this gorgeous waterfall. As I looked up, the sun broke through the clouds and trees for an epic image. I am reminded that when plans change, we can look somewhere else for an adventure.

Just a clothesline with socks? To me this is much more. I have been wanting to explore the backcountry of Olympic National Park nearly all my life. I think I was about 8 when I met a woman who had hiked all the trails in the park. My eyes sparkled with the opportunity until my mother told me about the realities of such a venture. As an adult I re-awakened the dream. I had made a few backcountry incursions - a few miles over a weekend here and there. This? This was a 9-day adventure for me and my sis. We would travel up one river valley, sleep on a mountain ridge, see 4 bear, get soaked through and come out another river valley. We hung our socks up to dry (and air out) on day 6. It's a simple photo, but it is a reminder of the realities of such a venture and that dreams are still worth the effort.

This was a year that I embraced forest photography. I embraced the gloom of grey days in the forest. I embraced looking for where the light enhanced the scene. I embraced composing for the light in the scene. With this image, I began to feel as if something was beginning to work. I felt myself become excited for the prospect of another long walk through the woods on a dark and grey day. I also thought this image summed up the year for me - it was a dark year full of anxieties and illness but light still shined through.

I had always heard of the Dosewallips elk herd but had never seen it. A trip to the park after a failed attempt at a thru-hike of the Olympics gave me the sight I had been hoping for. We checked into the park and I asked about the herd, if it had come into the lowlands yet. I was told that not only were they in the park but they cows had adopted a baby deer and were raising it. It was with hope of seeing this little adopted deer that sent me out early in the morning searching for the herd. I didn't have to look far and was soon watching them from the safety of a wildlife viewing platform. I did see the deer trotting along with the heard, but it was this image of the bull standing in the meadow at sunrise that made me swoon.

If safety was a concern with the elk herd, it was imperative with this guy. My sister and I saw 11 bear over the summer - 5 just on our trip to the High Divide in the Olympics. We set out on a long weekend with friends and were traversing the ridge on day 2 when this guy came rambling down the trail. We tried to remind him that it was our trail, but he reminded us that this was his home. He sauntered past us just feet away, stopping occasionally to nibble berries off the bushes. He's gorgeous. After he passed us, we high fived each other and yelled down the trail to warn the next group of hikers. My adrenaline and joy gushed the rest of the way to camp. 

I love the simpleness of this image. I love how the shafts of sunlight warm the sky and caress the trunk at the bottom of the frame. I had been hoping all autumn for some foggy days and was rewarded on a trip with friends to Whatcom Falls Park in Bellingham. It was my first visit and while I loved the images of the falls, this image of light streaming through the trees made my heart sing. 

And if it's simpleness you want, what could be more simple the a single cobweb covered in dew stretching from dried buds and raindrops to  . . . well, who really cares? I found this on a day where the light in the forest made even the most mundane subject look special. In one small area, dew drops and cobwebs filled my camera's sensor and I was lost in the beauty of nothing.

I truly hope you enjoyed revisiting some of my favorite adventures and images of a year the was hard and joyous. Be well. Keep yourself and others safe. And here's to a better 2021. Heidi

2019 Memories

It's hard to believe 2019 is ending and a new decade will be starting in less than a week. As I look back on this year, I marvel at everything that has happened. I started the year sharing a small cabin with family and friends in a remote corner of Washington State. Through this year I was able to share with 3 different groups my future books (no they are not done yet, but getting closer) and inspired a few to head out to explore on their own. I even submitted the book proposal to a publisher - fingers crossed. I was asked to present a talk at a local photo conference about personal projects and I think I found my signature talk - if I ever get invited to speak again. Mid-year I started vlogging and have learned so much about video recording and editing and even about accepting myself. I have even started working on a better business plan to coach photography and public speaking for photographers. Adventures have been amazing with 2 backpacking trips in the Olympic rainforest, several day hikes and road trips and finally a grand adventure in the Canadian Rockies. This has been a very good year and trying to choose my favorite images has been extremely difficult. Can't say these are my absolute faves from the year, but they help make the year memorable.

This first one may seem a bit odd for a landscape photographer - a city scape of pigeons flying into the air. But I love street photography as a way to challenge myself - to look at the cityscapes and find the beauty there in the buildings and the people. Our everyday interactions with our environment may seem mundane and boring, but really, are they. Stop and look around you to find the patterns in the construction, the nature finding a way to thrive, the humanness of an interaction. I was in Denver in February for a work conference. My last morning there, I decided that instead of meeting my coworkers for breakfast I'd walk around downtown with my camera. It had been 20 years since I left Denver and enjoyed walking along on streets familiar yet strange. This empty lot had a flock of pigeons pecking through the snow for treats and I accidently disturbed them. Not quite ready, I still managed to grab a couple of images of the birds lit from above and below.

It's all about the viewpoint. While camping at Mt Rainier National Park this past summer, I decided to take an evening hike to a waterfall close to camp. I had been there several times before and wasn't sure if I'd be able to create anything. By the time I got to the falls, it was just too dark to really look for a composition. Luckily I had spotted this little trailside waterfall on my way. There was something about the how it fell through the mossy rocks down the hill that said I needed to take my time with the composition to show the drama of this little falls dwarfed as it was in the expanse of the forest. This perspective of looking straight down helps create that drama.

One thing is true about the temperate rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula, life grows where ever it can. On one of my backpacking trips to the rain forest this past spring, I saw this little batch of Bunchberry Dogwood growing in a crevice of this Sitka Spruce - at eye level. Of course I had to photograph it. It is the essence of the story of the Olympic rainforest - that life will find a way to take root and thrive. I love the simplicity and resilience of the little woodland ground cover. The bright white flowers sparkle as 4-petal gems along the forest floor beneath grand stately trees - or, in this case, on the trees. The leaves have beautiful lines that turn gold then red in the autumn. The flowers give way to 3-berry bunches bright red berries. This little plant was growing perfectly placed to offer a cheery hello as we hiked by.

Envy is a powerful emotion. So reviled, it is listed as one of the 7 deadly sins in the bible. But there are 2 sides to envy. The first is the one listed in the bible. The one that eats at you and makes you angry and hurtful. The second makes you strive for better in yourself. This is an image that reflects both of those sides for me. I used to not want to watch YouTube videos of other photographers or read their personal blogs because I was envious of their journeys - both in the world and photography. I wanted what they had and it made me bitter and angry. I always felt as if I was trying to play catch-up with what everyone else was doing. I grew resentful when I saw other photographers capture the images I wanted especially if they had the free time to chase the image - I was stuck at work. Then I found a couple of photographers on YouTube that made me smile and want to do better. Listening to them helped me listen to myself. It helped to remind me that I have my own vision. This image is a result of listening to them and listening to myself, of taking a chance, of not always needing to pursue that big vista wow-factor. A reminder to be me. Thank you YouTube dudes and dudettes.

This is another reminder to be me - although this image is an accident. I have been trying for years to capture the iconic image of Cape Disappointment lighthouse with waves crashing high on the cliffs below. They are amazing images and honestly, I wanted to play with the big boys. I wanted to prove that I too had the ability to capture those images. So I traveled to Cape Disappointment for Christmas because the tides were going to be pretty high and there was a possibility of the crashing waves. But I felt like a hypocrite. I advocate for the smaller places on the planet - that they are photographic destinations no matter how small and that non-iconic images should be created in those places and the larger places. Yet here I was chasing an iconic image. I got the image. Then this happened - while using auto-focus, I focused on the lighthouse which is about a half mile away with a large splashing rock between me & the cliff. Between me and the water was about 20 feet of piled driftwood that waves crashed on. Just as I released the shutter for the wave in back, a wave crashed on the pile of driftwood and magic happened. Funny how magic happens when I go on a photo trip for Christmas.

Don't forget to look at the details. It was still early in the summer as I walked through Billy Frank Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Being summer and the world around me filled with rich tones of green the red of these leave drew my attention away from the mossy greens nearby. I was composing an image when the corner of my eye saw something else that seemed out of place - this little green tree frog. "Why yes, of course I will make your portrait little frog."

I had traveled down to the Lewis River in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest for a hike with friends. I was there early having driven down the night before and decided to explore the Lower Lewis River Falls. The light was with low clouds obscuring the sky and created a few images that I was happy with before going back to the car to wait for my friends. Once they got there, we headed back down to the falls before starting on our hike. Just as we were about to leave the clouds broke apart and the sun streamed through through the trees to highlight the falls and one little tree. Drama unfolded before my camera lens and it stays as a reminder of a wonderful day hiking with friends.

This is the first image on my list from my trip to the Canadian Rockies. I went with a group of other photographers for 10 days of exploring and photographing an area I often visited as a child with my family. Our last night in the area, a couple of us went back to a reliable location just outside of Banff township - Vermillion Lakes with an amazing view of Mount Rundle. As I sorted through the thousands of images I came home with, I couldn't stop looking at this image. It's a simple image but everything came together so well in it. The mirrored shapes between the grass in the foreground, water in the midground, and Mount Rundle create balance and symmetry. Then there is the drama between the light, golden clouds on the left and the dark, dramatic clouds on the right. This brings all the joy of the trip back to mind for me.

Another image from my trip to the Canadian Rockies - this time from Jasper National Park. My dad loved Jasper. So much that he often talked about moving here and never coming back. He never did, but our family spent many a vacation here watching bears, photographing mountains, and drinking out of clear streams. On these trips, mom would have one request - to be dropped off at the side of a lake to fish the day away. Dad would leave her on the side of the lake with her rod and a cooler filled with soda and take us girls for a hike.This was one of mom's favorite lakes as they shared the same name - Patricia. We got to the lake late in the day with not much time to explore and as the light began to fade we stumbled across this little scene. For me, it's the perfect way to commemorate my mother's love of fishing on this lake.

Like street photography, dance photography helps to push my boundaries and lets me explore a photography style I normally wouldn't pursue. I discovered an excitement within myself as I began to capture images of dancers gracefully showing their talents. This warm spring day a small group of dancers gathered for a larger group of photographers at Seattle's Gas Works Park for an afternoon of dancing, posing, and friendship. This image stuck out for me since I was able to capture the dancer in mid-leap with Seattle in the background and the effortless look on his face - as if this is just they way he moves through the world.

Another image from the Canadian Rockies (there were so many happy images from that trip). This is one of those images that came together perfectly. I convinced my friend to pull into this rest area/boat launch for the Athabasca River just south of Jasper township because I saw a bull elk in the woods. As people started gathering around the herd of cows close to the river, I thought I should give the herd some space and walked down the river bank a bit. I began photographing the cows as they contemplated swimming the river. Then the bull walked out of the woods onto that little spit of land to watch over them. It was the perfect moment with the herd framing the bull. A few minutes later, the herd began swimming across the river followed by the bull and the moment was over.

The last image in this list is one that is truly special for me. My mother loved owls. Every time I see one, I am reminded of her and feel her close to me. I meandered through the forest at Birch Bay State Park photographing another love of hers - wildflowers on the forest floor. I paused a moment and looked up to see this little Barred Owl watching my progress along the trail. It sat still for a few moments before silently flying to another tree. There was beauty in that moment - a connection between myself, nature, and a memory of love. And a perfect image to say farewell to this fantastic year and welcome the next adventurous year. 

May your new year be filled with adventure, beauty, and self-discovery.

So You Wanna Buy A New Camera

Viscous green liquid dribbled out of my car’s engine as it idled in my friend’s driveway. Deep down I knew this wasn’t good. A visit to the mechanic and a consolatory phone call later, I looked at my faithful little car with one tire in the junk yard. It had to be replaced. I knew that, but the task of finding a replacement seemed daunting. Looking through the ads online, and the reviews, and the sales, and the dealerships my head began to ache as I sat immobilized in front of the glowing screen of my computer. Back to basics – what was it I was looking for in a car? I needed a car that wouldn’t break the bank, that got 30+ miles to the gallon, had enough trunk room for all my gear, could get me to most places I wanted to go, and wouldn’t make my butt go numb. With that list, I went to the dealership and a few day later I was driving my new car off their lot and into my driveway.

At this point, I expect that you are asking what does buying a car have to do with buying a camera.

Have patience. If you are coming here to find out what camera to buy, odds are that you have had that deer-in-the-headlights look while reading reviews, puzzling over features, questioning brands, and checking ads. Then walking away not having answered your question of “What camera should I buy?”

The most complete answer I can give is the least satisfactory answer you want – it all depends.

Just like my process of buying a car, there are questions you need to answer about the camera you want.

The first being, why do you want a new camera? Is there something wrong with the camera you have? Is there something you need from it that you aren’t getting? If you just want a new camera because it’s new and shiny, then you really don’t need a new camera. But if you have the money to burn, then let’s talk about answering a few more questions.

Second – how much can you afford? Start looking at cameras within that price range. Keep in mind that you will also need to buy accessories such as batteries and SD cards. Keep that in mind as you price cameras.

Now, what is it you want to photograph? Are you looking for a camera to record life events? Are you a new parent or grandparent who wants to record the events of your baby from larva-hood to graduation necessitating a responsive shutter and durability? Are you going on a once in a life-time trip to the Antarctic or on safari where you want to be able to zoom in on the animals and zoom out on the landscapes? Do you want to take pictures of your cat and take cat-videos to break the internet? Knowing what you want to photograph will help you figure out the features and lenses you’ll want.

What’s your preference for convenience? Do you want a camera that is menu driven, choosing settings through the screen on the back of the camera? Or button driven where most of the settings are at your fingertips. Do you want interchangeable lenses which will add to the cost or have a built-in lens? (FYI, just stay as far away from camera that have digital zoom. Optical zoom only!) Would a pocket camera work better for you, or one that needs a carrying case?

Prints! What kinds of prints do you want? And do not tell me none. If all you’re going to do is keep them on your computer or on the SD card then you do not need a new camera. Having prints of your adventures through life around your home reminds you of the wonder places you’ve been and the person you are. SO the question here is how big do you want to make your prints? For larger prints above 8x10 or 11x14, you’ll need greater mega-pixels and a higher quality sensor.

Write down the answers. Take them to a dealership and tell the salesperson that you are looking for a camera that does these things. A good store will give you options. Test them, hold them in your hands, do they feel comfortable? Can you reach all the buttons? Does the menu make sense? If you don’t like the feel of a camera, odds are you won’t use it. So make sure you test them out.

What do I use? I’m a Sony girl. I grew up using Minolta before they became Konika Minolta and before Sony bought out Konika Minolta. I stayed with Sony because they promised to maintain the specs and I was broke and didn’t want to have to invest in all new lenses. I have yet to be disappointed. They have withstood “The Heidi Factor” – I’m a bit of a klutz, I’m happy with the quality of images, I’ve been able to make poster-sized prints, and I know where all the controls are.

I hope you are able to use the answers to these questions to find the camera you love that will help record the stories of your life.

The image I chose to accompany this blog post is an example of realizing your camera isn't capable of doing what you want it to do. I wanted to upgrade from my Konika Minolta DSLR because it didn't have the ability to record night images without too much noise. So I upgrades to a Sony Alpha 65 which was able to handle the types of night images I wanted to create. I still have the Konika Minolta and take it with me on long road trips - it's still a good camera and suits certain needs.

Boring Beaches

Ahh, summer is finally here and you head out to the beach for a weekend of fun in the sun with family and friends. But in the Pacific Northwest you're more likely to find a 4-leaf clover than a sunny day at the beach. Now for a true northwesterner, a slate grey sky will hardly deter a trip to the beach - we know how to handle this. Bring a jacket, some games, and a sense of adventure. So off to the beach you go with clouds overhead, sand at your feet, and wind in your face.

Essential to any weekend getaway to the beach - or anywhere for that matter - is your camera to record the memories of fun and adventure. You take pictures of your friends, your family, your pets, and your self. But when you turn your camera to the wide sweeping beaches of Washington, the scenery just falls flat. You love the open views to the horizon and the rolling waves splashing onto the sand, it's just no matter how you frame it your images don't hold a candle to the adventure you experience. It's just not helping tell your story.

Many Washington beaches along the southern part of the state and north out of Puget Sound are missing the dynamic waves and picturesque sea stacks of the wilderness coast of Olympic Peninsula and the Oregon Coast. Our beaches are wide, flat, and challenging to photograph, especially when the big puffy clouds that make the sky so interesting are also missing. When you get home and look at your pictures, they just aren't as exciting as you remember your day being. They neglect to tell your story. But there are ways to help you make the most of a flat beach scene to add to your fun and tales.

1. Look to your Feet. When we hit the beach we are overly excited for the freedom of open sand and fresh salt air. If you're anything like me, you want to head straight to the waves and start splashing. This idea is a challenge to pause and look at what is at your feet. You'll find amazing details at your feet. You can see shells, rocks, seaweed, driftwood, dead things, critters (and prints), and plants at your feet - all wonderful details to photograph. Try taking pictures looking straight down on the object. Or, get down low - even placing your camera on the sand (it's best if you place your camera on something other than sand like a towel to protect it from the abrasive sands) to get an image of it in the foreground and the wide beach extending seemingly endlessly beyond. A few detail images like this will add to your story.

In the image above, I was fascinated by these beach plants that looked like a tiny forest in the sand.

2. Look for Abstracts. Abstract photographs rely on visual storytelling without the benefit of an obvious subject but instead relates emotion through shapes and colors. At times, the image doesn't appear to have any relation to the natural world. Repeated lines and patterns when that is all you see can be abstract. Think of repeating sand dunes, or details of the dunes highlighted by light and shadow. Rippled patterns in the sand left from waves are abstract. Again this challenge is to look closely at the beach - to find the patterns and shapes that help relate the emotion of your time at the beach.

The erratic shape of puddle in the above image drew me in closer and as I looked at it, I saw the joy our dogs were having running freely.

3. I.C.M or Intentional Camera Movement. This can create movement where there is none or create an abstract out of a larger scene turning the ho-hum into excitement. For this, you will need a slower shutter speed (many cameras on your smart phones are capable of taking a series of images over a few seconds and blending them into one or there are a few apps that can help you take longer exposures). Try a couple of seconds - long enough to blur the image when you move the camera, but not so long that your subject becomes completely unrecognizable. Then as you make your exposure, move the camera from one side to another. Check your image and see if that works and adjust as you need to for the effect you want. This is also a fun effect to create in forests by moving your camera up and down. For beaches, I generally move the camera horizontally or parallel to the lines of the main subject. But this is your story and all you have to do is give yourself permission to play.

For the above image, I changed the setting for a 4 second exposure and slowly moved the camera from right to left.

Explore, Share, Inspire

Oyster Road

Let’s head out on an oyster shaped loop to find some succulents delicacies of the shallows of Hood Canal to either eat, photograph or just enjoy a day in your parks. This 78-mile trip will take you past some prime oyster gathering beaches plus a few farms and stores to buy these tasty bivalves-if you happen to show up in the wrong season or are unlucky in your harvest. And with any of these road-trips, there’s plenty of opportunity to photograph the beauty the state has to offer.

Just a note here that if you plan on harvesting oysters, check the WFWD for licensing, requirements, and seasons.

This is a road trip where the beaches are filled with the empty oyster shells of previous harvests for both human consumption and animal – racoons and gulls love slurping a raw oyster on the half-shell. When I come to these beaches for photographs, I look for scenics of hood canal as well as details of the beaches and textures of the oyster shells themselves – I use my shorter lens for these types of images. Because these beaches offer an abundance of food for other critters as well, be prepared with a long lens in your bag, just in case you can catch a gull lifting off to drop its find on the rocks below. Low tide is better for harvesting, but anytime is a great time for photography.

Our first stop along the way is Kitsap Memorial State Park, just north of Poulsbo on the eastern shore of Hood Canal. In the summer months, this park is popular with the wedding crowd and for good reason, the park is tucked into grand douglas-firs with views of Hood Canal and the Olympics beyond. Sunrise can be wonderful from here as the early morning sunlight reflects off the mountains. And sunsets aren’t too bad either. At high tide, the beach is almost non-existent but low tide exposes the treasures the waves conceal.

Next, we’ll cross the Hood Canal floating bridge to the little oft-forgotten Shine Tidelands State Park. Some think of this park as a little wayside, someplace with an outhouse for a quick bathroom break. And most might poo-poo the idea of this little beach of being photogenic, but I challenge you to look closer. To watch the eagles fly overhead. To watch the ducks swim in the marsh. To watch sunset and moonrise over Hood Canal. It is a small respite close to highway 104 yet peaceful.

We’ll head back out to highway 104 west to catch highway 101 south and our first stop along the way is Dosewallips State Park. With over 1000 acres to explore and 5 miles of beach front, this park is a destination for all adventurers. Oyster gathering is done on the beaches east of highway 101 – those beaches also hold sweeping views of Hood Canal and the Kitsap Peninsula. The shoreline here can be muddy and the marsh grasses evolved for the harsh conditions of saltwater habitat and show it by being coarse to the touch. The shoreline ripples along water’s edge to add rhythm to your images.

Once you tear yourself away from the flats of Dosewallips, travel south for 10 miles to little Triton Cove. The views aren’t expansive in this little boat put-in, but the beach is littered with oyster shells ready for a macro lens to work with textures and patterns. I can often get lost in these little details, but we have more parks to visit so let’s hop back into the car and continue south 29 miles to Potlatch State Park near the southern “hook” of Hood Canal and the Skokomish Indian Reservation. The term Potlatch comes from the of the indigenous people of the coastal Pacific Northwest and means a ceremonial feast where gifts are given and exchanged. And the gift of this park is the delicious oysters we are looking for. 

If you are not into harvesting your own oysters, stop in Hamma Hamma along the way at the oyster beds and restaurant. Or go a little further to Union to a few of the shops there.

The views from Potlatch are not as expansive as Dosewallips closer to the mouth of Hood Canal, but you will still find beauty in the landscape. The beach here is again muddy with rocks and oyster shells, perfect for beach details. 

One last park to visit as we drive around the hook of Hood Canal and through the town of Union. Just north of Union on highway 106 is Twanoh State Park. Because of it’s relative closeness to Bremerton, the oyster gatherers are often found along its shores. A few old CCC building s and long high docks add interest to your landscapes here and because we are now facing west, we have views of the southern Olympics across the water.

These parks have so much more to explore than just the shoreline and oyster beds. There is beauty here in all that the park holds. It’s easy to spend a day or a weekend along the beaches of Hood Canal.

Directions from Bainbridge Island: (Mileages are approximate)

To Kitsap Memorial State Park: From the ferry terminal, follow highway 305 through Bainbridge Island for 13 miles to merge onto highway 3 north just beyond Poulsbo. Drive highway 3 for 4 miles to turn left on NE Park St.

To Shine Tidelands State Park: Head back to highway 3 and turn north towards Hood Canal Bridge and cross the bridge in 3 miles – this gets you onto highway 104. As you get to the other side of the bridge, turn right to the park.

To Dosewallips State Park: Continue on highway 14 west. Take the exit (right exit) to Center Rd in 9.5 miles and head south to Quilcene and the junction with highway 101 in 8 miles. Follow highway 101 for 12 miles to the park. There are 2 entrances to the park. On the west side of the highway is the camp area and trails through the forest. On the east side of the highway is access to the shoreline and oyster gathering. 

To Triton Cove State Park:  Continue south on highway 101 for 8 miles. The entrance to the park is on the east side of the highway.

To Potlatch State Park. Back on highway 101 south, drive 20.5 miles to the park. The day use area is on the east side of the highway and camping is on the west side of the highway. As you are driving, you will go through the towns of Hamma Hamma and Hoodsport. Pick up oysters in Hamma Hamma and stop for ice cream and coffee in Hoodsport.

To Twanoh State Park: Continue south on highway 101 to the junction with highway 106 at Skokomish and head east towards the town of Union. There are a few additional places along this route to pick up oysters. Once on highway 106, it is 12 miles to the park. The campground is on the east side of the highway and the day use with oyster gathering is on the west side of the highway.

Gorge-ous, South

 When it comes to absolute beauty in this state, we don’t have to look very far especially when we live in the Puget Sound area and are surrounded by mountains and water. But let’s drive south again towards Portland but head east just as you get to Vancouver to drive Highway 14 through some pretty stunning scenery along the Columbia River. This great waterway of the Pacific Northwest starts in Canada at a series of glaciers called the Columbia Icefields then travels over 1200 miles to the Pacific Ocean. In its journey, the river winds its way through granite mountains of the Rockies and the channeled scablands of Eastern Washington before leisurely strolling through the cliffs of the Washington and Oregon border. 

The river has been a major thoroughfare throughout history from the indigenous peoples who used it for trade and food resource to modern cultures for trade and food resources. Hmm, not much has changed but the river and its course through history as well as its course through the land will forever have a mark on this nation.

This road-trip primarily is to admire and photograph all the beauty the state has to offer. We sometimes forget the gorge has another side to it, the north side, we are so focused on the beauty in Oregon and the dramatic waterfalls that attract worldwide attention. But drive highway 14 out of Vancouver and I think your heart will be won over. There are other stops along the way that will add to your photographs, but we’ll be focusing on the state parks.

And our first park is Beacon Rock State Park. If ever you’ve driven in the gorge you know the rock I’m talking about. An ancient volcanic plug that stands along as a beacon nearly 850 feet above the river. There’s no missing it. But did you know the park itself is 4400+ acres with hiking, biking, and horse trails? If you have the time hike to the top of Hamilton Mountain for views of the Columbia River, Mt Hood, and Mt Adams. From this prospect you can look down on Beacon Rock. Don’t have that kind of time? Then hike the trail – sections of which are bolted into the rock – to the top of Beacon Rock. Afraid of heights? There’s a lovely little ADA trail below Beacon Rock that takes you through meadow and forest. Spring brings out the colors of wildflowers while autumn turns the cottonwood leaves yellow. The camping park is open year-round and is quite the destination itself, but we’re on a road trip so let’s get back on the road and continue east 27 miles to Spring Creek Hatchery.

This park and the next are right in the “bottleneck” of the gorge where the winds never cease and the adventurous athlete soars. Spring Creek Hatchery is a day use park next to the hatchery which can be a fun visit. But when I stop here, I pull out my longer lens and make sure I have a fast shutter speed to capture windsurfers and kite-boarders playing in the wind and waves. The other thing to remember here is that this park looks due south and on sunny days can wreak havoc on your exposure. I try to make the exposure for the athlete and the water spray as they carve trails in the river. As these are the most important elements, I let the rest of the scene fall where is may.

Doug’s Beach, another 18 miles further on, is also a haven for windsurfers and kite-boarders. You also have a few more views of the landscape here, but if you want to capture some great action you will not be disappointed by either of these parks.

Once we’re tuckered out by all the action, just 7 ½ miles more and we come to beautiful Columbia Hills State Park and Dalles Mountain Ranch. The variety here can leave you breathless and I’m sometimes not sure where to start what with over 3600 acres to explore. Horsethief Butte towers over the park and Horsethief Lake (created when they built the Dalles Dam just down river). Let’s start on the south-side of the highway, closer to the river. When they built the dam, they ended up flooding a Native American settlement and the beautiful pictographs. The Army Corps saved several of the pictographs, chopping them out the rockface and relocating them at the park. An interpretive walk close to the river tells the story of the pictographs and the effort to save them. Again, let’s remember that it serves no benefit to judge past actions with today’s understanding.

Also in this area, we have clear access to the lake shore and any birds that might be gathered in the reeds. If we head east another mile, we get to the parking lot for Horsethief Butte and the trail there where you have views of the Columbia River and details of the vegetation of the dry side of the state. Look for smaller wildlife here and of course the birds in the basalt cliffs of the butte. Also look for rock climbers daring gravity.

On the other side of the highway from Horsethief Butte is a parking lot for the Oaks trail that winds through the meadows of Dalles Ranch filled with Arrowleaf Balsamroot and Lupine in the spring. You can also access the meadows from the historic ranch on the west end of the park. There is an interpretive walk here too of ranching life on the Columbia River with farm implements and out-buildings. It is easy to spend your day rambling in this park. 

But our last park on this trip is 19 miles down the road and a great place to rest for the night. Maryhill is a year-round camping park on the shores of the Columbia River. I like meandering around on the shores looking for little details to photograph but I have to say my favorite photo is of a little squirrel hopping through the picnic area. Most people associate the Stonehenge Memorial on the hill overlooking the park as part of the park, but it isn’t. Although, it is very close and a wonderful spot to capture the milky way on a summer’s evening.

Directions from Vancouver, WA (mileages are approximate):

To Beacon Rock: Start driving east on WA Highway 14 for 34 miles. There are two entrances to Beacon Rock State Park. The first one you come to is on the south side of the highway and leads to the boat launch and day-use area. There is a parking lot on the south side of the highway just past this entrance which is an easier access to the Beacon Rock trail. The other entrance for the camping area and trails is on the north side of the highway from this parking lot.

To Spring Creek Hatchery State Park: Continue east on Highway 14 for approximately 26 miles. The park is on the southside of the highway. Once you turn into the park, the day use parking lot comes before the parking lot to the hatchery.

To Doug’s Beach: Back on Highway 14, continue east for about 17.5 miles to Doug’s Beach. The parking is along the south side of the highway.

To Columbia Hills State Park: Again, head east on Highway 14 for 7 miles to Columbia Hills State Park. There are several entrances to the park. The first on you come to is on the north side of the highway and will take to you the ranch buildings of the Dalles Mountain Ranch – stay on Dalles Mountain Rd until you get to the buildings. The second entrance will be short distance beyond on the south side of the highway and leads to the boat ramp, camping, day use and the petroglyph exhibit. A little further along the highway is the parking are for Horsethief Butte on the south, then the Oak trails on the north.

To Maryhill State Park: continue on Highway 14 for 16 miles. Turn right (south) onto Highway 97, follow for 1.5 miles to the park.

Westward Ho! Part 2

Many heeded the call born out of an ideology that owning land would lead to independence and virtue which in turn would make the nation strong and through “Manifest Destiny” it was an American’s obligation to take to the edge of the continent our great experiment in liberty. Young men and old, women and children all migrated west across the great plains to the fabled riches of the west with dreams of farms, ranches, timber, minerals, and a chance for freedom to choose their own destiny. It was a dream worth dying for.

One-thousand settlers journeyed out from Missouri in 1843 to start the great migration of Euro-Americans heading west to find their small piece of freedom. Each year after, more wagon trains took the 4-6 month journey across the plains surviving illness, hunger, drought, and the violent storms of the American plains. Their journey took them through raging rivers and over treacherous mountain ranges to California and the Oregon Territory. Between 1841 and 1856, more than 350,000 settlers made their way to the west coast. Those early settlers were often alone in the wilderness, carving a homestead out of the thick forests of the Pacific Northwest and south into California. Their closest neighbors could be more than a day’s ride away or, more likely, they were the native Americans whose lands Euro-Americans settled upon.

This is a road trip that explores the experiences of these early settlers in the Pacific Northwest.

As settlers moved into the area, they were met by forests thick and vibrant with life. Douglas-firs and Western Red Cedars towering overhead with an understory of thick Salal and Sword Fern could give a person used to the more open forests of the east claustrophobia. And the consistent rains that nourish the plant life could give the most joyous person melancholy. That rich fertile land would make for a rich fertile farm. The timber from these massive trees would make millionaires out of paupers. Soon the land was tilled and planted. Homes and barns sprang up and the forest was kept at bay.

Just a few miles from I-5 is one of the few remaining stands of low land old growth forest in Washington at Lewis and Clark State Park. In an effort to preserve old growth forests, these 600 acres was set aside from development and continues to teach us about the Pacific Northwest forest ecosystem before settlers began to tame the wilderness. With over 5 miles of hiking trails and 8 miles of multi-use trails, there’s no shortage of opportunity to explore. I enjoy spending time on the Trail of the Deer and the Old Growth Forest Trail. Check out my tips on photographing forests.

Just a few miles from Lewis and Clark State Park stands a small unpretentious cabin, a replica of the home of John R. and Matilda Jackson. The original Jackson house is thought to have been the 1^st Euro-American structure built north of the Columbia River. John called the farm The Highlands and together he and Matilda raised 7 children in their modest home. They would soon come to find that on the frontier, a home isn’t just a home. The Highlands would become a way station along the Cowlitz Road between Oregon City and Olympia, a post office, hotel, tavern, grocery store and courthouse. John himself was more than a husband, father and farmer – he became a sheriff, assessor, tax collector, territory representative and a justice of the peace. To make civilization work in the wilderness, one had to wear many hats.

The park is small but with plenty of opportunity to photograph the cabin among the trees. Look for the small details of the building materials – while the cabin is a reconstruction of the original building, much of the techniques and materials represent what was used in the 1840’s to 1850’s. Tours of the cabin can be arranged in advance by calling 360-864-2643.

Our last park looks at how fervently migrants believed in their dreams and the lengths they would go to fulfill them. This story starts with a young man and his excitement over his family and their religious followers’ decision to move to the fertile lands of the Willapa Hills in what is now SW Washington. Willie hoped to drive one of the oxen teams across the prairie and worked so hard he gained the respect of the rest of the group and was awarded the lead oxen team. Sadly just a few weeks before departure, Willie became ill and died. But no one wanted to leave Willie behind, so his father built a casket lined with lead, filled it with alcohol and Willie’s corpse, placed the casket in the lead wagon and traveled across the plains into the Oregon Territory. Once they arrived at this place that Willie dreamt of living, they finally laid him to rest.

Willie’s actual gravesite is inaccessible, but a wayside along the highway tells his story – and the story of the thousands of migrants who believed that their destiny could be written in the promise of land in the frontier of a young nation writing its own destiny.

Directions from I-5 north or south: (mileages are approximate)

To Lewis and Clark State Park: Take exit 68, highway 12 E, and turn east. In 3 miles, turn right onto Jackson Highway. In 2 miles, enter Lewis and Clark State Park. The day use area will be on your right and the parking area here is seasonally closed. On your left is the Environmental Learning Center and the multi-use trails.

To Jackson House State Park Heritage Site: Head back to highway 12 along the Jackson Highway. In 2 miles the park will be on your right. (You passed the cabin on your way to Lewis and Clark State Park).

To Willie Keil’s Grave State Park: Head back to highway 12 and turn left towards I-5. Merge onto I-5 northbound. Take exit 77, highway 6, west toward Pe Ell. Continue west on highway 6 for 23 miles. Look for the pull-out with the interpretive sign on your left.

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.