Fine Art Photography Blog

Just east of Snoqualmie Pass, the climate begins to change drastically. A desert opens up after the Cascade Mountains drop off; this isn’t the type of weather we typically associate with the Pacific Northwest. Across the “Mountains to Sound Greenway” from Keechelus Lake ( the source of the Yakima River ), is a small pond in the Aline Lakes Wilderness Area.

Ironically, Gold Creek is an artificial alpine lake. When the DOT was building I-90 in the late 1960s, the area was a gravel pit and storage yard for the construction vehicles. From humble beginnings comes a tranquil hike and a home for abundant wildlife.

A crop showing the distant snow-capped peak reflecting in the water, and the shore above … notice the deeply red tree, which is smaller and less distinct than the lone yellows:

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s bitterly ironic that the Pacific Northwest is home to one of the world’s remaining pockets of linguistic diversity - the others are in the Amazon, Siberia and Oklahoma - and at the same time home to the quietest place in North America. It should come as no surprise that both are in danger from the Brave New World.

One Square Inch of Silence is a research institution, independent of the National Park Service. Gordon Hempton traveled the country measuring soundscapes and their makeup. His projects don’t quiet with silence; the results of the national survey showed the quietest spot in continental America to be in the Hoh rain forest. Woodpeckers, owls and eagle, bear, caribou, and other wildlife aren’t exactly abundant, but they aren’t rare either. However, in the northwestern corner of the Continental US, with almost no roads into the park, the isolation is extreme. Combined with a usual blanket of fog and deep forest, the entire peninsula feels like a sanctuary from the modern world.

Read the rest of this entry »

Seattle is a notoriously wet place; all the more so as fall takes hold of our region. The rainy season hasn’t begun yet, so as hard as this may be to believe, the few actual rains we’ve had thus far are almost a novelty. That will change, soon and dramatically, but until then the water seems interesting and not oppressive.

These leaves come from a more popular section of Carkeek Park. Near the beach, a meadow clearing leads into the forest and up the side of a ravine. A stream flows out to Puget Sound and then the Pacific Ocean, fed by even smaller tributaries draining down the hillside. Naturally, this is home to a number of green leafy plants living at the forest floor, soaking up the water. Here, a leaf from one of the trees overhed has met its resting place among the understory. The plant supporting it is glistening from a fresh rain.

Note: As unnatural as the coloring in the oak leaf looks, this is not a Photoshop artifact.

Read the rest of this entry »

Seattle is returning to its typical weather pattern, almost what it’s known for. It hasn’t rained in some time, but it’s been overcast more and more often lately, and if the sun burns through the cloud layer at all, it seems to be later in the day. Further, sunset has advanced from about 9:45 pm in the height of summer to around 7:30. Even Bumpershoot, hailing itself as summer’s last party, has come and gone.

This photo is from the edge of lovely Carkeek Park, in northern Seattle’s Blue Ridge neighborhood, but could well be any forest in the area. Still, the proximity to the ocean makes for more lush, almost rain forest conditions, and occasional eagle sightings. It’s a pleasant area to go hiking within the city - in the Greenwood neighborhood - and has a long stretch of beach to enjoy. Read the rest of this entry »

The Carbon River entrance is an industrial-looking swatch of land; rocks, a low waterline, and occasional clear cuts. Of course, in the end of August, most rivers are flowing pretty low.

Mount Ranier is a giant place; most of it cordoned off from the motorist’s view. There are a small handful of of roads leading into the park, and Carbon River is one of them. It’s probably the most remote - a long, poorly maintained dirt road leading off to Mowich Lake (below).

This is the least known and least trafficked road into a park that sees more than four million yearly visitors. Even on an dark, stormy day parking was overflowing in some places and limited in others; still this is back-country wilderness compared to Sunrise or Paradise.

About two hours from Seattle, this northwestern corner of Mt Ranier is a great weekend getaway.

Read the rest of this entry »

A labyrinthine collection of pathways around I-5 through Seattle’s bustling downtown or financial district, is many things to many people. Generally, it’s looked down on, although not exactly in the way this image shows.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been working for Getty Images as a contractor over the last few months; all contractors are being dismissed due to budget constraints, so I’ve found a new job - still in the IT sector - and managed a few days off to explore Western Washington, my little corner of the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, with my new tripod broken out of the box, I came back with less photos than I’d intended.

Directions

North Cascades is a long drive from Seattle, but it doesn’t have to be an ugly one; leave I-5 for route 530 just north of Marysville, avoiding the ride and traffic all the way to Mount Vernon. You’ll pass through what feels like hundreds of miles of forests, farmland, and foothills before joining SR 20 in Rockport and starting your ascent. Unlike most national parks, North Cascades doesn’t have an entrance fee, as it straddles one of three passable routes across the mountains in Washington State.

Read the rest of this entry »