Carter Falls

This weekend, I hiked to Carter Falls in Mount Rainier National Park. The weather was beautiful and clear, but cold; even with all of my warm clothes, photography or snack stops were sometimes a challenge. This will be something to think about as another winter approaches. Still, it was rewarding to walk in the sunshine, and see rivers and streams beginning to freeze over.

First, a waterfall just beyond Carter Falls (Madcap Falls, I think). I liked the angles of the log or logs over the falls - I've never seen anything like that before! F/14, 0.8 seconds.

Next, three compositions from the place where the trail crosses the Nisqually River, with the same set of icy rocks in the foreground. These images have different strengths and weaknesses, and I am unsure which I prefer. All F/18, 0.4 seconds.

Finally, Carter Falls itself. Due to breezy conditions, a few of the branches are somewhat blurry, and the image quality here isn't as good as it is in the other compositions. I could use this image in some contexts, but probably not as a large print. F/16, 0.8 seconds.

Little Mashel Falls

The Little Mashel Falls hike near Eatonville has been on my radar for some time, and I got the chance to check it out on Saturday. Most of the hike is not particularly scenic, passing through some rather young second-growth forest, but the journey is quick and easy enough. The falls themselves, however, are impressive and were worth the visit. I'd be interested to return here in late spring, when there are leaves on the trees, although by that time of year I often feel drawn to wilder settings deeper into the Cascades.

Three waterfalls are accessible from the hike. The Middle Falls is the most impressive, and my favorite image of the day came from this spot. I like the contrast between the white of the falls and the green on the rocks. Moreover, I think the decision to occupy most of the frame with the waterfall, and exclude its top and surroundings, creates senses of size and closeness. F/14, 0.4 seconds.

Next, two views of the Lower Falls, set against mossy trees and branches. I am not sure which I prefer - the branches are interesting in the horizontal composition, but I like that the vertical composition includes the plants and rocks above the falls. Both F/14, 0.6 and 0.5 seconds, respectively.

Baker River Fall, Again

The only thing better than visiting the Baker River trail once in a season is visiting it twice in a season, I say. I hiked the trail on Monday, and enjoyed excellent conditions for hiking and photography: light winds, shade from the valley walls to create times and places of gentle lighting, and clear skies for mountain viewing. While the image I was most excited about - a view from the end of the trail with Mount Shuksan in the background - didn't turn out well, I was able to find some other interesting perspectives of the forests and river.

First, a forest view, with mossy trunks and branches prominent. In the late fall and winter, I tend to shy away from compositions involving the forest floor or understory; bare shrubs and branches can make compositions too busy (unless there's a mitigating factor like fog or snow). In this case, though, I think the fallen leaves form a color zone distinct enough to make the composition work. F/18.

Next, a shot of some colorful leaves with part of the Baker River itself behind them. This is similar in concept to some compositions from a trip I made to the area last November, but the shaded conditions this time created a different mood. F/16.

Finally, some red alder trunks with other leaves of various kinds and colors in the background. This composition is a bit busy, but I like the color scheme. F/14.

Larch March 2019

On Thursday, I took advantage of the excellent weather to explore the Iron Bear/Teanaway Ridge hike, hoping to find some larches still showing fall color. As larch hikes go, this isn't the most spectacular that I've ever seen - generally speaking, the best views of larches are across ravines, on distant hillsides, or otherwise at a distance from the trail. The expansive views available throughout the hike made up for this, however, affording plenty of photogenic scenery. The day's largest challenge was lighting. The filtered sunshine, at a lower angle this time of year, was manageable in terms of contrast, but it caused issues with lens flares, and I lost some otherwise good compositions that way (even with shading from both a lens hood and my hand).

Below is my best composition from the hike, looking roughly southeast from near the junction of the Iron Bear and Teanaway Ridge trails. This one is good enough that I could reproduce it at large print sizes; that would have the effect of making the distant larches more discernible. F/14.

Next, a fall scene from nearer the trailhead. F/14.

Here is a view from my turnaround point, with a cloud-shrouded Mount Rainier visible over larch-clad hillsides. I would have liked a clearer view of Mount Rainier, but those distant clouds were thickening by the minute, and I had to make do with the conditions I had. The end result was good but not great, I think - although I might have a more favorable opinion of this composition if I were to see it enlarged in print. F/16.

Finally, a characteristic view from the upper reaches of the trail. I have mixed feelings about this one; while I really like the lighting and the color, the image quality turned out less than ideal, and the vertical lines aren't all in alignment. F/13.

Valhalla in the Snow

Well, fall was fun while it lasted! On Saturday, I hiked to Lake Valhalla (via the Smithbrook trailhead). I was hoping to find some fall colors there, as I have in the past, and perhaps even get lucky enough to juxtapose fall leaves against fresh snow in some compositions. Alas, the fall colors were almost entirely gone, and quite a bit of snow had fallen in the area. Still, I had fun contrasting the snow with the greens of the trees, and with the deep color of the not-yet-frozen lake.

First, a view of Lake Valhalla itself. F/14.

Next, two views from earlier in the hike. The yellowish green of the foreground trees isn't as vibrant here as it was in person - I wanted to contrast that with the bluish colors of the distant trees and mountains - but I think these images still work. Seeing them in print might be worthwhile, as that would give me more information to work with as I continue to fine-tune the colors. F/14 in both cases.

Finally, a view of some snow-covered young trees in an open area; this composition is more evocative of December than October, but I like it. F/16.

That's all for now! I'm hoping I'll get at least one more chance to find some fall colors before winter comes in earnest.

Baker River Fall

Yesterday, I hiked the Baker River trail, an easy trail through old-growth forest with river and mountain views. It's one of my favorite photographic destinations for pretty much any season. The fall color along the trail wasn't as good as it has been in other years, but excellent weather conditions for photography in the morning - overcast skies, no breeze - made up for this setback, and allowed me to walk away with a few good images. Later in the day, the weather took on a showers-and-sunbreaks pattern, with a breeze moving up the valley. While this made photography difficult in the afternoon, it was still an enjoyable experience. On my way back to the trailhead, I lingered for a peaceful twenty minutes or so on the footbridge over the Baker River, watching rain falling through sunshine and clouds billowing over the valley.

First, a view of what I think is Hagan Mountain, with vine maple in the foreground. F/16.

Next, a characteristically mossy forest view, with the other side of the Baker River valley visible through the trees. F/16.

Here's a composition with a similar concept; the sense of depth isn't as striking, but the scale and height of the trees come through more clearly. I didn't quite have time to perfect the image quality and exposure; a decent rain started falling immediately after I had set up my tripod for this shot. Still, I'm pleased that I ended up with something good enough to post here. F/16.

Finally, a view of Sulphide Creek, at the end of the trail within the North Cascades National Park boundary. The rocky banks of Sulphide Creek tend to change location, and the water level varies, so I never know what to expect from the area as a photographic destination. This time, there was plenty of room to wander the rocks on the west side of the creek, enabling me to find this vantage point. F/16, 1/3 second.

Fall Arrives

It's the first day of fall as I write this, so happy fall, everyone! I hiked to Park Butte in the North Cascades on Saturday, and fall colors were appearing, particularly at higher elevations. With about 2200 feet of elevation gain, this was a more challenging hike than I usually attempt, but the trail's reputation for excellent views of Mount Baker spurred me on. While the mountain remained hidden by clouds throughout the day, I found plenty of other scenery to photograph, and was still satisfied at day's end.

Here's my favorite landscape from the day, from just below Park Butte. A fortunate moment of filtered sunshine enabled me to take this picture. Too much sunlight would have resulted in harsh lighting on the foreground; too little would have left all areas of the image too dark relative to the sky. F/18.

Next, a view from just a few steps away from where I took the first image, with trees in the foreground and the sky excluded. F/18.

Here's a view looking down to Pocket Lake. F/18.

Yet another autumnal meadow scene, this time from Morovitz Meadow, near the junction with the Railroad Grade Trail. F/16.

Finally, two landscapes from the area surrounding the aptly named Rocky Creek, with the creek itself visible in the second. I like these both, but think the first is a stronger image, due to the vivid color contrast between different sections of the image. F/18 for the first, F/16 and 1.5 seconds for the second.

Fremont Lookout Trail

On Saturday, I was able to visit the Sunrise area of Mount Rainier National Park for the first time, and I hiked the trail to the Mount Fremont Lookout. Although Mount Rainier itself remained hidden for most of the day, openings in the clouds created photogenic views in other directions.

First, my favorite composition of the day: what I think is Skyscraper Mountain through clouds. I took this while I was eating lunch beside the lookout; when this opening in the clouds appeared, I quickly grabbed my camera and made a few handheld attempts to capture the moment. Thankfully, this one ended up sharp. F/14.

Second, two angles from a vantage point along the trail, as the clouds were lifting. I am unsure which is a better image. More peaks are visible in the first; in the second, however, Skyscraper Mountain is more striking. Both F/16.

Finally, a view from near the lookout. This composition isn't as dramatic or compelling as the others, but it does depict the openness of the landscape above Sunrise. F/16.

It's Still Wildflower Season

A week ago today, I visited one of my favorite photography destinations, the Gold Creek trail near Snoqualmie Pass. This time, the trail was in relatively good condition due to recent maintenance work, and water levels were quite low at creek crossings. I therefore hiked all the way to the end of the maintained trail (the Alaska/Joe lakes junction), which is farther than I usually venture, in search of late-season wildflowers like aster and fireweed.

First, a stand of fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) at the edge of the large avalanche clearing inside the wilderness boundary. As suggested by the image, fireweed is often an early species to colonize an area cleared by disturbances like avalanches and fires. F/18.

Next, the fruits of what I believe to be California black currant or stink currant (Ribes bracteosum), with an out-of-focus dry creek bed in the background. F/8.

Finally, two aster-filled clearings, the first from the end of the maintained trail and the second near the large avalanche clearing. I don't think these images are as striking as the two above, as the aster flowers ended up rather small in the compositions. F/18 and F/16, respectively.

Palisades Lakes

On Saturday, I hiked the Palisades Lakes Trail in Mount Rainier National Park - as always, chasing those late-season wildflowers! For a trail in the national park on a weekend day, surprisingly few fellow hiking parties were on the trail. This may have to do with the fact that the trail offers no views of Rainier itself, or with the fact that there is quite a bit of uphill hiking on the way back to the trailhead. I thoroughly enjoyed the hike, though - the setting alternates between pleasant open forest, wildflower meadows, and lakes, with plenty of flowers still blooming.

First, a wildflower meadow near the end of the trail, with lupine (purple) and bistort (white) the most prominent flowers. The image quality here is only fair, but the composition is compelling enough to make this a usable image. F/16.

Next, a image with a similar concept and the same array of flowers, this time with Upper Palisades Lake in the distance. F/16.

Below is Sunrise Lake, nearer the trailhead. I tried a number of compositions of the lake; the lighting isn't fantastic in this one, but this was the lake's calmest moment, resulting in the most clearly discernible reflections. F/14.

The trailhead itself, at Sunrise Point, offers nice views of its own. Here is one such view, looking roughly southeast over the White River drainage. F/14.

I also managed a couple wildflower closeups. Below is what I believe to be sickletop lousewort or leafy lousewort (Pedicularis racemosa). F/6.3.

Finally, here's a paintbrush with lupine in the background. Due to the color, I believe the paintbrush is magenta paintbrush (Castilleja parviflora, or Castilleja parviflora var. oreopola). F/5.

Waning Wildflowers at Cascade Pass

Last week, I hiked to Cascade Pass in North Cascades National Park, hoping to catch the last hurrah of the high-elevation wildflowers. I didn't continue all the way up toward Sahale Arm, as many hikers and backpackers do, but wandered a short distance in that direction - as I had suspected, the highest concentration of remaining wildflowers was in this area. First, my best image from this setting. Flowers in the foreground include pearly everlasting (white), paintbrush (red), and aster (purple). F/18.

Next, a view looking down the valley of the North Fork of the Cascade River. I wanted to juxtapose the valley itself and the clouds above. Despite the sunny appearance of this image, rain was falling when I took it. F/16.

Here are two landscapes with a mountain-through-trees concept. The first one might be my favorite; the trunks provide a more prominent linear element, and the jagged mountain is more eye-catching. F/16 in both cases.

Finally, some aster blooming to the northwest of the pass. I initially tried this with a wide depth of field, but the foreground flowers were so close to the lens that I had trouble getting both those and the mountain sharp. I like this composition, but due to the harshness of the lighting on the flowers, I am not confident that the detail would look good in print. F/6.3.

Watson Lakes

Last week, I made the long drive to the Baker Lake area to check out the hike to Watson Lakes, a trail of moderate length and elevation gain (but with a few roots and tripping hazards, much to the chagrin of my right ankle). In contrast to my last outing to the North Cascades, a hike along the Maple Pass Loop under consistently overcast skies, sunshine and frequent breezes characterized this trip. Indeed, my two most promising landscape compositions didn't work well enough for me to post them here at all - sunlit white Sitka valerian flowers were in the foreground, and the contrast was so high that the flowers were overexposed and the detail quality in the darker areas of the images was rather poor.

Nevertheless, a few images turned out well. First, here is a closeup of pink monkey-flower, or great purple monkey-flower (Erythranthe lewisii). I've tried to photograph these flowers before, unsuccessfully; it was nice to have this one work! F/5.

Next, a view of the easternmost of the two Watson Lakes. F/14.

From a rare moment of partial cloudiness, a view of the westernmost of the Watson Lakes through old timber. F/14.

Finally, the easternmost of the Watson Lakes, with subalpine spiraea blooming in the foreground. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. The image quality isn't great due to the high contrast of the lighting. Furthermore, the lake shore and trees beyond seemed to highlight lens and perspective distortion - so much so that I thought only a square crop would be suitable. Still, this one might work at a small or moderate print size (say, 8x8 or 12x12).