Wildflower Season begins!

Yes, it's the best time of year, folks! I hiked Goose Rock in Deception Pass State Park on Sunday, and the wildflowers were out. I was hoping to see some grass widow (Olsynium douglasii), and although I didn't spot any along the trails I hiked, a few other early-blooming species were there to greet my macro lens as I brought it out for the first time this year.

We'll start with those wildflower closeups! First, small-flowered prairie star, or woodland star (Lithophragma parviflorum). I've photographed this species before, but really like how this composition turned out. F/6.3.

Next, red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum). I have other closeups of these as well, but I like the bright colors in this composition, as well as the exuberant chaos of the inflorescence. I avoided symmetry in this one, which I think paid off. F/5.6.

Third, what I believe is small-flowered blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia parviflora). Don't let this image fool you - these flowers are very small and easy to miss in the rocky meadows! This image was a challenge. Every spring, I forget how difficult it can be to perfect the focus point in a wildflower closeup, particularly if any breeze is present - or, as in this case, the flower is at a height not covered by my tripods and I have to shoot handheld. (My patient hiking companion waited as I made more than sixty attempts! She knew what she was getting into, but I'm still grateful.) F/6.3.

Finally, a landscape view from the summit of Goose Rock, looking essentially west toward Deception Island. The filtered-sunshine lighting at roughly 10am wasn't all that interesting, but the contrast was manageable, and there was still enough blue in the sky to include some of it in the composition. F/18.

Happy spring, everyone!

Twin Falls

On Saturday, I visited the popular trail to Twin Falls, near North Bend, WA. I wanted a (mostly) snow-free hike, and this one delivered. First, two images of the trail's main attraction - the waterfalls visible about a mile and a half along the trail. These are the upper falls (I wasn't thrilled by my compositions of the lower falls, but they are also an impressive sight to behold). I think setting the falls against the prominent trees to the left worked well. F/18, exposure time 1 second, in both cases.

Next, an interesting backlit forest scene from near the trailhead. Despite the high contrast, I was able to get all the lighting in range, with the help of Lightroom. The light brings out the foreground tree and keeps the composition from being too busy (even if the tangle of branches and tree trunks might still make this image less than well-received as, say, a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle). One of my favorite things about mossy bigleaf maples (the prominent tree in the foreground) is that they are easy to personify/anthropomorphize - my hiking companion thought this one looked like a person pointing and giving directions. F/18.

Here's another mossy maple image, this one with the South Fork Snoqualmie River in the background. I wish the background trees were just a bit more distinct; otherwise, I like it. F/18.

Finally, the riskiest shot of the day. Filtered sunlight reaching the water overexposed the rapids just a bit. Even with Lightroom, I was unable to get everything in range, and some of the highlights are still blown out. It looks okay on the computer screen, and I'd be willing to try it out in print, but this one may not work. F/18, 0.6 seconds.

Twin Falls is a fairly short hike, which ended up being just fine, as Saturday ended up sunnier than I had anticipated and the lighting was quite harsh by midday. Despite the challenges posed by bright sunshine, though, I am very excited about the return of spring weather and the upcoming wildflower season.

Until next time, readers!

Sharpe Park

On Saturday, I visited Sharpe Park on Fidalgo Island (near Deception Pass State Park), which features short trails to expansive views of the surrounding waterways and islands. Sunny days before wildflower season, with lots of snow in the mountains, can be challenging to plan for (I don't yet have snowshoes). Furthermore, I had just finished one of the busier work weeks of the year, and was in no condition to get anywhere for dawn light. Sharpe Park promised snow-free walking and attractive views attainable during the morning. Below is my best result, looking more or less northwest from the Sares Head overlook. F/18, with a polarizing filter to help deepen the sky and water.

Other than this composition, I tried a selective-focus shot with a small pine (probably shore pine, Pinus contorta) in the foreground; other trees, a rocky meadow, and distant water and sky were in the background. Somehow, I had trouble with image quality - the needles looked pixelated, which surprises me. Moreover, with selective focus, the composition didn't convey the sense of space and openness that would have been appropriate for that vantage point. It was worth a try, though - I'd like to experiment more with selective focus at open locations like that.

Upon reflection, I might have to make a return visit to Sharpe Park in April or May - as trip reports and pictures I've seen would have me believe, the rocky meadows will sport wildflowers later in the spring. Don't threaten me with a good time!