Grand Ridge, south side

As I suggested I might, I recently returned to Grand Ridge Park to hike some of the trails that I didn't reach last time, starting from the south side. I think I prefer the trails I hiked a couple weeks ago - the north side of the park feels a bit wilder, the forest seems just slightly older and more diverse, and you're farther from buildings and road noise. I still enjoyed the trails on the south side, though. 

First, detail on a trunk (alder, I think). I used my macro lens for this, which I'm trying to use more often on subjects other than spring florals. I didn't get close enough to consider this true "macro" or close-up photography, but the more intimate perspective is still nice. F/6.3.

Next, a forest shot that does a good job of depicting both the day's fog and the varied winter colors visible in the forest. F/14.

Here's one with a similar concept. I like the depth created by the foreground trunk at left, but the image overall is busier than the one above and ultimately less compelling. F/16.

Lastly, an interesting view through some mossy trunks. Due to the higher lighting contrast here, and the wide depth of field I needed, the detail quality suffered just a bit. The sense of depth is effective, though. F/18.

Frosty Morning at Oxbow Loop

Yesterday morning, before the rain hit, I took advantage of those precious dry hours by hiking the Oxbow Loop Trail in the Middle Fork Snoqualmie area. Although the trail is at its best in the spring and fall, a fun feature of winter is that with the bare maple and alder branches, there is greater visibility of the lake and surrounding peaks. I also enjoyed seeing the frost in some of the more open areas.

First, Oxbow Lake, with frost and ice evident. The gray, blank sky doesn't serve this composition very well, but it was what I had to work with, and I decided that this shot would still be best with the hilltops fully visible. F/14.

Here are two more views of Oxbow Lake, from uphill just a ways. I'm not sure which of these variations I like better. In the first, I like the presence of the snow-covered hills in the background. In the second, though, because of the lower contrast, the exposure and image quality were better. Both F/14.

Next, a forest shot. I like the color contrast between the mossy maple trunks in the foreground and the more distant alder trunks. I also like how the maples are mostly leaning, and the alders are straight. F/14.

Finally, an early-morning view of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River. F/18.

Winter Color at Grand Ridge

Last weekend, I visited Grand Ridge Park near Issaquah. I had been there several years ago doing some volunteer trail work for the Washington Trails Association, but had never been on an actual hike. It's an impressive park - I got at least 7-8 miles of hiking in, part of which was on a loop, and there is still a good portion of the park that I didn't see. Scenically, second-growth forest parks like this one can be a bit hit-or-miss, but rolling terrain, variation in forest type, and little creeks and wetlands kept things interesting. I also got lucky with very calm winds throughout the day.

I've wanted to do more close-up photography of non-floral subjects, as I've mentioned in my year-in-review posts. Below, moss and bark patterns on a cedar trunk. It's different from my usual fare, and I like the vivid colors. F/5.

The forests of Grand Ridge Park aren't really what I would consider old-growth, but there are some groves of decently large trees, especially cedars. Here are two such spots, both photographed at F/18.

One more forest scene, this one looking a bit more obviously wintry. F/18.

That's all for now, but I'm excited to go back sometime soon and explore the rest of the park!

New Year at Coal Creek

For my first hike of the new year, I went to the Coal Creek trail near Bellevue. I hadn't been there for several years, but I'm glad I returned, because it's a pretty solid urban hike - there are some sections that look feel much more secluded than I'd expect given the trail's proximity to developed areas (although the housing developments surrounding the park are more extensive than they were on my last visit). The forest is all second growth, and there are some areas that are pretty well taken over by invasive plants like blackberry, but there's lots of lush, photogenic forest as well, and there are numerous opportunities to see Coal Creek and other small streams. I'm contemplating a return visit in early spring, when salmonberry and Indian plum are starting to bloom.

First, my favorite image of the day, of a waterfall visible from the Primrose Loop trail. I liked the way that trees were framing it. Due to a slight breeze, I never got a shot in which all of the branches were perfectly still, but the one below is pretty close and good enough. F/18, 5 seconds.

Next, Coal Creek itself, with mossy branches in the foreground. I like the selective-focus effect here, although I wish the background trees were just a bit more distinct. F/8.

Here's a look at Coal Creek with a wider depth of field. It's a bit busy, but I like the sense of proximity to the foreground trunks. F/18, 10 seconds.

Next, a more distant view of Coal Creek. Looking at it now, I don't know that the creek is as prominent in the composition as I'd like, but I like the sense of depth and distance. F/16.

Finally, some lush forest along the trail. I'm always happy when I can get winter shots with some good color like this one. I'm not sure what the orange color on the cottonwood trunk at right comes from, but it makes the image a bit more interesting. F/18.

Moving away from Coal Creek, as an aside, I was recently at Camano Island State Park, just before the new year. While I didn't get enough good images there to merit a separate post, I do like the image below, of a marshy area near the beaches. The subtle reflections and the colorful madrone trunks are the highlight for me. I would have liked to choose a vantage point closer to some of the cattail plants, for a more striking foreground, but tidal flooding in the area limited my options. F/16.

All for now. Happy New Year!