Drizzly Day in the Woods

Happy April! A few days ago, I had a nice romp in the drizzle and mud at Flaming Geyser State Park.  With new determination - and some gear that I rediscovered, having lost track of it in frequent moves over the last few years - I managed to keep my gear dry. I didn't even lose any compositions to water streaks, as I was able to keep my lens-cleaning cloths dry and clean.

Flaming Geyser State Park offers relatively non-strenuous trails through pleasant, mossy forest, and an array of flowering shrubs and herbs. It's also a place to catch a glimpse of the Green River gorge (none of my compositions involving the gorge walls turned out, unfortunately), one of the few where you can do so on public land with developed access. If you visit, note that the "flaming geyser" is no longer lit. The "bubbling geyser" is interesting but rather small and visually unimpressive. The forest and the river are the real treats.

On to my pictures. First, some budding Scouler's corydalis (Corydalis scouleri). F/5.6.

Next, some Indian plum by a tributary creek of the Green River. I don't like how the creek/forest line here is close to midpoint; otherwise, this one turned out rather well, particularly the colors. F/10.

Next, some more landscape-type images. First, a more mature patch of forest on a spur from the River Trail. F/20.

This one needs some contrast work, but I think I like the framing. F/22.

Another forest landscape, not quite as interesting as the earlier one, but it still works, and clearly communicates an early-spring feel. F/20.

Finally, some images whose quality I'm less sure about but thought were worth posting and thinking about. First, some salmonberry flowers and buds with forest shapes in the background. F/9.

Another similar one, with mossy trees and the river in the background. F/9.

Finally, two views of mossy maple trees during a period of heavier rain early in the morning. I had most of my gear stashed in a picnic shelter, and would set up my tripod, go back to the picnic shelter, take my camera back to the tripod under an umbrella. Time-consuming but it worked! (I used the same method out in the woods later in the day, using more mature conifers for dry shelter). It'd be interesting to see how these images look after some lighting work has been done in Lightroom. F/18.