It's officially spring, my favorite season! To start it off properly, I hiked to Whistle Lake and Sugarloaf in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands yesterday. Maybe the off-and-on morning rain showers kept people home, but the trails were surprisingly quiet for a Saturday. Thankfully, the showers were never long-lasting enough to preclude any photography, the mostly overcast lighting was easy to work with, and there were lulls in the breezes when I needed them. I've done this hike a few times now, so I started with some ideas of what to expect and where I would stop.
First, some grass widow (Olsynium douglasii) growing on Sugarloaf in an open meadow. Stumbling upon these was exciting for me, as I've tried without success to find and photograph these flowers on the west side. They are low to the ground and the flowers often face down, so unless they're blooming en masse, they're easy for me to miss. F/5.6.
Next, the view from the top of Sugarloaf. Under clearer skies, I would have been able to see more mountains, but the views over forests, waterways, and islands are impressive in their own right. Due to the high contrast, the image quality in the darker areas of these images suffered a bit, but I think it's still adequate. F/16 and F/14, respectively.
Finally, a view over Whistle Lake, just after a rain shower. I tried this composition a few times over the course of several minutes, as the mist kept changing. I like the one below the best, and it's a bit of a middle-ground choice - the mist is definitely there, but the trees in the distance aren't totally lost. F/16.
Happy spring, everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment