Along the Carbon River

On Sunday, I visited the Carbon River area of Mount Rainier National Park. The area had just reopened after a closure since November, when heavy rainfall washed out a bit of the access road. The Carbon River hike follows a former road that has been closed for years due to the volatility of the river, with a variety of additional hikes (including, most notably, the trail to Green Lake) accessible along the way. I've been to Green Lake before; so, while that's a worthy destination that I'd like to return to at some point, I decided instead to continue up the valley on the former road. As old-road hikes go, it's a good one; there are plenty of old-growth trees the whole way, and as you progress upstream, the views of the river and surrounding peaks improve.

First, the lush old-growth forest along the former road. Forest landscape shots on sunny days are difficult. Usually, the contrast between sunlit and shaded areas is too high, leading to overexposed highlights. This was a challenge on Sunday. Furthermore, when I found landscapes that were fully shaded, the relative darkness necessitated very long exposure times, and even the slightest movement of air caused branches to blur. The image below is more subject to the first challenge - overexposed highlights. The area these highlights cover is limited enough to look intentional, though, and they create an early-morning feel, so I think the image works. F/14.

Next, a view up the Carbon River near the turnoff to Chenuis Falls. After this, I tried a composition closer to the river. It had an even better sense of depth, and I liked how the river occupied more of the frame. Unfortunately, I didn't shield the lens adequately from sun glare, and a lens flare was visible. In sunny conditions like this, it can be tricky to see the camera's display and check for things like that in the field. The wood in the foreground isn't super interesting, but it's better than plain rocks, I think. F/16, 1/13 of a second.