Hello readers - here's a roundup of my photography trips in April and May! It's been a chaotic spring and I've had a hard time making the time to blog, but I did manage to get out on a handful of hikes over the past two months. Here are my favorite pictures from those trips!
Coal and Independence Lakes
Most recently, I hiked to Coal and Independence Lakes off the Mountain Loop Highway, on a cold June-uary type morning. My favorite picture of the day ended up being a floral shot, of what I think is pink mountain-heather (Phyllodoce empetriformis).
Next, Independence Lake through trees. Even though you don't see much of the lake in this picture, the deep blue-green color helps bring it out, and I like the feeling of depth. F/14.
Lastly, Coal Lake, near the trailhead. A cold breeze was stirring up the water and giving it the textured look that is visible here. Even though I kind of like the moody sky, it'd also be fun to see what this view looks like on a clear day. F/16.
Baker River
Earlier in May, I spent a gorgeous day up on the Baker River trail, a favorite place of mine and one I hadn't visited in quite some time. The bright sunshine made forest photography tricky, but the views were amazing when the trail broke out into the open. Here are a couple views of the Baker River. The first one features what I think is Hagan Mountain in the background, and some flowers I haven't noticed before in the foreground. Could they be a wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca)? F/16.
I did get one floral image: I think it's rosy twisted stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus). Since the flowers hang under the leaves, and the plants grow low to the ground, these are easy to miss. F/5.6.
Twin Falls
Prior to hiking Baker River, I visited the popular Twin Falls near North Bend. Even though it's busy, I don't mind doing photography here versus other crowded hikes - the trail is pretty wide and there are a lot of side trails to the river, making it relatively easy to set up a tripod.
First, Scouler's corydalis (Corydalis scouleri) with the river (South Fork Snoqualmie) out of focus in the background. Because the flower is a bit small in the frame, this is one of those pictures that would benefit from a larger display size. I don't think it's as compelling on a phone screen. F/7.1.
Next, Upper Twin Falls with bigleaf maple leaves in the foreground. F/16, 1.3 seconds.
Old Sauk trail
Even earlier in the spring, I hiked the Old Sauk River Trail near Darrington. My wider landscapes of the river didn't work very well, but as usual, I found some fun floral scenes.
First, salmonberry branches with the Sauk River in the background. F/6.3.
Next, trillium and bleeding heart growing together, which I thought was a fun combination. F/5.
Lastly, more bleeding heart, with mossy forest in the background. F/7.1.
That's all for now! Hopefully there will be a bit more blogging this summer and fall!
