Steptoe Beauty - Steptoe Butte State Park, Washington

Being in the Palouse last week just reminded me of what a special place it is to visit and photograph. It is likely that if you are not a photographer, you probably have never heard of it. Other than the beauty of the landscape, there are not a lot of other attractions there to attract other tourists. The Palouse has been described as a culinary wasteland, with most towns not having restaurants or convenience stores. Cell phone service is nonexistent in many parts of the Palouse. Gas stations are few and far between. The area is primarily farmland with some of the richest soil in the US. The people who live there are extremely hard working, supporting the farming industry. 

From a photography standpoint, the rolling landscapes, especially during the golden hours at sunrise and sunset, are some of most desirable subjects. I have heard the Palouse described as the equivalent of Italy's Tuscany region. When you stand on Steptoe Butte and look down on the undulating landscape, you easily understand that comparison. All shades of green and brown can be seen for miles and miles. It's beauty is unique.

Small Clearing - Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, Oregon

As you read this post, I am on a plane heading west for another trip. This time I am headed to the Palouse to co-host a photo tour with Jeff Clow and won't be posting much next week. The Palouse is not particularly conducive to cell phones, and with very long days, any time in the hotel will probably be non-productive.

For today's post, I will take you back to my trip to Oregon last month. The Oregon Coast is renowned for great scenery. There are plenty of photos that show these great expanses of coastline, beaches and sea stacks and those who have never visited there think the whole coast is like that. There are actually large stretches where water is not seen but rather sand dunes. Other stretches are along the water, but the trees are so overgrown that very little can be seen of the beach and coastline without some serious hiking. The best you can hope for is to find small clearings like this one that gives you peeks of the Oregon Coast's beauty. It takes a lot of work and scouting but, when you find one, it is worth the work.

Red Rocks - Sedona, Arizona

You expect to see great colors when you visit the American Southwest. Most of the areas have great sandstone rock formations that have an orange color to them. There is one portion of the southwest that is well known for its red colors, namely Sedona. How do I know that? Just look at the names. Sedona is located in Red Rock County. Within the city limits lies Red Rock State Park. Numerous businesses have Red Rock in their name. I don't know how many roads have that in their name, but I know a few do. 

One evening, I wanted to get some photos of one of the more famous rock formations, Cathedral Rock. Shooting there when the sun is setting is the best time to capture the red glow. Looking on the map, I found the best location to shoot it -- that's right, just off of Red Rock Loop Road. As you can see, I was able to capture the glow, although it would have been better with some clouds. I was mentioning that lack of clouds later to a local and she looked at me like I had two heads. I remember her reply verbatim, “You do know it’s in the desert, don't you? We don’t get clouds too often”. I think I heard Homer Simpson's "Doh" in the background.

Cruising By - Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Want to put your feet up and see some of the most beautiful coastline that Alaska has to offer? My answer would be to hop on a cruise ship that sails into Glacier Bay. On my quest to visit as many National Parks that I can, I made sure that I hit two of them on my last Alaskan Cruise (Denali and Glacier Bay) that couldn't be more different than each other. Picking a favorite is impossible because of that fact, so I will write about Glacier Bay in this post.

We entered into the bay through the Icy Straits very early in the morning, The park is pretty big, measuring almost 3.3 million acres. To put that in perspective, it's namesake to the south, Glacier National Park in Montana, is only a third of its size. You would expect that given its size and name there would be quite a few glaciers in the park and there are -- 29 of them. Over half of them are tidewater glaciers (glaciers that extend into the ocean) and, of those, nine of them actually terminate in the bay itself. 

I shot this image just after we entered the waters of the National Park. I was sitting on our balcony with my feet up on the small table, wine glass readily available and camera in my lap. Probably the easiest I have ever worked for an image.

La Sal Backdrop - Arches National Park, Utah

I really love the American Southwest and always look for a reason to go back. I have been to the target-rich Moab area almost ten times with its amazing National Parks (Arches and Canyonlands); State Parks (Dead Horse and Goblin Valley); the famed River Road (paralleling the mighty Colorado River); and, of course, the majestic La Sal Mountains. There is something for everyone. My favorite among all of these gems is Arches National Park. All of the amazing sandstone rock formations, along with its unique sandstone arches, are a sight to see. This spot where I took this photo says it all. To my back is Balanced Rock and looking forward are some of my favorite arches. The only one visible is Turret Arch in the middle. To the left although hidden, are the North Window, South Window and Double Arch. I particularly love this spot, because the La Sal Mountains pose as an incredible backdrop to the desert foreground and the sandstone formations. Having a nice blue sky and the faint clouds doesn't hurt the scene either.

 

Face Rock - Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint, Bandon, Oregon

You might have heard of Face Rock, I know that I did. Before I saw it, I wondered if it really does look like a face? I hope that this photo answers that question as a yes, even though it is more of a silhouette because of the setting sun. I can tell you, when viewing it with my eyes that capture so much more dynamic range than a two dimensional sensor, it absolutely does. I had hoped to capture this rock formation the next morning with early morning light, but the ever present rain and overcast skies prevented a proper photo. I will be headed back in September on a family vacation, so I hope to get that early morning shot.

Shoot This Stack - Bandon, Oregon

We photographers often get extreme tunnel vision when we are standing in front of amazing scenery. We get very focused and don't even realize that others are waiting to try to get some pics too. I am not complaining as I am guilty on occasion of the same thing. The best thing to do is just be patient and hope that they move on. This particular evening, I came to this scene and the beach was empty save these two photographers. They were having quite the discussion and the woman was repeatedly pointing to the sea stack as you can see in this photo. In my imagination, I can hear her say that its getting late and just shoot this stack. That wasn't to be. They stayed there for ten minutes and I finally realized it was time to take the photo and Photoshop them out later. When I started to edit this photo, I remembered my thoughts at the time and that they added a lot to the photo by providing scale to the sea stack, so I left them in.

Soldier Mountains - Route 20, Idaho

I came across this photo that I took back in 2013 on a cross country trip with my son. It was on the return from Oregon and we decided to hit as many National Parks or Monuments that we could fit in without taking us too far off our route. We left Portland and decided to head to Grand Teton National Park with an overnight stay in Boise in between. After checking into our hotel in Boise, I fired up the computer and found out that a short detour would take us through Craters of the Moon National Monument. Off we went the next morning. I had never been to this area before and it isn't very populated. As we turned and drove along Route 20, I saw these mountains that turned out to be the Soldier Mountains and I just had to stop and take a number of photos. I have no idea where along route 20 we were but, suffice to say, if I ever find myself on this road again, I will be looking for this spot again.

Dawn Glow - Steptoe Butte State Park, Colfax, Washington

Steptoe Butte is the place to shoot in the Palouse. While there are quite a number of great subjects to shoot there, the ones you remember most are from the butte. The butte rises 3,000 feet above some of the richest farmland in the world. The top of the butte gives a 360° view of the rolling mounds and undulations that are especially enhanced when the sun is low, either at sunrise or near sunset. Sunrise is my favorite time to shoot there, but there is a price to pay. You have to get up early in May and June (the prime time to visit) as sunrise is around 5am. Factor in the time to drive to the butte and get setup and you are probably setting the alarm for 3:30am. But it is worth it.

Spring finds the Palouse covered with all shades of green unlike the harvest when everything is gold (think "amber waves of grain"). The morning that I shot this photo, I was able to capture both colors. The sun bathed the landscape is a golden that lasted for about 15 minutes before the green began to overpower. Just another morning in the Palouse. I can't wait to visit there again later next week to experience it all over again while co-hosting a Jeff Clow photo tour.

Riding the Cogs - Mount Washington, New Hampshire

Mount Washington Cog Railway

Last summer, my son and I headed up to New Hampshire for a few days as a late Father's Day present. I haven't spent too much time in New Hampshire even though I live in New England. For some reason, I have gravitated to Maine and Vermont. One of the things on my New Hampshire bucket list was to drive to the top of Mount Washington, which we had done the previous day. We had great weather and we decided to take an alternative way to the top via the Mount Washington Cog Railway. 

Mount Washington is part of the Presidential Range, a subsection of the White Mountains. It is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States and the most prominent one east of the Mississippi River. It is notorious for its rapidly changing weather as well as wind speeds. The highest recorded wind speed on the mountaintop was 231 miles per hour back in the 1930's. Knowing this, when we bought the tickets for the railway after our drive, we figured that the next morning the weather might be quite different. As you can see, it was. Instead of a great sunny day, there was a heavy overcast as we neared the mountaintop. It still was a great experience. I took this photo on our descent from the top (the railway doesn't turn around, it just goes down backwards). As I looked at the tracks, I wondered about how hard it must have been to lay them back in the 1860's.

Howling Dog - Bandon, Oregon

A few weeks ago, I posted a photo of the sea stack known as the Wizard's Hat. Many of Bandon's sea stacks have unique names attached to them, such as Face Rock, Howling Dog, Elephant Rock and Table Rock to name a few. Other than Face Rock and Wizard's Hat, the one I wanted to capture was Howling Dog. I might still be looking for it wasn't for the hotel clerk who checked me in. She mentioned that Wizard's Hat and Howling Dog were actually the same stack. Sure enough, when I approached the stack from the south, I took this photo that clearly (at least to me) resembles a dog sitting on his hind quarters, ears hanging beside his head with its mouth raised high as if howling. I hope that you can see the resemblance, as looking at some of these rock formations is like looking at the clouds -- everybody sees something different. 

The clouds and light that evening were really great and I was lucky to get a big wave hitting what I believe is Elephant Rock in the background. For all of the bad weather we had on our trip, landscape photographers would trade it for one night like this.

Reflection - Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

The title of this post has dual meanings. The obvious one is as a description of this scene. Pre-sunrise light was just beginning to light up the lake, creating silhouettes of the trees with corresponding reflections in the smooth-as-glass waters of the lake. The other meaning is not part of the scene but rather a side effect of the scene. As I walk to this spot, the glow of the sun is nowhere to be seen. I needed a headlamp to find my way to the lakeshore. I haven't seen any sign of life either on the road or on my walk down to the waters edge. The silence all around me is deafening. There are no sounds to be heard which make my thoughts seem more clear to me. There is great clarity in my mind. I am not really thinking about the photos I am about to take. Instead, I am reflecting on how lucky I am to be here. Alone with nature. Realizing that I am just a small cog in this wonderful world we live in and being able to partake fully in its beauty this particular morning. I think of all of the paths that I took in my life that led me to this spot.  No distractions anywhere this morning but taking in Mother Nature's beauty. Soon my thoughts will change. I'll starting thinking about composing my photos as the horizon begins to light up. I'll think about photography things when the sun begins its daily rise into the sky. I'll wonder how the majestic mountain out of sight on my left will light up. But that will be in a few minutes. For now, I am still reflecting on the mysteries of life as I stand on the shoreline of Reflection Lake.

 

Artisan's Barn - Uniontown, Washington

The Palouse is home to many types of barns that dot this landscape of farms, but the one that  stands out from the rest is the Artisans at the Dahmen Barn. Located near the southernmost edge of the Palouse, you notice from the distance that its white color is in stark contrast to the area's red and brown barns. The closer you get, you realize that you have never quite seen a fence like this, constructed with over 1,000 wheels.  As you pull into the parking lot, you realize that this is no ordinary barn. It is home to some very original art made by local artisans that is on display and for sale. The barn also houses several studios where artisans can create their masterpieces. The studios are also used to conduct classes on creating art.

The barn was built in 1935 for Jack Dahmen, who used it as part of his commercial dairy operation for 18 years. He sold it to his nephew Steve and his wife, who had interests in the arts. Steve began building the wheel fence over the course of 30 years. In 2004, Steve donated the barn to a local non-profit organization with the stipulation that it be put to a community use that evolved into its present day operation. 

Heading to the La Sals - Moab, Utah

The American Southwest is famous for its desert scenes and sandstone rock formations. It has been made famous thanks to being featured in countless cowboy movies and television shows. I would guess the majority of people (of a certain age) are reminded of these media creations that take a romantic look back to the era of the Wild West. I know that when I stand on some dirt road  with no one around, my mind takes me back to my childhood when I played cowboys with my friends. What little boy that grew up in the fifties and the sixties wouldn't have wanted to be standing on the dirt road I was on when I shot this photo? The orange color of the dirt and rock formations that permeate the southwest, along with the snow-capped La Sal Mountains in the distance and the blue sky, is a virtual time machine to the days long ago. I almost hear the hooves of the calvary horses in the distance ready to appear at the end of this dirt road. 

Different - Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, Vermont

And now for something completely different. Many of you who are fans of  the Monty Python's Flying Circus television show that aired between 1969 and 1974 will remember the previous sentence as one of their favorite catchphrases. They used that to move from one segment of the show to a very different segment. I thought I would use it to transition from my normal landscape photo to this photo of a carousel horse that I spotted at the Shelburne Museum last year. The museum is an amazing eclectic collection of Americana and art located on 45 acres near Lake Champlain. The displays range from lighthouses to covered bridges to numerous examples of New England architecture to renowned art exhibits. I found this carousel horse in the unique horseshoe-shaped Circus Building. In it, there are amazing miniature displays showcasing the hand-carved miniature Arnold Circus Parade that stretches the full 500+ feet of the building. On the other side, hand-painted carousel figures are on display that were made by the renowned Gustav Dentzel Carousel Company. The museum is a great place to spend the day (you will need most of it) if you are in the area.

Working the Scene - Death Valley National Park, California

Zabriskie Point

Sometimes landscape photographers forget that it is important to give a scene some sense of scale. I know that I am often guilty of that myself. We become so enamored with the beauty and magnificence of a location, we assume our resulting photos will convey what we are seeing to the viewer. Don't get me wrong, viewers often do get the beauty through our photos, but what they don't always appreciate is their scale. Placing a recognizable element in the scene will easily remedy that situation. When I saw my great friend Jaki Good Miller working the scene down the trail at Zabriskie Point last December morning, I knew she would be the perfect addition to bring the scale of this iconic location to life.

Bow Lake - Icefields Parkway, Banff National Park, Alberta

One of my friends recently told me that they were trying to figure out if I was actually in the place that I had posted a photo from or not. I get that question quite often. In fact, often enough that I thought I would explain my process. First and foremost, I travel a lot in retirement, but some people think I am on the road continuously. That is not the case. On average, I may get out on photo trips four times a year. 

I think the fact that I post photos from so many different places gives others the impression that I travel more than that for photos. When I go on these trips, I shoot lots (thousands) of photos. I almost never edit a photo on a trip as I want to edit them on a large screen. When you see me post an iPhone photo or a video, it means that I am probably at the location or have just left it. When I get home, I usually edit about ten photos right away and post them over a couple of weeks. I have others that I have set aside to be edited, but I choose to put them away for some future date. Why don't I edit all of the keepers right away? Several reasons. First, I have found that the more I edit, they all begin to look similar because I have processed them in a certain frame of mind (I believe that photographers' editing tends to reflect how they are feeling). Second, my processing skills are always evolving, which will allow me to produce hopefully better results down the road. Third, the editing software that I use is constantly improving, so I might be able to get more out of a photo that I can today. Fourth and most important is that I have been posting on my blog for over six years. If I keep posting the same trip until I run out of keepers, I believe my followers as well as myself would get bored.

Hopefully for those who wonder where I am, this has answered that question. So why did I post this photo today? Well, I just got back from Oregon and have posted a lot of Oregon photos since I have been back. I typically look at my keepers collection in Lightroom and just scroll them and pick one of a place that I haven't posted in a while and just seems to fit my mood at the time I am looking.

Barn - Pullman, Washington

I am getting pretty excited for my upcoming trip back to the Palouse next month. I have been there twice before, but this time it will be a bit different. I am co-hosting a Photo Tour there with my buddy Jeff Clow, who runs a terrific photo tour business. Jeff has only visited the Palouse once before during the harvest season last August. I am excited for him to see it in the spring, as it is totally different. At harvest time, everything is all shades of gold and brown when the crops are beginning their journeys to people's tables. Spring, on the other hand, is very different. Gone are all of the shades of gold and they are replaced by shades of green that signify the rebirth of the crops. Gone is the dust that the harvest brings when the giant farm equipment cuts the crops and the trucks drive them to the granaries. That makes for a quieter and more peaceful environment. I think the barns stand out more in spring, as they contrast well with the green landscape and they are everywhere. In all shapes and sizes. Some old and decrepit, others looking brand new, and yet others somewhere in between, like the one in the photo. All in all, I am looking forward to showing the spring to Jeff and the many friends (both old and new) that we will be hosting next month.

Secluded - Cape Meares, Oregon

This is what most landscape photographers want to find when exploring. Discovering a place that is the epitome of what they think the location they are scouting should look like. Thanks to some really tedious research before the trip, we found  an ideal spot, far from the crowds. Blink and you missed it. Climbed down to the beach and all we found were two locals - both fisherman. The scene was just what the doctor ordered. A brief glimpse of the blue sky. A waterfall to the right of me creating this small creek in front of me. Large driftwood scattered on the beach most likely fallen during some severe storms. A giant sea stack almost on the beach with a few trees growing out at its top. The distant cliffs with the seeming always present fog and mist. The rolling surf of the Pacific Ocean that relentlessly pounds the coastline. And to top it all, very secluded that allowed us to have a great experience by ourselves save a couple of fisherman.

Algae and Waterfall - Tolovana Park, Oregon

The Oregon Coast has some really neat beaches that offer hidden surprises that are just waiting to be found. I had been to this beach a number of times before and considered this a JAB (just another beach -- a Jeff Clow saying). What I discovered on this trip was that I probably visited it when it was high tide. Go at low tide and all of these hidden gems appear as if by magic. Sea caves aplenty. Waterfalls around the curve in the coast. Colorful algae marking how far the Pacific Ocean comes in during high tide. Try to find this kind of scene on the Atlantic Ocean coast--I haven't seen anything like it. 

This particular scene really attracted me for several reasons. First the waterfall and then the sea cave caught my eye. What really took it to the next level for me was the color of the algae and the rock formation that definitely looks like a cutoff foot. This composition certainly does not take full advantage of the cave and waterfall, but it was the only angle that I could make the foot "come to life".