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Zion National Park, Utah https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tucannon-pond/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Pond-3784-2a.jpg Autumn Reflections Ponds along the Tucannon River in Columbia County outside of Dayton, Washington, in the southeast corner of the state were brilliant with reflections of cottonwood trees and other riparian vegetation in early November.  While this is a tranquil scene, I would have liked to have had a pair of bufflehead ducks softly breaking the reflections at this moment. But we have to take what Mother Nature gives to us and fully appreciate that gift. Tucannon River, Columbia Co., WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/conifer-canopy/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Conifer-Canopy.jpg Under the Shelter of a Conifer A large limb of a mature conifer seems to provide overhead protection for tombstones.  Odd Fellows Cemetery, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/winter-maple-in-the-graveyard/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Winter-Maple-in-Graveyard.jpg Winter Maple in the Graveyard The bare limbs of a large maple fill the frame above tombstones in an Olympia cemetery.  This is a photo in which I didn't fully appreciate the limbs and the tree until I saw the image on a computer screen. Odd Fellows Cemetery, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/jeffers/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Jeffers.jpg Jeffers Jeffers was on 19 years of age when he died in 1897.  Algae, moss, and weather are slowly obscuring the last memories of his life.  It's as if the tombstones have the same permanence as fallen leaves, just on a different time scale.  Odd Fellows Cemetery, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/father-bagan/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Father-Bagan.jpg Father Bagan  A small cemetery for deceased priests and nuns associated with St. Martins College lies on the college grounds.  It's an important part of the history of the institution.  It was the nature of the light at the moment that made me want to take the photograph. St. Martins College, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/joseph-schloss/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Joseph-Schloss.jpg Joseph Schloss, WWII  A fallen soldier from World War II, Joseph Schloss, lies buried in the Orting Veterans' Cemetery, his tombstone beginning to settle and weeds partly covering the inscription. Orting, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/orting-4/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Orting-cemetery-4.jpg Curve in Time  A verterans' cemetery in Orting, Washington  (SE of Seattle) dates back to the Spanish-American War and is still in use.  Several lines of tombstones arc across the hillside, and in certain seasons flowers add to the atmosphere of permanance overlaid with change. Orting, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/killed-indian-war/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Killed-Indian-War.jpg Inscription: Killed in Indian War, 1855  I found a very faded inscription on a stone monument that was very old for this part of the country.  It harkened back to a time that many now consider a sorrowful part of American history, the subjugation of the American Indian and the taking of their land.  These wars officially ended in 1877, some 22 years after this early settler was killed in that conflict. Odd Fellows Cemetery, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/quiet-gathering/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Oly-cemetery-4-1.jpg Quiet Gathering Dark outlines of tombstones are all that can be seen in the pre-dawn darkness and fog under the branches of a large, leafless maple tree.  Odd Fellows Cemetery, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/inks/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Inks-tombstone.jpg Inks The setting sun reflects off the smooth granite of a tombstone.  Odd Fellows Cemetery, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/father/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Father-1.jpg Father A plaintive and fading engraving is all that remains from the offspring of one man. Odd Fellows Cemetery, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/brooding-birch/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Trees-6-6x6-BW.jpg Brooding Birch  The drooping limbs of a birch adds to the somber atmosphere as the sun barely penetrates the fog on a winter morning.  Several small birds at the top of the tree add a special touch of life to the scene. Odd Fellows Cemetery, Olympia, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/angel-skeleton-trees/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Angel-in-Fog-1496.jpg Angel and Skeleton Trees The winter trees in a heavy fog provided an interesting backdrop to an angel of stone overlooking an area of tombstones on an incredibly quiet day.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/barbara-ponti/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Barbara-Ponti-1343.jpg Barbara Ponti A white tombstone with white lettering in the white of fallen snow had its own appeal for me.  Perhaps the aspect that is most striking is the same date for birth and death, just before this country entered the Second World War. Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/silk-and-granite/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Cross-and-webs-9097-1.jpg Silk and Granite Wispy filaments of a spider's web are backlit in the corners of a granite cross, making for a dramatic contrast in terms of permanence and contributing to a particular mood with this combination.  A large aperture with its shallow depth of field has thrown the background out of focus, thereby providing a light and colorful but indistinguishable background for the cross.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/guardian/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Figue-1235-1.jpg Guardian A statue of an angel is prominent among the surrounding gravestones.  The fog and snow add to the absolute stillness of the moment.  The presence of the tree and branches were important elements when I made this particular composition.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/george-robert-crowe/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/George-Robert-6532.jpg George Robert Crowe  The solid stone of this grave marker is slowly eroding away, and has been doing so for over 100 years.  It was the lettering on the tombstone and the fallen leaves that made me want to make the photograph.  A shallow depth of field further isolated the tombstone from the surrounding, thereby making it even more prominent within the frame. Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/black-gold-white/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tree-Snow-7016.jpg Black and Gold Amid White A skeleton of a winter tree and a few remnant wheat stalks lie beside a small drainage ditch covered with snow in the dead of winter.  It was the stark composition that attracted me to the scene.  Umatilla County, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/wooden-cross/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Wooden-Cross.jpg Wooden Cross A large wooden cross marks the location of an old and declining pioneer cemetery in Umatilla County, Oregon, in an area surrounded by wheat fields  once harvested by the people and families of those who lie here.  Bowlus Pioneer Cemetery, Umatilla Co., Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/george-stone/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/George-Stone-6903.jpg George Stone Maple leaves litter the snow around the tombstone of George Stone, a man who saw the end of the Indian Wars and who lived through two world wars.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/georgia/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Georgia-6000.jpg Georgia, 100 years Georgia lived to be 100 years old.  The fading light on her tombstone amid the developing darkness caught my eye.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/matilda/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Matilda-1622.jpg Matilda  A wife had just had just turned 25, and the discoloration patterns on her tombstone seem to mark the sadness. Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/military-formation/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Military-formation-6925.jpg Military Formation, Forever The precision of a military formation is maintained even in the graveyard; the cold and snow no longer matter.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/order-chaos/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Order-Chaos-0928-1.jpg Order and Chaos A stone cross stands in stark contrast to the random limbs of a winter tree looming through the fog.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/our-darling/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Our-Darling-1613-1.jpg Our Darling But one year, two months old at the turn of the century.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/pipe-cross/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Pipe-cross-7029.jpg Wisps of Winter Weeds Only a few wisps of dead weeds remain wrapped around a welded-pipe cross protruding above the snow.  Bowlus Pioneer Cemetery, Umatilla Co., Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/disappearing-tombstone/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tombstone-5822-3.jpg A Disappearing Life Story The tombstone of David Sample will, at some point, be no more.  Bowlus Pioneer Cemetery, Umatilla Co., Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/2-years-7-months-16-days/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/2-years-7-months-16-days-5826-1.jpg 2 years, 7 months, 16 days A short life in the late-1800s.  Bowlus Pioneer Cemetery, Umatilla Co., Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/brother-and-sister/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Willard-children-0023.jpg Brother and Sister A brother and sister died one day apart in 1878.  They were among seven siblings whose deaths came within a two-week period.  Another sister and the father died three years later.  The wife/mother continued to live another 24 years.   Bowlus Pioneer Cemetery, Umatilla Co., Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/arthur-rempel/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rempel-grave-9137.jpg Arthur Gustav Rempel  Fallen leaves from a birch begin to obscure three descriptors of this man, a former professor of biology at Whitman College, but the memories in those whom he taught and loved remain vivid. Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/guarding-maple/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tree-1251-1.jpg Guarding Maple   Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/wilson/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Wilson-1285-1.jpg Wilson Moss, algae, snow, and a chiseled name on a tombstone remain.  Blue Mountain Cemetery, Walla Walla, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/triathlete-in-training/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rider-6115-2.jpg Triathlete in Training  A female triathlete is training for the bike portion of her competition by cycling many miles over the hilly country roads near the Oregon-Washington border.  My lens is pointing towards the setting sun, and the previous day when I first saw this I liked the color that was cast, and I wanted to use a telephoto lens to compress the undulating hills and row of telephone poles.  It was just my good fortune to have a bike rider on the same road when I came back with a camera the next day. Birch Creek Road, Umatilla Co., Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/road-thru-forest/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Road-through-forest.jpg Through an Old-Growth Forest  This very wide path through the old-growth forest in the Carbon River area of Mount Rainier used to allow campers and hikers to quickly and easily travel the 5 miles from the park entrance to the Ipsut Creek campground and several trailheads.  Fierce storms washed a portion of the road away in 2006, and as of 2012 park administrators have kept the road closed to motor vehicles, perhaps permanently.  This is a boon to hikers and photographers who can now savor the beauty of this old-growth and temperate rain forests.  The path allows access and views to the great diversity inherent in a climax forest, and it's one of my favorite areas at Mount Rainier.  The vibrant green colors here are a result of wet vegetation photographed using a polarizing filter. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/skyrocket-storm/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Skyrocket-Road-storm_0061-DV.jpg Beauty of the Storm When I heard the rolling thunder from Walla Walla one summer afternoon, I grabbed my camera and drove north to Prescott and then to Skyrocket Road, one of the few roads in this agricultural area that runs along the top of the ridge.  From this high vantage point, I felt a bit exposed, but the storm and the lightning were moving away to the east.  As the skies began to open up, I was treated to a glorious display of light on the clouds set against the backdrop of the dark storm.  This is one of my first photographs with a new digital camera, the Hasselblad H4D-40, which has an ability to record an extraordinary range of light in a single frame.  It was an extraordinary event, and I was fortunate to have a camera to record the experience. Prescott, eastern Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/after-the-harvest/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/After-the-Harvest.jpg After the Harvest The rolling green fields of the Palouse in eastern Washington in the spring slowly ripen and the wheat turns to gold. After the harvest, only the tracks of the large combines and trucks are left on the landscape. Fields were formerly burned, but now most fires are accidental. Occasional snow will settle over these hills during the bitter cold of the winter, and the cycle will start again as the fields green up in the spring.  Palouse Region, Eastern Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tree-in-fog-0394/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tree-in-fog-0394.jpg Twisted Skeleton Solitary trees are one of my favorite subjects.  Perhaps it's the sense of a solitary tree being a lone survivor that appeals to me.  When a freezing fog rolled into town, I immediately went to the local golf course where such trees can easily be found.  The dark, twisted, and curving limbs were aesthetically appealing, and the other trees made more obscure by the background fog seemed to help emphasize the solitary nature of this particular tree. Walla Walla, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/cat-silhouette2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tractor-at-sunsetDweb.jpg End of an Honest Day A caterpillar pulling discs sits idle and in silhouette as the sun sets in the distance.  I pulled back to include a line of clouds in the frame, making the caterpillar much smaller in this wider context.  Despite the size of this equipment, it's really a small thing in this farming landscape.  This was photographed with film, resulting in much smoother gradations of color around the sun relative to what digital usually produces.  Walla Walla, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/sunset-cat1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tractor-at-sunset-2Dweb.jpg Rest at Sunset A caterpillar pulling discs sits idle and in silhouette at the crest of a hill as the sun moves toward the horizon.  This photograph was taken with film.  An advantage of film over digital is seen in relatively smooth gradations of colors around the sun.  Digital often produces "doughnuts" of colors with relatively sharp boundaries around the sun and is much less appealing to my eye.  When I gave up film, I knew I would also be giving up photographs like this.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/olympia-bench/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Bench-WRG.jpg Cold Seat A snow storm in Olympia, Washington, has covered a bench near the state capitol.  Snow is not very common in Olympia; most of the precipitation comes as rain.  When snow does come, it's a delight to photograph. If I had this to do over again, I would walk to the bench and sit down, and then carefully walk away by stepping in my previous footprints.  Then the mystery would begin:  footprints lead to the bench, but none lead away  -- was it an abduction by a flying saucer? Olympia, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/winter-grace/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tree-1828-1.jpg Grace in Winter Winter trees in fog conditions can reveal their finest.  Golf courses often have single trees amid large open spaces, and that's where I found this graceful little tree.  Even the contours of the ground contributed to the sense of grace.  Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/winter-fountain/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Drinking-fountain-BW-1531-3.jpg Fountain in a Winter Park Often it's enjoyable just wandering around with a camera, open to something that may come along. While currently I most often photograph landscapes, I'm not adverse to featuring human-made objects in a photograph. Such was the case with this water fountain in Tieton Park in Walla Walla. The fountain was centered and left relatively dark to give it a prominent role.  I wanted to barely include the concrete base, and the tree in the background provided visual diversity. I would have preferred more separation between the fountain and the tree, but I wanted to photograph the fountain's column at a slight angle to show three dimensions, and I was constrained by the concrete base. This composition was the result. It was done as a black-and-white with sepia toning. If any of my photographs were to be defined as "fine art," this is one. "Fine art" is difficult to describe; I've settled on the notion of fine art existing for its own sake, photographed for no other purpose than of making that photograph.  Walla Walla, WA https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/yellow-forest-spiral-staircase/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Yellow-green-in-trees--B-0929.jpg Fall Colors in an Old-Growth Forest The autumn colors of yellow seem to form a spiral staircase in the old-growth forest of the Carbon River area within Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State. Carbon River, Mt. Rainier National Forest https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/vine-maple-light/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Vine-Maple-in-sun-0949.jpg Vine Maple in an Old-Growth Forest A vine maple of autumn catches a sliver of light that slips through the canopy of an old-growth forest, while the tree behind it remains a shadowy suggestion.  This photograph also looks great in a square format. Carbon River, Mt. Rainier National Park https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/old-growth-forest-light/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Early-Fall-in-an-Old-Growth-Forest-0940.jpg Spots of Light in an Old-Growth Forest The Carbon River Road at the northwest entrance to Mount Rainier National Park is one of my favorite places to photograph old-growth forests.  Because the five-mile road to a campground is washed out at one location (current as of 11/2011), the road is closed to vehicles at the park's entrance.  Hikers can stroll along the roadway without concern for vehicles rushing to get from point A to point B.   Some people consider old-growth forests to be a "mess."  Yes, it can be a tangle of old trees, young trees, shrubs, and groundcover, but to me it is a beautiful mess.  The challenge is to find a composition that is aesthetically pleasing, and that's not always easy.  However, it is that challenge that enables me to view the forest and all of its components more intently, and that's a big reason why I love photography. I usually prefer to photograph forest interiors on overcast days because then the light is so much more evenly distributed.  When the sun comes out, the sunlit portions can be glaring in comparison to the shaded portions, and that often makes photography difficult.  I usually put my camera away and call it a day when sunshine starts streaming through the canopy. This time I decided to work harder to find intresting compositions that were affected but not overwhelmed by emerging sunlight.  I had to consider not only the arrangement of the vegetation but also the distribution of light.  By making careful selections, sunlight became a positive attribute in the photographs. Carbon River, Mt. Rainier National Park https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/skykomish-maple-lichens/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Skykomish-tree-1040.jpg Skykomish Maple with Lichens The Skykomish River Trail is one of my favorite sites because it is relatively easily accessible, the river is big and dynamic, and there are many old maple trees that have great and changing attributes throughout the year.  This particular tree is on the riverbank just on the other side of the bridge adjacent to the parking area at the ranger station.  I like this tree because it has long tufts of lichens on one side, and in the right light they give an unusual appearance to the tree.  Many of the leaves had fallen when I took this autumn photograph.  The dark forms of the main limbs could be seen more easily, and they contrasted nicely with the lichens and remaining leaves.  I was also fortunate that the hillside behind the tree was in deep shadow, so it provided a perfect backdrop for this portrait of a maple. Skykomish River, Olympic National Park https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/lenticular-cloud/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rainier-clouds-DV-0046-2.jpg Lenticular Cloud Over Mount Rainier We usually see lenticular clouds (those smooth, rounded clouds that form over high mountain peaks) over Mt. Rainier from the west side, simply because that where people live and work.  On a recent trip to Puget Sound, I traveled from Enumclaw eastward on Highway 410 heading for Chinook Pass and eventually eastern Washington.  As I was heading up 410, I could see a lenticular cloud forming over the mountain.  Clouds generally move from west to east in this part of the country, and gradually the cloud began to slip over the top of the mountain towards me.  As I neared Chinook Pass, I stopped to photograph this unusual sight:  a lenticular cloud viewed from the east side of the mountain.  Governors Ridge, that sharp series of peaks in the foreground, rose up between me and the mountain, and the top of Rainier was completely covered by the lenticular cloud.  I like this photograph not only for the lenticular cloud east of the summit, but also for the contrast between the smoothness of the cloud and the dark, sharp form of Governors Ridge.  Chinook Pass, Washington State https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/abandoned-farmhouse-black-and-white/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Hwy-24-house-DV-0091-2-BW-1.jpg Abandoned Farmhouse, Dark Skies B&W  The dark clouds out my windshield looked great for a photograph as I was driving east through Yakima, WA, after a visit to Puget Sound. I remembered this abandoned farmhouse east of Yakima on Highway 24, and I drove there for the foreground. I thought the setting and the overall mood were perfect, and I think the black-and-white version best brings out this mood. Highway 24, Washington State https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/abandoned-farmhouse-dark-sky/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Hwy-24-house-DV-0091-2.jpg Abandoned Farmhouse and Threatening Sky The clouds looked great out my windshield as I was driving through Yakima, WA, after a visit to Puget Sound. I remembered this abandoned farmhouse east of Yakima, and I drove there for the foreground. I thought the setting and the overall mood were perfect. I did a color version and a black-and-white version.  Highway 24, Washington State https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/wind-turbine-cirrus-clouds/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Turbines--Clouds_1322DBW.jpg Wind Turbines and Cirrus Clouds I drove up to the site of many wind turbines just south of Walla Walla. The day was sunny with bright blue skies.  As I was enjoying the site and the day, storm clouds began to appear on the western horizon and moved rapidly toward me, led by high cirrus clouds. I thought the wild and artistic forms of the clouds were a nice counterbalance and backdrop for the wind turbines.  The clouds also put the huge turbines in their place. A black-and-white rendition was perfectly suited, because this photograph is all about forms and textures.  Umatilla County, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/wind-turbines-storm-clouds/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Turbines--Clouds_1377-DBW.jpg Wind Turbines and Storm Clouds I drove up to the site of many wind turbines just south of Walla Walla. The day was sunny with bright blue skies. Some turbines were very close by to the east, while others were much further away to the west. As I was enjoying the site and the day, storm clouds began to appear on the western horizon and moved rapidly toward me. These were exceptional clouds; they looked like a very rough cobblestone street turned upside down and moving across the sky. Wind turbines are huge structures, but they seem puny compared to the forces of nature bearing down on them. A black-and-white rendition was perfectly suited, because this photograph is all about forms and textures. Bad weather makes for great opportunities for photography. Umatilla County, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/chiricahua-orange-sunrise/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Eastern-sunrise.jpg Sunrise in Chiricahua National Monument The sun rises over the "Island mountains" in the Chiricahua National Monument.  Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/chiricahua-columns/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Columns100D.jpg Chiricahua Columns Ancient volcanic ash compressed into rock has eroded over the eons to produce a landscape of rock columns in the Chiricahua National Mounument.  Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/granite-statue/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Boulder-in-shadow.jpg Granite Statue in Early Morning Light Early morning light illuminates a granite boulder framed against the dark shadows in the background.  Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/joshua-tree-granite-boulders/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Jumbo-Rocks-3D-1.jpg Joshua Tree Granite Boulders I've long been intrigued by this arrangement of granite boulders in Joshua Tree National Park.  The round boulder wedged in an angular space at the top is especially striking.  For years I wanted to photograph this arrangement, but I didn't know where these rocks were located.  It turns out I was within easy walking distance from them on a number of visits to the park, except I always chose to hike west instead of east.  These are located at the east end of the Jumbo Rocks campground, almost due south of the town of Twentynine Palms. I took only three photographs on this particular occasion, each with a Hasselblad 501cm and its square format, but each with a different lens.  This is the last of the tree, with the sun very low in the blue sky and casting a distinctly reddish hue on the rocks. Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/morning-light-on-joshua-tree-granite/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Joshua-Tree-3D.jpg Morning Light on Joshua Tree Granite While the morning light illuminates the highest portion of these granite rocks, the light trails off into shadows in the deeper recesses.  The transition from light to dark appealed to me, and the square format was perfect for this shot.  Even though it may appear calm, the wind was howling on this particular morning.  I was standing on the edge of a rock about 20-feet high, bending my knees slightly to be able to respond quickly to the gusting winds, and never letting go of my tripod lest it be blown over.  The effort was worth it -- this has become one of my favorites from the entire 6-week trip to the southwest.  Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/watching-clouds/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Boulders-Cloud-2D.jpg Watching Clouds Drift By  It was the elemental nature of this scene that attracted my attention -- just the granite boulders of Joshua Tree, blue sky, and clouds drifting by.  I was here for over an hour, watching the clouds move from right to left, forming and then dissipating, and this cloud seemed like the perfect companion. Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/bryce-post-dawn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sunrise-7019.jpg Bryce Canyon in winter, post-dawn The bright formations of Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah have a special appearance in the winter when they are covered with snow. Taken in post-dawn light, the landscape has a more contrast and the colors are more vivid.  Unfortunately, it's also very cold; when this photo was taken, it had warmed from minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit to nearly zero degrees. The three hours that I spent photographing the area on this morning was about one hour too long; when it is hard to talk and to walk, that's a sure sign of being too cold.  It took a hot shower and several hours before I began to feel normal again. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/bryce-pre-dawn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Pre-dawn-6990.jpg Bryce Canyon in winter, pre-dawn  The bright formations of Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah have a special appearance in the winter when they are covered with snow.  Taken in pre-dawn light, the landscape has a softer appearance and the colors are more uniform.  Unfortunately, it's also very cold; when this photo was taken, it was minus 6 degrees Fahrenheit.  The high elevation (I'm standing near 8000 feet) contributes to the cold winter temperatures.  In any season, it's a beautiful area. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rialto-sunset/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sunset-5818.jpg Sunset at Rialto Beach The sun sets behind a lone thunderhead far off on the horizon at Rialto Beach.  Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/second-beach-early-light/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Pink-Clouds-5849.jpg Earliest Light at Second Beach Very early light prior to dawn and a long exposure has created some motion in the pink clouds that contrasts with the dark trees on the coastline.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/crying-lady-night/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Crying-Lady-at-night-5848.jpg Crying Lady at Night I arrived at Second Beach in nearly total darkness (yes, the 0.7 mile walk through the forest was a little creepy).  It was so dark that I could barely see the outline of trees on top of Crying Lady rock; the long exposure has revealed more details than my eyes could see.  I was fortunate to have a line of clouds behind the rock, but otherwise clear skies to show the stars (which appear as very short streaks in this 30-second exposure).  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/sepia-forest/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Foggy-forest-5588.jpg Sepia Forest in Fog Heavy fog and sepia-toned black & white have sharply diminished the details, but I think this enhances the essence of the forest.  Sometimes it's more about feeling than viewing.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rainier-pre-dawn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rainier-under-moonlight-5509.jpg Mount Rainier in Pre-Dawn Darkness I had hoped to photograph Mount Rainier in the very earliest light, but clouds had come over during the night and spoiled my original plan.  But the top of Rainier surrounded by dark forms had its own magic.  Much of photography is about the unexpected.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/crescent-moon-rising/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Crescent-Moon-5453-2-1.jpg Crescent Moon Rising Climbing a trail in the hour before sunrise, I turned to shine my flashlight to be sure I wasn't being stalked by a bear or mountain lion.  That's when I discovered I hadn't been paying attention to the moon charts to know a crescent moon would be rising just ahead of the sun, the day before a New Moon.  I walked back down the trail to find a good composition to help frame the photograph. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/edge-of-thunderhead/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Edge-of-a-Thunderhead.jpg Edge of a Thunderhead The edge of a thunderhead over the Blue Mountains in SE Washington provides a stark contrast in cloud formations and light.  Behind me is blue sky and an early-evening sun, allowing light to shine on the recently harvested hillside.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/dark-clouds-blue-mountains/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Dark-Clouds-Over-the-Blues.jpg Dark Clouds over the Blue Mountains Only the bottom of a very large thunderhead hovering over the Blue Mountains of SE Washington can be seen.  Behind me is blue sky and a sun sinking low to the horizon, allowing light to shine on the hillside where furrows are all that's left from the wheat harvest.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/storm-after-harvest/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Storm-after-harvest-6202.jpg Storm After the Harvest The wheat harvest has just been completed, and the equipment sits in an open field under the threat of a large thunderhead at the edge of the Blue Mountains.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/deer-in-wheat/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Deer-in-wheat-5236.jpg Hiding in the Wheat A deer pops its head up above ripening wheat in Walla Walla County, just a couple of weeks before harvest.   Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/wild-west-silhouette/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Wild-West-Silhouette.jpg Wild West Silhouette A lone horse is on alert.... at something, as the sun sets below the horizon.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/blue-mountain-sunrise/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Blue-Mountain-Sunrise.jpg Blue Mountain Sunrise The rising sun casts a soft light on the rolling foothills of the Blue Mountains, which are kept in relative darkness in the background by overhead clouds.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tracks-cloud/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Cloud--Tracks.jpg Departure Tracks through uncut wheat form interesting patterns, as if there was a mad dash to the top to take off into space.  A lone cloud caps the composition.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/lone-tree/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Lone-Tree-in-Palouse-Fields.jpg Lone Tree on the Palouse Fields The setting sun provides a nice backlight to the tree and smooth shadows on the rolling hills in the Palouse fields of eastern Washington.  Palouse Area, Eastern Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/palouse-sunrise-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Palouse-sunrise.jpg Palouse Sunrise The rich farmland of the Palouse in eastern Washington, with rolling hills, multi-colored fields, and scattered farmhouses is a wonderful place to photograph.  Very early light of sunrise and very late light of sunset cast long shadows, and those are the best times to capture the essence of this area.  Palouse Area, Eastern Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/log-cabin/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Cabin-in-the-Woods.jpg Cabin in the Woods A log cabin finds a perfect setting in the woods of the Olympic National Forest.   Duckabush River, Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tree-and-old-barn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tree-and-Old-Barn.jpg Tree and Old Barn  A locust tree and old barn mark a former homestead in the rolling hills of Walla Walla County in this black-and-white rendition. Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/undulating-furrows/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Undulating-Furrows.jpg Undulating Furrows  Spring growth reveals the furrows that were planted last fall, and the undulating hills form a semi-abstract pattern of green in Walla Walla County, Washington. Sky Rocket Road, Prescott, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/former-waves-of-grain/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Waves-in-Field.jpg Former Waves of Grain A telephoto lens has compressed the rolling hills of harvested fields, creating an abstract impression of the green and brown lines left by the combines in the harvested wheat fields of eastern Washington. Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-valley/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Valley.jpg Green Valley The extent of green moss over undulating hills of lava debris can almost be overwhelming at times, but the beauty is unending. Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-landscape-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Lava-Mountain.jpg Lava Mountain Hardened lava, debris chutes, and moss create a rugged and imposing mountain in southern Iceland. Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-landscape-1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Moss-and-Lava.jpg Moss and Lava Relatively soft volcanic deposits in the foreground have eroded into channels, while harder lava in the background resists erosion and remains as an imposing mountain. Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/river-valley-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/River-Valley-2.jpg River Valley 2 Water erodes the relatively soft soils and creates a broad plain under the lowering clouds of southern Iceland.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/river-valley-1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/River-Valley-1.jpg River Valley 1 Rivers carve through the relatively loose soils at the base of mountains, and yellow and green moss covers it all.   Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/anza-moonrise/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Anza-Borrego-Moonrise.jpg Anza Borrego Moonrise I first saw this desert badlands in a photograph taken by the late Galen Rowell, and I had to experience it with my own eyes. The starkness of the landscape is amazing -- not a place in which I would want to be lost. The deeply eroded hillsides that stretch to the Salton Sea in the distance are striking. In my photo, the sun has almost set, and the moon has a reddish hue because the sun is shining through the lower reaches of the atmosphere.  It's often best to photograph the full moon the day before it is full, because it will rise while there is still some light on the landscape; this often makes for a better photograph. Anza Borrego State Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rock-in-surf/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rock-in-Surf.jpg Rock in Surf  An intertidal rock is sculpted and gradually reduced to sand by the pounding of the waves.  This is the same rock as seen in the previous photo, but I've used a faster shutter speed (but still relatively slow) to capture more detail in the surf.  Also, this was photographed with a digital camera (the previous photo was done with film) and at a different time of day; hence, the color differences. Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/last-light/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Last-Light.jpg Last Light The sun sets behind a large rock on the shoreline of Second Beach. This is a good way to produce a sunset silhouette, and I find the tonal transitions in the sky to be attractive. Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/zen-in-a-tide-pool/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Zen-in-a-Tide-Pool.jpg Zen in a Tide Pool  The arrangement of several rocks in a tide pool reminded me of the arrangement of rocks in a bed of raked gravel in a Zen garden. It's all about simplicity and harmony, and the delicate colors of the sunset further contributed to that sense. Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/fir-and-cumulus-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tree-and-Cumulus-2.jpg Tree and Cumulus #2 At the overlook at Ecola State Park are several trees that provide a nice foreground for Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock in the distance. Cumulus clouds come in off the Pacific, hit the landmass, and begin to build. I was fortunate to catch the tree silhouetted against the powerful cumulus cloud. This was taken with a Rolleiflex twin lens camera from the 1960s and is rendered in its original square format and as black-and-white. Ecola State Park, Cannon Beach, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rainier/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rainier.jpg Mount Rainier Mount Rainier is seen above Paradise on the south side of the mountain.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/blue-cascades-mts/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Blue-Cascade-Mts.jpg Layers of Blue Mountains The Cascades are stacked to the east of Mount Rainier, and a silhouette of firs provides the foreground.  East of Sunrise, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-rain/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Waves-of-Rain.jpg Waves of Rain Rain was pouring down and it was difficult to keep the camera lens free of water drops, but the receding layers of ridges of crushed lava, accentuated by a strip of green grass at the bottom, was too beautiful to let go.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/pastel-mountains/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Valley-Hills.jpg Pastel Mountains The soft colors and forms of these mountains are among the most beautiful that I've ever witnessed.  I spent about two hours at this spot just soaking up the glorious views.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-steam/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Steam-vents.jpg Steam Vents Steam rises from a geologically active area in southern Iceland.  This reminded me of Yellowstone National Park in Montana/Wyoming -- without the trees but with all the beauty. Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-landscape-6/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Road-across-moss.jpg Road Across a Green Landscape A road winds its way across the undulating hillside of moss-covered lava and soil.  I never knew that such a broad and mountainous landscape could be so beautiful in the absence of trees.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-landscape-5/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rivulets.jpg Green Rivulets Water has carved multiple channels through the relatively soft erosion deposits from the mountains, and moss is flourishing in these wetter areas to create an abstract pattern across the landscape.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-waterfall-1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Red-Rock-Waterfall.jpg Red-Rock Waterfall A waterfall finds a notch in the red-lava rim of a ridge.  The path to reach this location consisted of over a mile of sheep trails.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-rapids/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rapids-amid-mossy-rocks.jpg Rapids Amid Mossy Rocks These small rapids reminded me of familiar streams in western Washington State, although the moss was "a bit more developed."  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/green-mountain/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Mountain.jpg Green Mountain Directed sunlight worked with me to illuminate a moss-covered mountain against the darker clouds and mountains in the background.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-landscape-4/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Mountain-panorama.jpg Mountain panorama A broader perspective still can't find an easy way up this rugged slope of lava and moss in southern Iceland.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/iceland-landscape-3/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Mountain-and-Lake.jpg Mountain and Lake, Iceland Dark and light forms of water, lava, and clouds combine to create a diverse landscape in southern Iceland.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/house-cliff/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/House-cliff.jpg Living Under the Cliff A small hint of human habitation under an imposing moss-covered cliff of basalt is typical of the landscape of southern Iceland.  Southern Iceland https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/battered-pines/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Weathering-the-Storms.jpg Weathering the Storms Strong winds from the Pacific have battered these coastal pines, but life, once established, can be strong and persistent.  Oregon Coast Highway https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/vine-maple-portrait/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Vine-Maple-Portrait.jpg Vine Maple Portrait Vine maple leaves are framed against the Detroit Dam Reservoir in northwest Oregon.   Breitenbush River, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/mossy-trees/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Trees-of-Green.jpg Moss Rules Green moss has taken over all of the downed logs, tree trunks, and bare branches of this dense forest just outside of the Olympic National Park.  Look closely, because these trees no longer exist; they were clearcut several years ago.  Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/snag-silhouette/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tree-Silhouette.jpg Snag Silhouette Sunrise produces a silhouette of an old snag in Joshua Tree National Park.  This snag has since fallen, due to either natural processes or park visitors.  Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/sun-rays/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sun-Rays-in-the-Forest.jpg Sun Rays in the Forest Sunrise sends rays of light into the dark forest along the Oregon Coast Highway.   Oregon Coast Highway https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/mossy-maple/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Staircase-Maple.jpg Mossy Maple Even though they may seem wild, uncontrolled, and "messy," I find great beauty in the growth of these moss-covered maples when they show their forms in winter.  Skokomish River Valley, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/gathering-snags/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Snow-Lake-Snags.jpg Gathering of Snags This little grouping of bleached snags has been a favorite subject in my photography for several years.  This rendition shows them surrounded by autumn colors, while they in turn seem to be protecting a small alpine fir growing in their midst.  Snow Lake Basin, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/infrared-silhouette/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Snag-IR.jpg Infrared Silhouette Black & white infrared can produce an artistic expression of sky, clouds, and trees, as I tried to do here with this snag and alpine firs in the Silver Forest of Mount Rainier National Park.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/smokey-sunset/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Smokey-Sunset.jpg Red Sun and Snag High clouds and smoke from forest fires had obscured the sun for most of the day, but a persistent gap to the west suggested that the sun might appear near sunset.  I waited several hours for that possibility, and my patience paid off.  I've digitally altered the horizon line to make it smoother. McKenzie Pass, Highway 242, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/skokomish-fog/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Skokomish-Valley-Fog.jpg Skokomish Valley Fog Scattered fog envelopes the valley floor and mountains in the background in the Skokomish River Valley of Washington.  Skokomish River Valley, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/majestic-forest/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Skokomish-Forest.jpg Majestic Forest Large trees seem even more majestic when enveloped by a light fog.  These are located on the Skokomish River Trail in the Olympic National Forest of Washington.  Skokomish River Trail, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/bleached-log/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Shoreline-Log.jpg Shoreline Log A fallen tree is being transformed into a bleached log and slowly making its way to the sands of Beach Three in the Olympic National Park.  Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rhododendrons-hemlock/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rhodys-and-hemlock.jpg Rhododendrons and Hemlock Flowering rhododendrons lie under the protective branches of mountain hemlock on Mount Walker along Hood Canal in the Olympic National Forest of Washington. Mount Walker, Olympic Peninsula, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rhododendrons/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rhododendrons.jpg Rhododendron Forest Mount Walker in the Olympic National Forest along Hood Canal is home to a large number of native rhododendrons that flower in mid-June.  Being there when fog is creeping through the trees makes it even more photogenic. Mount Walker, Olympic Peninsula, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/ponderosa-hoarfrost/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Ponderosa-and-Hoarfrost.jpg Ponderosa and Hoarfrost Frozen fog, or hoarfrost, has coated everything in the area with ice crystals.  The reddish trunk of the ponderosa pine contrasts with the ice-coated pine needles and shrubs for an interesting composition.  Wenas Valley, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/poking-through/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Poking-Through-the-Fog.jpg Poking Through Taller than the surrounding trees, a single deciduous tree pokes through the low fog that covers the Skokomish River Valley in Washington. Skokomish River Valley, Olympic National Forest https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/olmstead-point/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Olmsted-Pine-and-Boulder.jpg Elements The combination of blue sky, granite boulder, and solitary pine on a large granite base suggests to me a very elemental nature of this composition.  Olmstead Point, Yosemite National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/golden-willows/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Nisqually-Willows.jpg Golden Willows Willows turn a beautiful gold color in the spring just before the leaves appear. When sunrise illuminates them against a dark hillside in the background, that makes for a perfect composition. Having mallard ducks swimming in a shallow pond in the foreground is icing on the cake. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/nisqually-gold/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Nisqually-Trees.jpg Autumn Gold Sunrise illuminates the deciduous trees in the valley bottom of the Nisqually River as it begins its watery descent to Puget Sound.  Nisqually River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/nisqually-golden-glow/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Nisqually-Golden-Morning.jpg Golden Morning at Nisqually Sunrise casts a golden glow to the trees and trail system at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge -- a perfect morning for a walk with camera in hand.  Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/nisqually-entrance/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Nisqually-Boardwalk.jpg Nisqually Boardwalk Fog and autumn colors create an inviting entrance to the trail system around the wetlands of the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/montana-sunset/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Montana-Sunset.jpg Montana Sunset Sunset produces a bright red clouds in the sky and black tree silhouettes, a classic composition of the Big Sky Country of Montana. Central Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/matriarch-maple/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Matriarch-Maple.jpg Matriarch Maple A moss-draped maple casts a dramatic form over its autumn leaves that have fallen and are turning reddish on the ground in the constant rain.  Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rialto-silhouettes/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Limb-Patterns.jpg Limb Patterns A wide-angle lens and low perspective provides a dramatic and perhaps spooky appearance of silhouettes of winter trees near Rialto Beach in the Olympic National Park of Washington. Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/kestner-maples/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Kestner-Wetland-Maples.jpg Kestner Creek Maples Old, moss-draped maples surround a wetland in the area of Kestner Creek on the north side of Lake Ozette in the Olympic National Forest of Washington.  Kestner Creek, Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/volunteer-park-maples/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Japanese-Maples.jpg Japanese Maples The dark trunks and branches of a group of Japanese maples provide a nice contrast to their delicate red and yellow autumn foliage. Volunteer Park, Seattle, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/japanese-maple/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Japanese-Maple.jpg Japanese Maple The red spring foliage of a twisted Japanese maple makes a great photographic subject.  I used a wide-angle lens, and the biggest challenge was finding a position that included the main branches but excluded the bright sky.  University of Washington Arboretum, Seattle, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/in-my-dreams/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/In-My-Dreams.jpg In My Dreams The morning fog and slanting sunlight provide the ideal backdrop for a passing motorcycle on the Oregon Coast highway.  I can long for this sense of freedom, but I have no idea how I'd carry all of my camera equipment.  It's a curse I enjoy.  Oregon Coast Highway https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tree-silhouette/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Horizon-Tree.jpg Lone Tree The setting sun lights the clouds while producing a silhouette of a single tree on a ridge of Leslie Gulch in eastern Oregon.  The clouds streaming by produced an ever-changing composition; one could make photographs here until sunset but never get the same image twice.  Leslie Gulch, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/log-huckleberry/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Gnarled-Wood.jpg Gnarled Protection An old log provides shelter for young huckleberry shrubs showing their autumn colors in the Snow Lake Basin of Mount Rainier National Park.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/glacier-carpet/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Glacier-National-Park.jpg Field of Yellow A carpet of yellow flowers provides a colorful foreground for the peaks of Glacier National Park. Glacier National Park, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/foothold/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Foothold.jpg Foothold The tenacity of life -- it only takes a small foothold for this plant to take root and survive.  Its growth into the crack, along with wind erosion, rain, and alternate freezing and thawing, will eventually break this large boulder into grains of sand, but that's only for distant generations to see.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/false-hellebore/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/False-Hellebore.jpg False Hellebore A light mist creates beads of water on false hellebore plants at Chinook Pass in Washington.  This mist is great for photographic subjects like this, but it can be a challenge to keep lenses and camera bodies dry.  However, "bad" weather often provides the best photographic opportunities. Chinook Pass, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/elowah-trail/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Elowah-Falls-Trail.jpg Elowah Falls Trail A trail leads through the autumn forest to Elowah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.  Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/crow-fog/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Crow-in-Tree.jpg Nevermore A crow waits on a branch of fog-shrouded trees of Olympic National Park.  This is a good illustration of how I like to do photography in fog:  a nearby element is relatively clear while background elements are more hidden by the fog. Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/clover-cedar/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Clover-and-Cedar.jpg Clover and Cedar The bright green of clover contrasts with the reddish brown of a cedar tree in the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island.  Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/cirrus-silhouette/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Cirrus-Silhouettes.jpg Cirrus Silhouettes Alpine firs and a snag are silhouetted against the high clouds of a morning sky in Mount Rainier National Park.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/hoarfrost-carpet/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Carpet-of-Hoarfrost.jpg Carpet of Hoarfrost Hoarfrost coats the sagebrush and ponderosa pines in the background, making for a cold, quiet, and beautiful landscape.  Wenas Valley, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/duckabush-barn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Barn-on-Duckabush.jpg Barn on the Duckabush A barn is set against the trees near the Duckabush River on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula under a lowering cloud that shrouds the upper mountains. Duckabush River, Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/yellow-gorge/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Autumn-in-the-Columbia-Gorge.jpg Autumn in the Gorge Yellow and gold of autumn stand against the fog-shrouded basalt cliffs near Elowah Falls in the Columbia Gorge.  Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/wolf-creek/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Wolf-Creek-Valley.jpg Wolf Creek Valley The dramatic clouds, broad vistas, and scattered farmhouses of central Montana made for an attractive composition.  Scenes like this are usually found while driving the backroads rather than the interstate highways. Vicinity of Wolf Creek, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/winifred-cabin/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Winifred-Cabin.jpg Winifred Cabin  A log cabin catches the early light of sunrise.  Abandoned buildings and homesteads can be found throughout many areas of eastern Montana.  They reflect the early pioneering enthusiasm for settlement and the subsequent reality of the difficulty of growing crops in this area.  This abandoned cabin is found along a gravel road between Winifred and the Missouri River. North of Winifred, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/foggy-hills-3/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Walla-Walla-Hills-1.jpg Abstract Hills 1 Fog and frost help create an abstract pattern among the intersecting hills of eastern Washington.  I find that photos taken in the fog often work best when a foreground element is unaffected by the fog and can be clearly seen, while background elements are less visible because of the fog.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/foggy-hills-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Walla-Walla-Hills-3.jpg Abstract Hills 2 Fog and frost help create an abstract pattern among the intersecting hills of eastern Washington.  The softness of the flowing hills and the lack of a horizon line made this an appealing composition.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/foggy-hills-1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Walla-Walla-Hills-2.jpg Abstract Hills 3 Fog and frost help create an abstract pattern among the intersecting hills of eastern Washington. Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/twin-barns/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Twin-barns.jpg Twin Barns in Winter The twin barns of the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge near Olympia support a relatively rare layer of snow.  An eagle nest can be seen in the upper reaches of the tall cottonwood trees. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tracks/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tracks.jpg Tracks Tire tracks form an abstract pattern in the harvested wheat fields of eastern Washington.  Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/thunderhead-bales/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Thunderhead-and-Bales.jpg Thunderhead and Bales Thunderheads form over round bales of hay in the afternoon of a hot summer day in central Montana.  Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/square-butte/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Square-Butte-Thunderhead.jpg Square Butte Thunderhead A thunderhead forms in the afternoon of a hot summer day over Square Butte in central Montana.  Square Butte, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/palouse-sunrise/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Soft-Morning-Sun.jpg Soft Morning Sun Sunrise casts a beautiful golden glow across the rolling hills of the Palouse in eastern Washington, as seen from Steptoe Butte.  Palouse Area, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/golden-grasses/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Scatter-Creek-Grasses.jpg Golden Grasses Sunrise casts a gold glow to the grasses in a field on the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area in western Washington.  Scatter Creek, Thurston County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/palouse-spring/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Palouse-Farm.jpg Spring on the Palouse The rolling hills of the Palouse in eastern Washington cast long shadows near sunset, creating a soft and beautiful texture of greens and browns in farmland surrounding a farmhouse.  This photo was taken from Steptoe Butte in Whitman County.  Palouse Area, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/elf-cottage/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Hermit-Cottage.jpg Elf's Cottage  A small structure (use unknown) and tall Ponderosa Pine give the appearance of a house for elves.  I set the building and tree to the right in the composition to allow the tree to lean toward the center of the photo.  One could visit this area of eastern Washington repeatedly and never come away with the same photo: the sky and fields will always be changing.  That's one of the beautiful aspects of photography. Palouse Area, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/bales-barn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Hay-Bales.jpg Hay Bales and Barn  The baled hay tell us that this area is preparing for winter snows that will soon blanket the trees and ground. Highway 200, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/grain-elevator/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Grain-elevator.jpg Abandoned Grain Elevator The decline and consolidation of farming communities in eastern Montana is reflected in this abandoned grain elevator adjacent to the railroad tracks. A good account of the history of this area is in a book titled "Bad Land: An American Romance" by Jonathan Raban. Highway 2, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/glasgow-tree/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Glasgow-Tree.jpg Solitary Tree A solitary tree captures the last light of sunset in the fields of eastern Montana.  In my mind, the trees that are barely visible on the horizon contribute tremendously to this photograph (mentally take them away and you may see what I mean).  Solitary objects like this in a broad context are a favorite subject of mine. Glasgow, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/clearing-the-barn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Geese-and-Twin-Barns.jpg Clearing the Barn Canada Geese were feeding in a foggy field when I set out for a morning hike.  I knew they would eventually fly off, especially if an eagle flew overhead, so I set up my camera and waited.  As I stood there, the fog began to lift and dissipate, and the rising sun cast shadows of the cottonwoods on the adjacent barn.  After about 30 minutes, the geese did fly off, and I waited until they were in the right place for the best possible composition before making the photograph. Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/galpin-sunset/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Galpin.jpg Galpin Sunset Galpin was a small farming community in eastern Montana that now consists only of an abandoned church (shown in silhouette on the right) and a graveyard that still serves the people who live in the area. Glasgow, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/furrows/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Furrows.jpg Furrows Furrow patterns in the wheat fields of eastern Washington farmland are symbols of the hard work and seasonal uncertainty faced by those who provide our country with food.  The land appears empty, but its really one of intense activity. Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/five-trees/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Five-Trees.jpg Five Trees Simplicity in a photograph is often appealing. These trees are in a wheat field that rises and nearly disappears in the distant fog.  The barren trees in a post-harvest field in foggy conditions make for a very simple composition that, to my eye, has great beauty. Walla Walla County, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/gold-dust/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Dust-at-Sunrise.jpg Gold Dust at Sunrise  It was a clear and ordinary sunrise until a pickup truck drove by on the gravel road and produced large clouds of dust.  That fortunate event made a more interesting photograph of the sagebrush hills possible. Moses Coulee, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/wenas-cabin/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Cabin-and-Hoarfrost.jpg Cabin and Hoarfrost Fog and below-freezing temperatures caused long crystals of ice to form on everything, and it made for some wonderful images of this abandoned cabin being overgrown by trees and shrubs.  Wenas Valley, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/green-blue-white/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Blue-Green-White.jpg Blue, Green, and White Three colors and great clouds in a simple composition of earth and sky made for an appealing photograph in the farmland of eastern Washington.  Palouse Area, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/two-rocks/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Two-Rocks.jpg Two Rocks I was struck by the alignment of this rock face in Joshua Tree with the moon.  It seemed that this rock face on earth was mirroring what could be found on the moon.  This composition occurred purely by chance, which is why much of my photography consists of wandering with a camera, open eyes, and an open mind.  Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/cholla-sunrise/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Teddy-Bear-sunrise.jpg Teddy Bear Sunrise Cholla cactus in Joshua Tree is often referred to as Teddy Bear cactus because it seems to resemble the fuzzy arms and legs of a teddy bear. However, it is not nearly as cuddly, as the sharp spines will greatly irritate if not penetrate the skin. This Cholla Garden is located on the main road in the middle of the park. Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/leslie-gulch-4/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Storm-clouds.jpg Storm Clouds over Leslie Gulch Threatening weather is often great for photography (contrary to popular opinion), so I was happy to see some dark storm clouds moving my way at Leslie Gulch in eastern Oregon.  That's one of the benefits of traveling with a camper rather than a tent.  Leslie Gulch, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/red-flowers/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Red-Flowers-and-Granite.jpg Red Flowers in a Granite Crease As a biologist, I'm always fascinated by the tenacity of life.  These flowers have managed to find a foothold in a small crease in a granite rock where they can find enough nutrients and water to survive.  I've been back to this location several times to photograph them with film, but they bloom only for a short time in January, and I haven't yet been able to again find that window in time when they are in bloom. Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/painted-hills-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Painted-Hills-Abstract.jpg Painted Hills Abstract  A telephoto lens and elimination of any outside reference point create an abstract look to the colored clays of the Painted Hills Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Painted Hills Unit, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/painted-hills-1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Painted-hills-2.jpg Painted Hills Colored minerals in clay soils that have eroded into a multitude of gullies and ridges form a semi-abstract landscape in north-central Oregon.  John Day Fossil Beds, Painted Hills Unit, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/alvord/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/On-the-Straight-and-Narrow.jpg On the Straight and Narrow The Alvord Desert in eastern Oregon is a broad playa that dries in the hot summer months, creating a 6-mile wide dry lakebed with Steens Mountain towering a mile above to the west.  It attracts powered gliders, high-speed drivers, and at night bicycle riders and nude hikers.  I wanted to capture the vast flatness of the area with a low angle composition, and I thought the human element of tire tracks aided me in this effort. Alvord Desert, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/crescent-moon-star/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Moon-and-Star.jpg Crescent Moon and a Star The astronomical charts had told me that this composition might appear, so I set my alarm clock for about 90 minutes prior to sunrise.  As the creeping sunrise obscured all but the crescent moon and one star (Venus, perhaps?), the undulating horizon line helped create a beautiful composition.  Leslie Gulch, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/leslie-gulch-3/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Leslie-Gulch.jpg Leslie Gulch The wildness of Leslie Gulch might best be expressed in black-and-white photography where shapes are emphasized over color.  The presence of cirrus clouds in the sky contribute to this sense of wildness, and that's what I had hoped to depict with my camera. Leslie Gulch, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/leslie-gulch-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Leslie-Gulch-2.jpg Gray Skies Over Leslie Gulch About 15 million years ago volcanic eruptions deposited ash more than 1000 feet deep in this area of eastern Oregon. Wind and water eroded the area into sharp cliffs, deep ravines, honeycombed rock faces, and narrow spires of many colors that we see today. Erosion is continuing to sculpt the area, but it's on a time scale that is hard for humans to comprehend. Bighorn sheep, chukar, rattlesnakes and a variety of other critters are found here. The starkness of the landscape and the many shapes of the formations make it wonderful for photography. Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/leslie-gulch-1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Leslie-Gulch-1.jpg Cliffs of Leslie Gulch Leslie Gulch in eastern Oregon is one of the most geologically interesting areas I've had the privilege to experience.  About 15 million years ago volcanic eruptions deposited ash more than 1000 feet deep in this area.  Wind and water eroded the area into sharp cliffs, deep ravines, honeycombed rock faces, and narrow spires of many colors that we see today.  Erosion is continuing to sculpt the area, but it's on a time scale that is hard for humans to comprehend.  Bighorn sheep, chukar, rattlesnakes and a variety of other critters are found here.  The weather can be as varied as the topography, which makes it a "wild" experience. Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/jt-moon/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Joshua-Tree-Rocks-and-Moon.jpg The Planet's Moon As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the light on the rocks of Joshua Tree became less appealing for photography, so my attention became more focused on compositions.  The nearly full moon was in perfect position to help in this regard. Joshua Tree National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/yesterday-footprints/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Footprints-of-Yesterday.jpg Yesterday's Footprints The pattern of these footprints in the sand dunes of Death Valley was appealing.  The wind has softened the depressions, and the lines of sand flowing down the slope give some texture to the smooth sand.  Sometimes broad vistas are appealing, and at other times it's the small features that show the beauty of a place.  Death Valley National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/stovepipe-dunes/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Death-Valley-sand-dunes.jpg Death Valley Sand Dunes The sand dunes around Stovepipe Wells in the desert of Death Valley are sculpted by the wind into a tapestry of overlapping hills with sharp ridges that can be light in the full sun on one side and dark in the shade on the other. This undulating topography of light and dark is very photogenic, and it's a popular location for photographers.  The best time for photography is after a night of strong wind that will have erased the footprints of the area's many visitors.  In the distance three hikers can be seen walking along one of the spines, and they help to give a sense of scale to the vastness of the dunes.    Death Valley National Park, California https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/crescent-moon/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Crescent-Moon.jpg Crescent Moon As I set out for a morning of photography in eastern Oregon, a very thin crescent moon was rising just ahead of the sun.  I composed this so that the moon appeared adjacent to a rock cliff.  At first glance, it may be difficult to figure out this yin-yang composition, but that's a large part of its appeal to me.  Leslie Gulch, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/white-cliffs/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/White-Cliffs.jpg White Cliffs of the Missouri The white cliffs section of the Missouri River in Montana were absolutely captivating to the Lewis and Clark expedition as they moved up river in 1805.  The account of their travels through this area are among the most lyrical of all of their journals writings.  The geology hasn't changed in 200 years, and I've enjoyed the sights on more than a dozen floats just as much as they did.  Letting the current take my canoe under the blue skies of this historical route of Lewis and Clark, Chief Joseph, early trappers, and homesteaders, with no sounds except the cooing of mourning doves and the songs of meadowlarks on either side, is among the most peaceful experiences I've ever had.  That's what I've tried to express in my photographs. Missouri River, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/missouri-river-storm/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/White-Cliffs-Storm.jpg Storm Clouds on the Missouri  As this storm approached over the white cliffs of the Missouri River in central Montana, I've never paddled so hard and fast to get to a campsite.  I made it just ahead of the strong wind, got my tent set up as lightning flashed and thunder rolled, took a few quick pictures, and ducked into my tent.  Fortunately, it was all sound and fury and very little rain, and it was over after 30 minutes.  But it did give me a photo that I like because of the contrast between the dark cloud and the white cliffs.  Usually people floating on the river don't like to see this coming, but I was thrilled because I had a camera and a possible image in my mind. Missouri River, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/elowah-falls-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Water-on-Rock.jpg Water on the Rocks Elowah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge slows to a trickle in the dry summer months.  I liked the smooth flow of the white water of the waterfall over the dark basalt rocks, and that made the composition for me.  Elowah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/arboretum-walkway/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Walkway-in-Fog.jpg Retirement This is what retirement is like:  a path into the unknown.  A trail system in the arboretum takes visitors through woods and across wetlands.  This bridge and walking ramp was provided to get visitors across an open area of Lake Washington, and fog obscured the other end (very appropriate for my metaphor).  University of Washington Arboretum, Seattle, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/sweet-creek-waterfall-3/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sweet-Creek.jpg Tiny Waterfall A portion of Sweet Creek flows through a small gap in the rocks and drops down to the next level.  I exposed for the white of the water, which meant that the rest of the water in the creek would be rendered nearly black -- film and sensors just can't "see" the wide range of light that our eyes can see.  I used a long exposure to that the falling water, and the faster-moving water at the base of the drop would be rendered as a blur.  I was struck by the radiating pattern of the white water in the midst of the blackness, and this has become one of my favorite photographs. Sweet Creek near Mapleton, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/sweet-creek-waterfall-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sweet-Creek-Waterfall-2.jpg Waterfall in Autumn One of Sweet Creek's small waterfalls, made even more appealing by the autumn leaves that are scattered on the banks of the creek.  A slow shutter speed was used to make a smooth blur of the moving water.  Sweet Creek near Mapleton, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/swirling-leaves/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sweet-Creek-Swirl.jpg Swirling Leaves A swirling eddy has captured some fallen leaves of autumn that create a blurred pattern of movement during a long exposure.  Sweet Creek near Mapleton, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/flowing-water/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Staircase-Flowing-Water.jpg Ceaseless Flowing The movement of a fast-flowing river over rocks can create wonderful abstract patterns, especially if the light is "just right" as I think it was here.  I selected a shutter speed that would show the movement of the water yet still be fast enough to preserve some detail and not have everything dissolve into a single blur. Skokomish River, Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/spider-lake/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Spider-Lake.jpg Spider Lake Spider Lake is in the SE portion of the Olympic Peninsula in an part of the Olympic National Forest that sees relatively few visitors.  I like the arrangement of this small group of deciduous trees on a little point of land, with fog drifting through the conifers in the background. Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tributary-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sol-Duc-Tributary-2.jpg Little Mossy Stream 2 Another view of this small, seasonal stream along the trail to Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National Park.  This is so beautiful and photogenic that I've spent far more time at this little stream than at the falls themselves.  Too many people walk by without even pausing, because the "main" feature of the falls is further down the trail.  Pity.  Sol Duc Falls trail, Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tributary-1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sol-Duc-Tributary-1.jpg Little Mossy Stream 1 This small stream is found along the trail to Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National Park.  I find it absolutely enchanting because of the stair-stepping path the water takes amid rocks completely covered with green moss.  It is best photographed in the spring when the moss is green and before the water slows to a small trickle in the later summer months.  Sol Duc Falls trail, Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/sol-duc-falls/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sol-Duc-Falls.jpg Getting Together Down Below Sol Duc Falls  lies in the NW part of Olympic National Park.  This waterfall is attractive because of the rocks that split the river into several sections as it plunges to the channel below.  The hardest part in getting this photo was to find a moment when the plants in the foreground weren't waving in the wind caused by the plunging water. Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/nisqually-refuge/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Nisqually.jpg Nisqually Wildlife Refuge The Nisqually Wildlife Refuge is a diked estuary where the Nisqually River, originating on the slopes of Mount Rainier, flows into Puget Sound.  The streams and ponds support large numbers of resident and migratory waterfowl.  As I walked the trail on top of the dike, I was impressed with the streaking cirrus clouds and the sense of openness they created.  I purposefully aimed the camera upward to capture more of the clouds as a single mallard glided across the foreground.  The refuge managers are removing some of the historical dikes to allow the natural tidal action to return to more parts of the estuary, thereby restoring the natural functioning of the system.  Near Olympia, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/multnomah-falls/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Multnomah-Falls.jpg Multnomah Falls Multnomah Falls is perhaps the best known of the many waterfalls on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge.  The fog and autumn colors made for a perfect time to photograph this icon.  Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/arboretum/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Lake-Washington-Walkway.jpg Lake Washington Walkway A network of paths guides visitors through the University of Washington Arboretum and along the shores of Lake Washington.  On this day the fog was quite thick, but the tranquil lake water and trees turning their autumn colors made for a peaceful scene.  It may look quiet, but this was a football game day for the UW, and the band was practicing at the stadium a short distance away in the fog.  I liked the setting, and the band helped me look for compositions that said "quiet" in my mind.  This was one such composition. Lake Washington, Seattle, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/lake-twentytwo/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Lake-Twenty-Two-Stream.jpg Rushing Past Soft Greens  Lake Twentytwo consists of 800 acres of pristine forest surrounding the lake and its outlet stream that were set aside in 1947 as a Research Natural Area to study the effects on water, wildlife, and trees of an area off limits to logging compared to areas that were logged. Well, duh!  As a result of the set aside, the area is lush with hemlock, silver fir, and especially huge western red cedar.  The understory has ferns, moss on the boulders and rotting logs, and a variety of shrubs characteristic of a western Washington forest.  All of these are ingredients for a wonderful hike with a camera. Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/ozette-tributary/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Lake-Ozette-Stream.jpg A Patch of Red A patch of red brightens the forest surrounding this tributary stream to Lake Ozette in the Olympic National Forest.  I find tremendous beauty in the wild forms of the maples and other trees in these forests.  Lake Ozette, Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/labarge-rock/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/LaBarge-Rock.jpg Historical Reflections A large block of lava sits amid white sandstone cliffs of the Missouri River in central Montana.  The Lewis and Clark expedition passed by here on May 31, 1805, on their way to the Pacific, and again on July 29, 1806, as they headed back to "civilization."  Steamboats powered up and down the river in the 1800s, and this giant plug of lava is named LaBarge Rock after one of the steamboat captains.  Geologically, the area has changed little.  However, this area was formerly home to tremendous herds of bison, large numbers of wolves, and even grizzly bears, and these are entirely absent from the area.  I've floated this portion of the Missouri more than a dozen times, and it's one of the most peaceful experiences I've ever had.   The reflection says it all. Missouri River, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/horsetail-falls/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Horsetail-Falls.jpg Horsetail Falls Fog mutes the colors and forms on the basalt hillsides, and a long exposure shows the waterfall as a long white streak spilling into a basin. Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/bloedel-reserve/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Goose-and-Willow.jpg Bloedel Reserve  The Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound is a 150-acre privately owned garden open to the public.  The serenity of the reserve is captured in this still pond reflecting a weeping willow, home of at least one lucky Canada Goose. Bainbridge Island, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/crater-lake/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Crater-Lake.jpg Wizard Island at Sunrise  The blackness of Wizard Island slowly becomes outlined against the blue of Crater Lake at sunrise. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/ramona-falls/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Blue-Cascades.jpg Blue Cascades I was on the trail at 4:30 a.m. with a flashlight in order to reach Ramona Falls by daylight so that the falls would still be in the shade -- I wanted even illumination without "hotspots" from the sun. I had seen a photograph of this waterfall tumbling down a basalt cliff, and I knew I had to experience it for myself. I arrived later than planned -- there were too many photos to take along the way. However, I had the place entirely to myself for the whole morning, and it was a wonderful experience. The water stair-steps down the basalt columns, and moss grows on top of some of the columns. It's one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've ever seen, and this is one of my favorite photographs.   Ramona Falls, Mount Hood Wilderness, Oregon https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/comet-falls/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Comet-Falls.jpg Comet Falls Sunlight hit the waterfall at the base of Comet Falls, producing a very vivid rainbow.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/trees-clouds/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Trees-and-Clouds.jpg Trees and Clouds The lowering clouds were almost ominous as they passed over the valleys around Mount Rainier.  The group of trees provided a good foreground element to help frame the photograph.   Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tatoosh-range/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tatoosh-Range.jpg Tatoosh Range in IR The cirrus clouds over the Tatoosh Range south of Mount Rainier were irresistible to my infrared camera.  This image is appealing to me because the lightness of the wispy cirrus clouds contrasts so dramatically with the sharp peaks below. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/yellow-sunrise/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sunrise.jpg Mountain Sunrise Rising fog and dark, overhead clouds subdue the sun, but not until it casts a brilliant yellow light across the top of one of the peaks in Capitol Forest.  Capitol Forest, Olympia, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/approaching-storm/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Storm-over-Rainier.jpg Storm Approaching Rainier The dark clouds of an approaching storm contrast with the brighter skies to the east of Mount Rainier, and they provide for a dramatic composition.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/st-helens/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/St.-Helens.jpg Mount St. Helens  Late summer leaves little snow on the mountain, but it offers a clear view into the crater from the Johnston Ridge observatory.  During the 1980 eruption, the top and side of the mountain washed over the spot on which I'm standing, some five miles from the volcano, and continued on for many more miles down the Toutle River valley.  It was here that the young volcanologist David Johnston was stationed to monitor the pre-eruption mountain, and the ridge is named in his memory. Johnston Ridge, Mount St. Helens, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rainier-autumn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Snow-Lake---Rainier.jpg Mount Rainier Autumn The morning fog was lifting from the valleys, and the autumn colors of the Snow Lake Basin provided a great foreground for views and photographs of Mount Rainier.  Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/snow-lake-basin/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Snow-Basin.jpg Snow Lake Basin This was supposed to be an autumn hike to Snow Lake in Mount Rainier National Park, but snow began to fall as I was on the trail.  The landscape got a dusting of white, I was fully prepared for a change in the weather, and I was able to come away with a great experience and some wonderful images. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/alpenglow/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Saint-Helens-Alpenglow.jpg Alpenglow I was heading back from Johnston Ridge when I looked in my rearview mirror and saw the last vestiges of sunlight striking the crater rim of Mount St. Helens.  I was the last person off the mountain that evening, but I had still left too early.  I managed to set up the camera in time to catch the sunset alpenglow of sunset on the mountain. Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Mounument, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rainier-ir/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rainier-IR.jpg Mount Rainier in IR Infrared (IR) film or sensors can provide unusual black & white or color renditions of a landscape.  Skies will turn black, green foliage will be rendered white, and the resulting image can be striking.   I was fortunate to have some cirrus clouds over Rainier; they added much to the composition. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/winter-moonrise/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Moonrise.jpg Winter moonrise The best time to photograph the full moon is the day before the actual full moon.  On that evening a nearly full moon will rise while the setting sun is still shining on landscape.  All of the colors you see here are natural: the sun is casting a reddish-pink glow on the snow, and the moon is in the transition band of the earth's shadow. Highway 504 near Mount St. Helens, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/moonrise-over-rainier/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Moonrise-over-Rainier.jpg Moonrise over Rainier I had consulted the astronomical guides and knew the nearly full moon would be over Mount Rainier, which was 97 degrees from my vantage point near Olympia.  The clouds cooperated, and I had a clear view of the moon and  the mountain.  Because the moon is so bright compared to the rest of the landscape at twilight, I used a graduated neutral density filter to lessen the amount of moonlight reaching my camera, thereby balancing the light from the moon with the light reflecting from the mountain.  This is among my favorite photographs.  Mount Rainier National Park https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/lifting-fog/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Lifting-Fog.jpg Lifting Fog Early autumn fog began to rise from Reflection Lake just as the morning sunrise was hitting the top of Rainier.  I've been to Reflection Lake many times, and this is among my favorite compositions.  Reflection Lake, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/grinnell-lake/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Grinnel-Lake.jpg Grinnell Lake I set off in the early morning darkness with a flashlight a bear spray, knowing full well that this was grizzly bear country and I was the first hiker of the day.  I reached Grinnell Lake shortly after sunrise.  I was impressed with the height and steepness of the mountains surrounding the lake and especially the multiple colors and waterfall on the flank of the mountain.  I had the place to myself for the entire morning; even the bears stayed away. Glacier National Park, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/mountain-in-clouds/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Mountain-in-Clouds.jpg Mountain in the Clouds Clouds were whipping by this peak in a strong wind, and they piled up on the backside to make for an interesting composition.  I had hoped to capture the motion of the clouds, but a slow shutter speed would have only produced a white blur.  Instead, I settled for the composition. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/twilight/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Twilight-Rocks.jpg Rocks at Twilight The light after sunset can be so soft and smooth, and Velvia film can do a wonderful job in capturing the colors.  Here I like the sharpness of the smooth, black rocks set against the purple cast of the water made smooth by a long exposure.  Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/ecola-cumulus/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Tree-and-Cumulus.jpg Tree and Cumulus At the overlook at Ecola State Park are several trees that provide a nice foreground for Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock in the distance.  Cumulus clouds come in off the Pacific, hit the landmass, and begin to build.  I was fortunate to catch the tree silhouetted against the powerful cumulus cloud.  This was taken with a Rolleiflex twin lens camera from the 1960s and cropped from a square to a vertical orientation.  Cannon Beach, Oregon Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/south-puget-sound/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/South-Puget-Sound.jpg South Puget Sound I went to my favorite high spot in Capitol Forest just west of Olympia hoping to get a photo of Mount Rainier at sunrise.  As the sky turned reddish-orange with the rising sun, I looked to the left and saw a scene of mountains, islands, and marine waters that, for me, was the essence of south Puget Sound.  This casual glance produced one of my favorite photographs.  Capitol Forest, Olympia, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/silver-trail/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Silver-Trails.jpg Silver Trails Two seabirds swimming away produced a small wake that caught the limited light in just the right way to produce a "silver trail."  The otherwise smooth water and the arrangement of pilings made for a compelling composition.  Hood Canal, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/shoreline-trees/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Shoreline-Trees-in-Fog.jpg Shoreline Trees in Fog I thought the quality of light was remarkable in this scene of shoreline trees, and it was made possible by the fog.  Photographs taken in foggy conditions often work best when one element (usually closer to the photographer) is less affected by other (usually more distant) elements, and that was the case here.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/second-beach-twilight/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Second-Beach-Twilight.jpg Second Beach Twilight It pays to stay after the sun has dipped below the horizon and nearly everyone has left for the day.  The colors of twilight after sunset are wonderfully rendered on Velvia film, and I love the silhouette of the intertidal rock and offshore island.  I consider a flashlight to be an essential photographic tool; I had a 0.7 mile hike back to my car in total darkness.  This is one of my favorite photographs. Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/second-beach-pools/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Second-Beach-Tideline.jpg Second Beach Tideline I love to wander with a camera in hand and an eye open to the beauty of the natural landscape.  That's how I came back with this image of  pools of water on the upper beach at Second Beach.  The background fog simply enhanced the scene.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/second-beach-sunrise-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Second-Beach-Sunrise.jpg Second Beach Sunrise The early morning sunrise, gold glow on the horizon, and single cloud imparted a tranquil feeling and a wonderful experience.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/second-beach-silhouette-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Second-Beach-Silhouette.jpg Second Beach Silhouette Fog was drifting through Second Beach this entire day, and the photographic opportunities were constantly changing. I underexposed this scene in order to get detail in the vicinity of the sun, and at the same time it produced a silhouette of the offshore island.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/pagoda-rock/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Second-Beach-Pagoda.jpg Second Beach Pagoda This very large intertidal rock at Second Beach has a couple of trees that are bonsai in shape if not in size.  The fog that partly but not entirely obscured the background hills and trees made the rock more prominent, and the combination made the composition for me. Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/second-beach-fog/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Second-Beach-Fog.jpg Second Beach Fog Fog drifted through the shoreline trees and hills, producing a constantly changing landscape.  There are so many compositions that are possible in these situations.  I try to find a composition that expresses the essence of a place at that point in time.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/ruby-bw/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Ruby-Beach-B-W.jpg Ruby Beach Monolith A high tide (I had to stand on a log to keep my feet dry) and a long exposure produced this image of the large rock at Ruby Beach.  I've converted a color original to black and white for what some call a more "traditional" look.  Sometimes color is very important to an image; at other times, shapes may be of primary importance. Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/tranquil-red/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rock-and-Tranquility.jpg Tranquility with a Reddish Hue A long exposure (about 3 minutes) using Velvia film at sunrise did two things:  it made the wave-driven water appear smooth, and it imparted a reddish hue to the entire scene.  While I prefer to photograph natural landscapes, I think these alternatives are worth exploring because of the entirely different feelings and interpretations that can be produced.  Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/river-to-sea/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/River-to-the-Sea.jpg River to the Sea I was sitting in my home in Olympia on a clear winter day, something that is rare in western Washington.  I envisioned this very image in my mind.  I jumped in the car, drove 3.5 hours to LaPush, hiked the 0.7 mile trail to Second Beach, set my tripod in a small stream that comes from the uplands, and "got the shot" right at sunset.  After about 10 minutes, I did the entire trip in reverse.  This was one of the few times that I had a specific image in mind as I set out; usually I just wander, guided by light and the weather.  Ten hours for a single image, and to me it was worth every second.  This is one of my favorite images. Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rising-from-mist/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rising-from-the-Mist.jpg Rising from the Mist A light fog made this small offshore island appear as if it were rising from the mist.  I like the aesthetic qualities that fog often produces.  A day in the fog for a photographer is like a day in the sunshine for "normal" people.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/primordial-rocks/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Primordial-Rocks.jpg Primordial Rocks A low tide, setting sun, and clouds all came together to produce a "primordial" feeling, at least in my mind.  Sunrise and sunset often produce great light for photography. Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/pillar-point/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Pillar-Point.jpg Pillar Point A fog bank was streaming down the middle of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and I used a long exposure to make the water's surface appear smooth.  Here I was interested in the aesthetic qualities of the fog, water, and silhouette of Pillar Point.  Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/second-beach-sunrise/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Offshore-Rock.jpg Offshore Rock in the Morning Sun I've used a long exposure (about two minutes) to "average" the waves to produce a seemingly smooth surface on the water.  The white areas are where the waves break and produce the foaming white-water.  As they approach the shore, these waves settle back to regular swells, and hence the color is darker.  These alternative exposures produce a distinctly different image and corresponding different feeling.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/night-moon/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Moonset.jpg Moonset I once spent an entire night on the rocky shoreline of Beach Three under a nearly full moon. The very long exposures gave a smooth, dream-like quality to the water around the rocks. It was actually darker than it appears here; the long exposure has allowed more light to be recorded so that the scene appears brighter than reality.  I was mildly worried that a "sneaker wave' would wash me out to sea, leaving only a tripod for beach visitors to puzzle over the next morning. Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/poles-in-fog/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Merging-of-Sea-and-Sky.jpg Sanctuary of Poles These pilings in Hood Canal are all that remain of a former dock.  I was captivated by the arrangement of the poles in the fog as well as the merging of the sea and the sky.  This is one of my favorite images. Hood Canal, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/intertidal-rocks-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Intertidal-Rocks-2.jpg Intertidal Rocks in Black & White A long exposure of about two minutes has given a flat appearance to the water, and the waves around the intertidal rocks have taken on a dream-like quality.   The color image was converted to black and white.  These alternative ways to photograph a common scene can impart a very different feeling and are a delight to explore. Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/intertidal-rocks/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Intertidal-Rocks-1.jpg Intertidal Rocks A very long exposure of about two minutes has "averaged" the waves that came and went during that length of time and produced a smooth-looking sea.  The morning light of sunrise has given portions of the water a pink hue. Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/heceta-head/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Heceta-Head-Morning.jpg Heceta Head Sunrise Extremely strong winds were buffeting the Highway 101 pullout just south of Heceta Head Lighthouse, so I camped and came back before sunrise the next morning.  The fog rolled back and forth, and the clouds were topped pink by a rising sun.  Every shot was different, but I tried to time them to catch the sweep of light from the lighthouse.  Heceta Head Lighthouse, Oregon Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/crying-lady-rock/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Gulls-and-Crying-Lady-Rock.jpg Gulls and Crying-Lady Rock at Sunset As the sun set in a cloudless sky and the horizon began to turn orange, these gulls were winding down their day and resting on the intertidal sand.  I thought a portion of Crying-Lady Rock would make a great backdrop.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/four-ducks/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Four-Ducks-in-the-Bay.jpg Four Ducks in the Bay The sunrise was largely obscured by a lifting fog, but the light was perfect for photography.  The four seabirds filled up the "empty" space and made the image more aesthetically pleasing.  Their momentary presence made all the difference. Hood Canal, Washington State https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/footprints/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Footprints.jpg Evidence: Footprints in the Sand Just as the sun was setting, I photographed these footprints in the sand with my Pentax 67 camera.  I reached up to advance the film for another shot, looked through the viewfinder, and the image was gone; total time elapsed was less than two seconds.  This transition from light to shadow had been replaced by complete shadow, and the photogenic quality was gone.  I was amazed at how fast good light can disappear.  Second Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/fog-walkers/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Fog-Walkers.jpg Fog Walkers A couple strolls through the morning fog on Ruby Beach.  The faint backdrop of trees provides a wonderful photo opportunity.  Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/fog-walker/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Fog-Walker.jpg Fog Walker  Wandering and reviving, a solitary beach walker leaves tracks in the sand and worries behind. Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/cape-flattery-2/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Flying-Home.jpg Flying Home at Sunrise The morning sun lights up an off-shore rock that is home to this gull, his friends and relatives, and several other species of seabirds. Cape Flattery, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/fishing-pier/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Fishing-Pier.jpg Hood Canal Fishing Pier The fog won't keep two Hood Canal fishermen away from their favorite pastime,  and it makes for a great day of photography. Hoodsport, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/cape-flattery/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Cape-Flattery-Sunset.jpg Cape Flattery Sunset The sun drops below a heavy cloud layer over Cape Flattery on the northwest tip of the continental United States.  The light reveals gulls and other seabirds that nest on the offshore rocks.  Cape Flattery, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/beach-three/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Beach-Three.jpg Beach Three Stream  A small stream enters the Pacific Ocean at Beach Three under a canopy of mottled clouds. Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/zen-rocks/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Beach-Three-Rocks.jpg Beach Three Rocks Large intertidal boulders form a zen-like arrangement on the sands of Beach Three.  Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/storm-clouds/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Approaching-Storm.jpg Approaching Storm The dark clouds over the Pacific Ocean are a warning that a storm will soon hit the Olympic Peninsula.  Beach Three, Olympic National Park, Washington Coast https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/vine-maple/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Vine-Maple.jpg Vine Maple Vine Maple grows in the understory of an old-growth forest.  The stump next to it tells the story of a fallen tree, and the opening it created probably made the growth of the vine maple possible.  Old-growth forests are always changing, but it's at a pace that is hard for humans to detect; forests follow a different time scale.  Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/cedar/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Vertical-tree.jpg Ancient Cedar Cedar is an important tree species in old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest.  An understory of devil's club adds to the beauty.  Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/two-trees/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Two-trees.jpg Two Giants Two large hemlock trees seem to be squeezing a small upstart in an old-growth forest near Mount Rainier.  Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/rising-fog/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Rising-fog.jpg Rainbows in the Fog Sunlight hitting the fog as it rises through an old-growth forest diffracts and forms a light rainbow of colors.  Carbon River Road, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/old-growth-forest/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Old-Growth.jpg Ancient Forest Complexity The complex diversity of plant in an old-growth forest is beautiful to an eye that understands. Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/old-maples/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Maples.jpg Old Maples The relatively wet area of Kestner Creek near Lake Ozette in the Olympic National Forest supports large, old maple trees, sword ferns, and lots of moss.  This is also a daytime retreat for elk.  Kestner Creek, Olympic National Forest, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/log-and-ferns/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Log-and-ferns.jpg The Fairies' Garden A fallen tree in an old-growth forest allows sunlight to penetrate to support a rich growth of moss and ferns.  This photograph is a personal  favorite.  Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/complex-forest/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Log-2.jpg Old-growth Complexity Old-growth forests have a complex structure, meaning that there are components important to wildlife at every level from the forest floor to the tops of the tallest trees.  This multi-storied environment can be seen here with groundcover, logs, understory plants, small trees, mid-sized trees, tall trees, and branches at all levels in the canopy.  This is different from a structurally simple managed forest that consists primarily of tree trunks and an upper canopy, because the trees are of uniform age, densely spaced, and don't allow sunlight to penetrate.  This makes a huge difference to forest-dwelling animals.  Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/downed-log-1/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Log-1.jpg Downed log Downed logs are important components of old-growth forests.  They provide a foothold for a variety of small plants, serve as nurseries for seedlings that will become the next generation of giant trees, retain moisture and a microclimate needed by amphibians and insects, and they return nutrients to the soil that will benefit other plants.  This log is literally alive with plants and animals on its entire surface.  Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/forest-trail/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Hoh-Trail.jpg Forest Trail The main trees of old-growth forests in Olympic National Park are spruce, hemlock, cedar, and, big-leaf maple.  Hanging moss and lichens add to the experience of walking among these giant trees. Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/forest-path/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Hoh-Path.jpg Forest Path A maintained trail through the Hoh Rainforest allows visitors to experience the "beautiful mess" that is an old-growth forest.  Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/pyramid-of-ferns/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Ferns.jpg Pyramid of Ferns Openings in the canopy allow sunlight to penetrate to the floor of an old-growth forest, and this promotes the growth of understory plants such as ferns, devil's club, huckleberry, and salal.  I was impressed by the stair-stepping structure of this collection of ferns, due in part to the presence of a fallen log. Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/fallen-snag/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Fallen-snag.jpg Fallen Snag Old-growth forests are characterized, in part, by dead trees that remain standing as snags or that fall to the ground as logs in various states of decay.  Snags and logs provide important habitat for a variety of animals, large and small.  This cedar, with its reddish wood, caught my eye. Carbon River, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/forest-deer/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Deer.jpg Can you see me? A deer wanders amid the large maples that I was photographing, pauses to consider a two-legged person with a three-legged piece of equipment, and then moves on.  Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/yellow-rumped-warbler/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Warbler.jpg Yellow-rumped Warbler A yellow-rumped warbler is perfectly at home amid the thick branches of trees and shrubs.  They can be difficult to photograph because they don't stay in one place for any length of time during the daylight hours.  Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/an-apple-a-day/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Towhee.jpg An Apple A Day A spotted towhee (formerly called the rufous-sided towhee) dines on an apple in an old orchard at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge near Olympia, Washington.  The apples are intentionally left for the birds (and mammals -- coyotes love them) by the refuge managers.  Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/sonogram-made-visible/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Sonogram.jpg Sonogram Made Visible A female red-winged blackbird is calling on an early spring morning, and each warm breath condenses in the cold air.  Sound recordings of birds (or any other animal) can be graphed, much like musical notes can be shown on a sheet, and these graphs of bird songs/calls are called sonograms.  Here I managed to catch the blackbird making its own sonogram, which thrilled me to no end. Theler Wetlands, Belfair, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/out-on-a-limb/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Song-sparrow.jpg Out on a Limb A song sparrow clings to a reed, and the blue water provides a perfect backdrop for a photograph.  Theler Wetlands, Belfair, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/mad-dash/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Shorebird-flock.jpg Mad Dash Shorebirds gather by the thousands in Grays Harbor, a traditional stopping point on the Pacific flyway as the birds migrate north in the spring and south in the fall.  The spring migration is more concentrated, so the flocks are larger and more appealing to photographers.  I photographed this flock of sanderlings (and a single dunlin, I believe) using a relatively slow shutter speed to show the motion of the birds as a moderate blurring.  Grays Harbor, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/ring-necked-duck/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Ring-necked-duck.jpg Ring-necked Duck What better place than a wildlife refuge to test out a 500mm lens?  This ring-necked duck obliged, and I was thrilled with the sharpness of the lens and impressed by the beautiful water patterns the duck left in its wake.  Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/see-my-song/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Male-sonogram.jpg See my song A male red-winged blackbird is singing on a cold, early spring morning.  As it sings, its warm breath hits the cold air and condenses.  This reminds me of the winters in eastern Montana when my breath would hang in the air for several seconds; how long it would hang was my way to gauge how cold it was. Theler Wetlands, Belfair, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/heron-hunting/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Heron.jpg Heron Hunting The reds and yellows of autumn reflect on the pond that this great blue heron is using to search for fish, frogs, salamanders, or insects to eat.  Because this pond is close to the Hoh Rainforest visitors' center, the normally wary heron is used to people and allowed me to photograph it from the side of my vehicle parked at the edge of the pond.  Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/trying-to-be-inconspicuous/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Hawk-in-willow.jpg Trying to be inconspicuous Willows turn brilliant colors in the spring, and this red-tailed hawk is using a golden willow as a vantage point in its daily search for prey.  Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/hunting-for-prey-on-a-cold-january-day/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Hawk-in-tree.jpg Hunting for Prey on a Cold January Day A red-tailed hawk sits in an alder over a frozen stream and scans the fields for its morning breakfast.  Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/female-red-winged-blackbird-amid-pastels/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Female-RWBB.jpg Female red-winged blackbird amid pastels The Theler Wetlands are at the terminus of Hood Canal in Puget Sound.  A nature trail allows visitors to enjoy the woods and open tidelands, and it brings people in close proximity to the wetland habitat of red-winged blackbirds, song sparrows, and waterfowl.  As a result, photographers can get relatively close to the birds for avian portraits.  Theler Wetlands, Belfair, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/american-dipper-and-autumns-reflection/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Dipper.jpg American Dipper and Autumn's Reflection An American Dipper looks for insects in flowing water.  It can walk along bottom of even a fast-flowing stream.  I was fortunate to catch the yellow reflection of autumn trees along the streambank, and small waves curved to reflect the blue of the sky. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/preening/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Canada-Goose.jpg Preening A Canada Goose preens against a backdrop of duckweed that has turned red at the onset of cold weather.  Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, Washington https://www.stephenpenland.com/photo/pronghorn/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/images/xl/Antelope.jpg Pronghorn Pronghorns (commonly called "antelope") are fast because they once had to outrun cheetahs on the American plains.  The cheetahs are gone from our landscape, but the pronghorn has retained its remarkable speed.  National Bison Range, Montana https://www.stephenpenland.com/news/ https://www.stephenpenland.com/contact/