Oh What A Beautiful Morning…To Take A Picture!
Here we are again. For most of the country after a long winter, the flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and the cameras are getting dusted off from their annual hibernation.
I have been calling Seattle home now for more than 15 years, but I spend most of the year roaming the planet for workshops, classes and scouting expeditions for future workshop locations. I have been lucky enough to witness some of the most beautiful places on earth first hand but I am still in awe every time I return home to the Pacific Northwest. The combination of mountains, forests, salt water, fresh water and deserts are a dream for landscape and wildlife photographers alike.
Below are a few of my favorite places to frequent this time of year. I have given you a general idea of where to head, but you’ll have to do a little searching to find the prime locations (or join me on a workshop!).
The Hot Spots
Ecola State Park – Cannon Beach, OR
Most people have seen images from the ever popular Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach but few venture slightly more north to Ecola State Park. With plenty of hiking trails, tide pools, cliff side bluffs and rocky beaches to explore, you could spend days wandering around this hidden gem.
The Palouse Region – Colfax, WA
Anyone that has picked up a landscape photography magazine has seen images of this area with its seemingly endless drumlins and multi-colored fields of winter wheat. There are strict watering policies that keep this a unique landscape untarnished by the traditional sprinkler systems dotting most farmlands today. Try ascending Steptoe Butte for a birds eye view of the rolling hills.
The Columbia River Gorge – Border of Washington and Oregon
With the highest concentration of waterfalls in North America, The Columbia River Gorge is at its best when the winter snows are melting out of the Cascade Mountains and the moss and lichens are almost glowing on every surface. While there are literally hundreds of waterfalls to explore, some next to the road and some only accessible by difficult hikes, you could spend a lifetime finding new locations to photograph. Of course you could get a head start by joining my annual trip to four of my favorite waterfalls!
Just The Tip Of The Iceberg
These are just a few of the myriad of amazing locations to visit this time of year in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Now pack up that tripod, lace up those hiking boots and get a little dirty out there exploring somewhere new.