This was one memorable night up on a ridge overlooking the grand vista of Mt Baker. Under the moonlit sky that summer night, I reflected on a grand day wandering through vibrant forests, along wildflower-filled meadows, and scrambling by melting glaciers. Despite being a popular trail, it never felt crowded. And at night, the stillness of the peaks under the shimmering stars made me feel deeply connected to that extraordinary landscape.
Mount Baker Wilderness
WA USA
Back to the Tulips
Been a bit late in posting some of my recent photos.
The tulip fields of Skagit Valley are a photographer’s dream—a mesmerizing canvas of vibrant reds, soothing pastels, and dazzling yellows stretching endlessly across the horizon. Every spring, as the Pacific Northwest shakes off the last remnants of winter, these blossoms burst into life, transforming the valley into a breathtaking spectacle.
Capturing the tulip blossoms through a camera lens is more than just photography; it’s an immersive experience. The interplay of light and shadow, the delicate textures of each petal, and the contrast between the orderly rows of flowers and the wild beauty of nature make for stunning compositions. Whether it’s the golden glow of sunrise casting a warm embrace over the fields or the dramatic hues of sunset painting the sky, every moment offers a unique opportunity to create art.
For photographers like me, the challenge lies in finding fresh perspectives—experimenting with angles, playing with depth of field, and embracing the unpredictable beauty of the Pacific Northwest’s spring weather. The joy of photographing these blossoms isn’t just in the final image but in the process itself—the quiet moments spent among the flowers, the thrill of chasing the perfect light, and the satisfaction of capturing a fleeting masterpiece.
Hope you get a chance to catch these colorful blossoms. The Tulip festival in Skagit county ends on April 30, and the fields are in full bloom now.
Skagit County
WA USA
Winter Escapes
From gray to glorious! The Pacific Northwest has been delivering some serious winter weather lately, but today, we were gifted with a bluebird day for the books. It's a reminder that even in the depths of winter, beauty and light can always be found. Feeling so grateful for this stunning landscape and the chance to experience it in all its forms.
Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Amber silhouettes
Bathed in the fiery hues of a summer sunset, the Olympic coast puts on a breathtaking display. Amber clouds paint the sky, casting dramatic silhouettes of rugged cliffs and stoic pines against the vibrant backdrop. Waves gently lap the shore, completing this serene coastal scene.
Witnessing this spectacle in what was initially just a casual summer backpack with friends was a truly unforgettable experience. This was one of the many spectacular stills I captured during the two nights on the peninsula.
Olympic National Park
WA USA
Seeking sunlight
The western coast of Washington state has been pounded by storm after storm for the last 25 days. As a result, a full day, or even a few hours of sunlight has been a rarity in Seattle. This effect, compounded by the incredibly short days of winter here, has certainly impacted my mood during what is meant to be the most joyous time of the year.
Here is to hoping that this will change over the next few weeks, both from the increasing length of day, and from a change in weather patterns.
Meanwhile, here is an image from a prior winter in Seattle during a remarkably crisp winter day.
Seattle
WA USA
The Square of Forty-Five
Welcome to 2025. We are now closer to 2050 than we are to the turn of the millennia. Let that sink in.
So much has changed in the last 25 years. I still remember the birth of 2000 with the Y2K scares, the rise of the dot-com economy (eventually leading to its collapse in the following year), the growth in popularity of cell-phones as a technology and many more. In the intervening years between then and now, we invented snazzy new smartphones, made advancements in AI, healthcare, medicine, and many more, all while dealing with multiple financial crises, multiple pandemics, and a more volatile geopolitical arena. Now, 25 years later, we are still dealing with some of the ramifications of those developments, including the middle-east quagmire, a tech-bubble in AI and more.
Who knows what the next 25 years will bring....
But in the meantime, let us enjoy the present. The Space Needle finally presented an amazing fireworks display and we were lucky to avoid any weather disruption.
Seattle
WA USA
End of an year
At first glance, it just seems like a regular sunset view over the Puget Sound by Seattle in the Pacific northwest. But observe closely and you can spot the telltale signs of high altitude winds from the layers of undulating cloud patterns in the sky. These high altitude cloud patterns are the result of layers of wind blowing over mountain ranges that dot the western coast of Washington state. And these layers will often catch the colorful sunset light, adding to extra drama in the image.
A Washington State Ferry departing to Bainbridge island from Seattle adds to the visual interest in this scene overlooking the sound.
Here is to a closure on 2024, a tumultuous year for many in this world.
Seattle
WA USA
On Fire
This December in Seattle has been one of the more gloomier winters, with storm after storm bringing overcast skies and drenching the coast and mountains with rain. Compared to this, 2023 was host to a many more sunny days with colorful sunrises and sunsets. This was one of the many dramatic sunrises in Seattle from 12 months ago where the reds were very intense straight out of the camera.
Seattle
WA USA
Winter Layers
Mount Tahoma in Washington State is one of the tallest peaks in the lower 48 states of the US. With such a high prominence, this perennially snow-capped volcano dwarfs everything around it. Only when climbing upon it does one get to appreciate the layers of mountain ranges that stretch in every direction. Especially in the winter, when all these ranges get a white sheen of snow.
This was from one such winter trip to the National Park. A snowshoe up a popular slope of Mount Rainier yielded this stellar view of the multiple layers of ranges dominated by the snow-covered summit of Mount St Helens in the distant background.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thanks for following my posts so far.
Mount Rainier National Park
WA USA
On the rocks
Browsing through the archives, my eye spotted this interesting composition. This particular scene was a sunset in the rugged Olympic coastline in Washington state. What drew my eye was how nature (represented by the tree) managed to survive the unrelenting vagaries of weather that this region experiences, especially during the winter rains. The tree also acts as a kind of focal point, drawing attention away from the harshness of the rest of the scene.
Olympic National Park
WA USA