I recently visited New England on a photo assignment, one of the locations I was asked to visit was Mount Washington and the Cog Railway.
You can read all about the Cog Railway here.
I made reservations 4 months in advance, wishing for a clear day.
My wish came true and I got some wonderful shots of the trains and scenery.
Do you have a nice camera? Would you like to learn how to take better pictures?
I offer two Photography Classes for beginners and intermediate photographers who are getting started and want to take better pictures. This fall I am offering these classes both in Burlington (through Burlington Parks and Rec) and in La Conner at my Gallery at 306 Morris Street. Here are the details:
Capturing decent images with your new camera is easy, just set it on “Auto Mode” and shoot away. Moving your photography up to the next level where you get consistently good shots starts with understanding how to set your exposure manually. This is NOT difficult to do.
What the class teaches:
Prerequisites: You must be familiar with your camera, taking pictures in Auto Mode, image review, etc.Equipment Required: A DSLR or Mirrorless Camera with interchangeable lenses.
Dates of classes in Burlington:
What the class teaches:
Prerequisites: You must be completely comfortable with shooting in Manual Mode.
Dates of classes in Burlington:
Classes are 1.5 to 2 hours long. Cost of each class is: $45 All Photo Classes at Burlington are held on Wednesday Nights at 6pm.
Classes are 1.5 to 2 hours long. Cost of each class is: $50 All Photo Classes at Andy Porter Photography Gallery are held on Saturdays at 10am.
Beginners Photography Class in La Conner
Intermediate Photography Class in La Conner
Hozomeen Mountain is a double-summited peak on the east side of Ross Lake in the North Cascades of Washington State. The name “Hozomeen” comes from the Salish word meaning “sharp like a knife,” referring to both the sharp peaks of the mountains and also chert, a type of rock commonly worked into sharp-edged tools by early Native Americans and First Nation members.
Hozomeen lies at the north end of Ross Lake, near the U.S.-Canada border. Getting there involves either a long hike or boat ride. I’ve had the good fortune to have visited the area twice.
Hozomeen Mountain is very close to Desolation Peak, which has a rather famous Fire Lookout. From Ross Lake the hike is 4.5 miles and 4,500 feet elevation to the top of Desolation Peak. The views are amazing!
Another time I managed to get a boat ride to Hozomeen and hiked up to Hozomeen Lake. Here are some images from the trip:
Here is an excerpt from the Wikipedia entry about Hozomeen Mountain:
The name “Hozomeen” is derived from Salish, a geographically broad language group of the indigenous bands of southern British Columbia and northern Washington State. The name appeared on a sketch map prepared for members of the first boundary survey of the 49th parallel, ca. 1857-1860, designating the name of the mountain. The map was drawn by Thiusoloc, one of surveyor and topographer Henry Custer’s Salish guides, and like other geographic features labeled on the map, it recorded Salish place names.[3] According to Annie York, a native Salish speaker, “Hozomeen” refers to “sharp, like a sharp knife.”[4] and links the name to the ca. 9,000 year long tradition of indigenous use of Hozomeen chert (a flint-like mineral) to make a variety of subsistence and hunting tools.[5]
The Wildflowers of Washington State 2026 Scenic Calendar is here!
13 wonderfully colorful of Washingtons Wildflowers.
Printed on a 100lb bond glossy sheet, each sheet is 8″ x 12″. No cropping and no borders! Calendars are ring bound!
The Calendar is available locally at the Andy Porter Photography Gallery located at 306 Morris Street in La Conner. We are open every day, 7 days a week from 10am to 6pm.
Recently I was on a night sky photography journey in Eastern Washington, near Steamboat Rock and Banks Lake. Always on the lookout for a night sky vista, I stumbled upon Crown Point Vista and spent 2 nights there, on the Autumnal Equinox.
The Crown Point Vista was first envisioned in 1946 as a way to attract tourists. You can see the original design here, in this article: Grand Point Vista – A Forgotten Dream
The night-time scenery is magical at the Vista, the stars are very bright. To the north there was a faint glow of the Aurora. Satellites streak across. Sundial, generator or astronomical observatory, who can say?
Starting in September, 2025 I will continue teaching Photography Classes in Burlington, through Parks and Rec. The Photo Classes will be held at the Maiben House.
Registration is through Burlington Parks and Rec. Seating is limited for each class. At the link below you can see the entire class schedule and register for classes.
Here is the link to the Burlington Parks and Recreation Catalog of classes.
How to Capture Awesome Images with your DSLR – Beginners Level 1
Capturing decent images with your new DSLR camera is easy, just set it on “Auto Mode” and shoot away. Moving your photography up to the next level where you get consistently good shots starts with understanding how to set your exposure manually. This is NOT difficult to do.
What the class teaches:
Prerequisites: You must be familiar with your camera, taking pictures in Auto Mode, image review, etc.
Equipment Required: A DSLR or Mirrorless Camera with interchangeable lenses.
Dates:
How to Capture Awesome Images with your DSLR – Intermediate Level
In this class we will discuss different lenses, focal lengths and what they do; we’ll delve deeper into depth of field and how to master control over how much of what’s in front of you is in focus. Then we’ll cover the use of different shutter speeds to create stunning, unique images.
What the class teaches:
Prerequisites: You must be completely comfortable with shooting in Manual Mode.
Dates:
To register for one of there classes CLICK HERE!
The Andy Porter Gallery is located at 306 Morris Street, in La Conner. Were open 7 days a week with a wide array of Aluminum and Canvas prints, as well as an assortment of Night Lights, magnets and Greeting Cards!
The Baker River drains the west side of the North Cascades range, merging with the Skagit River near Concrete.
There are two dams on the river, creating Baker Lake and Lake Shannon.
The Baker Lake Road extends 25 miles North from Highway 20 ending in a parking area along side Baker River. There are trails along the Baker River and around the lake.
I’ve been visiting Baker River for 20 years, been there in every season and weather condition. Here are a few images!
Please visit AndyPorterImages.com for info on classes and prints!
Amphitheater Mountain is located in the Pasayten Wilderness of Washington State. The Wilderness is located along the border with Canada.
Stretching east for 50 miles from Ross Lake and the Cascade Crest, the Pasayten Wilderness is some of the most remote and beautiful wilderness in Washington.
Amphitheater Mountain is about 1 mile south of the Canadian Border, on the Boundary Trail. Depending upon your route, its about 25 miles, one way to get there.
I visited there twice, in July and then October of the same year.
The orange needled trees in some of the pictures are Larch. In the summer the needles on the larch are bright green, like an evergreen…but in October they turn bright orange! Larch are found at an elevation of 5,000 to 7,000 feet.
Amphitheater Mountain is huge! There are so many views!
Prints on Aluminum, Canvas or Paper are available in many sizes for these and more magical images of the Pasayten and North Cascades. Here is the link to shop.
The Andy Porter Photography Gallery in La Conner is now open! See a wide display of Aluminum Prints, Night Lights, magnets and Cards! Classes are also available! 306 Morris Street, La Conner, WA 98257
I drove past the fruitshack on my way to sunrise at Waipio Valley Overlook. On the Big Island, Hawaii.
When the sunrise was finished I made my way back, stopped to gather some images.
Wow, just wow!
I am very happy yo to now be offering both Photography Classes and Photoshop Editing Classes now in La Conner. The classes will be help at the Andy Porter Gallery, 306 Morris Street, La Conner, WA 98257
There are 3 Basic Photography Classes, here is a link with detailed descriptions of each class as well as dates/times and registration.
Photoshop Editing Classes
There are 2 Photoshop editing Classes.
The first class, Introduction to Photoshop, is all about editing your images. How to get your images to look like the scene you actually saw with your eyes. The Class takes two sessions or class periods.
I am offering a second Photoshop class as well, a 3 session class where we will do a series of creative assignments where you will learn advanced Photoshop Skills while having fun.
Details for each class, dates, times and registration are all on this link, click here!
Important Note:
To attend the Photoshop Classes you MUST
