Magical Moroccan Tours – Photography Tour, May 2027

Posted on October 30, 2026 by Andy Porter

Morocco Photography Tour, May 2027

I have been invited to lead a Photography Tour to Morocco in the spring of 2027.

was founded by Ahmed and Jane. They are very experienced and will make sure that all the details are attended to so that we can have a magnificent journey.

Our itinerary will take us to the High Atlas Mountains and the incredible beaches/fishing boats of Essaouira; the colors of Fes and Marrakech’s souks; and the beautiful “Blue City” of Chefchaouen, image below!

Here is the Web Page with the full description and images, of the tour:

Photography Tour: April 28-May 10, 2027 (with optional 3-day extension)

I have only visited Africa once, in 1998 spending some weeks in Burkina Faso. I’ve dreamed many times of visiting Africa again. As a photographer I am drawn to bright colors, shapes and shadows.

These are things we will see aplenty in Morocco. Looking through images of the destinations on our tour has set me afire.

The tour is scheduled from April 28^th to May 10^th 2027 to include the New Moon on May 6^th. I am also very excited about capturing night sky images of the Milky Way from the Atlas Mountains and other places along our route!

What is the difference between a Photography Tour and any other type of tour?

The best time of day to take pictures is sunrise and sunset. On a Photo Tour we will be up and out, headed somewhere each day before sunrise. Late afternoons and sunset hour are also times each day that we’ll be out capturing images.

I envision the Mid-day will find us relaxing, refueling and planning our next excursions! We will have a small group and anyone with any level of photography experience is welcome. There will be time to review our images, discuss details of exposure settings, composition and photo editing and generally share and learn from each other. The one imperative will be to have a great time!

Fishing boats of Essaouira

Nighttime Photography will also be possible, whether in a city or out in the wilds. When were away from the lights of a city we will be able to capture images of the Milky Way and evenings in the city abound with sumptuous night time photo opportunities.

Magical Moroccan Tours will be our hosts.

You can read about their story of collaboration here.

Jane and Ahmed have everything arranged for us. If you have any questions about tour details such as lodging, food, etc, please reach out to Jane directly.

Here is her contact info.

I am excited about the opportunity to visit Morocco and I hope you will join us for a magical adventure!

Andy

Sun Catchers, Sun Art Prints and Sun Spots!

Posted on October 23, 2026 by Andy Porter

I am very excited to announce 3 new products: Sun Catchers, Sun Art Prints and Sun Spots!

These are a few my images that were used to create these products.

All of these products are for sale at the Gallery in La Conner, located at 306 Morris Street, La Conner, WA 98257. Open Every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. and Most Weekdays from 10am until 6pm. Ph: 360-809-0661

Sun Catchers

Sun Catchers are the perfect way to brighten any room. They are designed to hang in windows and come with a suction cup. Each Sun Catcher is a jaw-dropping image mounted on a 5″ x 7″ clear acrylic base $39.95 each

Sun Art Prints

Perfectly designed to embrace the sun’s radiance, these freestanding framed images are ideal for windowsills, sunny spots or any cherished nook. Featuring a high quality crystal clear print, each image is carefully safeguarded between two glass panels and elegantly nestled within a 5” x 7” wooden frame. $49.95 Each

Sun Spots

Handcrafted with meticulous care, these Sunspots allow the sun the gracefully illuminate the high quality image, creating a delightful visual experience. Each Sun spot is 2.5” x 4” and features an elegant copper foil edging and copper chain. A window suction cup is included with every Sunspot. $39.95 Each

2027 Skagit Valley Calendar

Posted on October 16, 2026 by Andy Porter

The Andy Porter Photography 2027 Skagit Valley Calendar is here!

I am very happy that Skagit Valley is my home. Here are 12 of my favorite images.

Skagit Valley, from the North Cascades to the valley and ocean.

Each Calendar is printed on a 100lb bond glossy sheet, each sheet is 8″ x 12″. No cropping and no borders! Calendars are ring bound and shrink wrapped!

$25.00 each. Click here to order your copy today!

Here are the 12 Images!

Mount Washington Cog Railway

Posted on October 10, 2026 by Andy Porter

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.

Fall 2026 Photography Classes

Posted on August 1, 2026 by Andy Porter

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:

How to Capture Awesome Images with your DSLR or Mirrorless Camera – Beginners Class

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:

Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO. These 3 settings will be explained in detail with lots of examples and images.
How to Shoot in Manual Mode – Once you go Manual you’ll never go back!
Depth of Field: You’ll learn how a photographer changes this in an image.
Bracketing Exposure is capturing multiple images of the same subject with different exposures.
A Circular Polarizer is an optical filter that screws onto the end of the lens.
Raw vs. Jpeg – We’ll discuss this as well as an overview of editing a RAW image file.

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:

Wednesday, September 23, 6pm to 8pm
Wednesday, October 14, 6pm to 8pm
Wednesday, November 4, 6pm to 8pm

How to Capture Awesome Images with your DSLR – Intermediate Class

What the class teaches:

Photo Composition: We will cover cool tips and ideas of how to compose interesting images
Lenses and Focusing: Different lens focal lengths and what they are best for
You’ll learn the technique of Focus & Recompose
Sharper Images: Blurry images can be avoided by following one simple rule
Hyper-focal Distance: How to extend your depth of field in landscape images.
We will take time to practice these skills outdoors
How to capture Night Sky images of the stars and Milky Way.
- Discuss all the equipment needed
- Exact camera and lens settings, Walk through setting up out in the field!
- Locations for night sky imaging and more!

Prerequisites: You must be completely comfortable with shooting in Manual Mode.

Dates of classes in Burlington:

Wednesday, September 30, 6pm to 8pm
Monday, October 28, 6pm to 8pm
Wednesday, November 18, 6pm to 8pm

Burlington Parks and Recreation – Maiben House 219 S. Skagit Street, 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.

To register for Photography Classes with Andy Porter in Burlington through Burlington Parks and Recreation, Click here!

Andy Porter Photography Gallery – 306 Morris Street, La Conner

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

September 26. Saturday at 10am
October 17, Saturday at 10am
November 7, Saturday at 10am

Intermediate Photography Class in La Conner

October 10. Saturday at 10am
November 14. Saturday at 10am

To register for Photography Classes with Andy Porter in La Conner Click Here!

Hozomeen Mountain

Posted on November 4, 2025 by Andy Porter

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:

History

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]

Hozomeen North Peak (the main summit) 8,066 feet, was first climbed on September 6, 1904 by Sledge Tatum and George E. Loudon, Jr. of the Boundary Survey, from the northeast.^[6] Other routes exist on the South Ridge and Southwest Buttress. The north summit is Washington’s fourth steepest peak, with an average angle from the summit of 38.86°

Hozomeen South Peak elevation 8,003 feet (2,439 m),^[7] lies approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of the higher North Peak. It was first climbed on May 30, 1947 by Fred Beckey, Melvin Marcus, Jerry O’Neil, Ken Prestrud, Herb Staley, and Charles Welsh, via the Southwest Route. While lower than the North Peak, it has a north face which is “almost completely vertical for 1,000 feet.”^[6] This makes it the steepest peak in Washington with an average steepness angle of 42.62° from the summit.

Wildflowers of Washington 2026 Calendar

Posted on October 9, 2025 by Andy Porter

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.

Order your copy today! $25.00

Buy 2026 Calendar

Crown Point Vista in Grand Coulee, Washington

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Andy Porter

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. Here is a sketch of the original design. You can read more 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?

Photography Classes in Burlington

Posted on August 14, 2025 by Andy Porter

Andy Porter Photography Classes – Burlington Parks and Rec Fall / Winter 2025

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:

How to Shoot in Manual Mode
Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO. These 3 settings will be explained in detail with lots of examples and images.
Depth of Field: You’ll learn how a photographer changes this in an image.
Bracketing Exposure is capturing multiple images of the same subject with different exposures.
A Circular Polarizer is an optical filter that screws onto the end of the lens.
Raw vs. Jpeg – We’ll discuss this as well as an overview of editing a RAW image file.

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:

Wednesday, September 17, 6pm to 8pm
Wednesday, October 8, 6pm to 8pm
Wednesday, November 5, 6pm to 8pm
Wednesday, December 3, 6pm to 8pm

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:

Lenses and Focusing: Different lens focal lengths and what they are best for
You’ll learn the technique of Focus & Recompose
Sharper Images: Blurry images can be avoided by following one simple rule
Hyper-focal Distance: How to extend your depth of field in landscape images.
We will take time to practice these skills outdoors
We will cover in detail how to capture Night Sky images of the stars and Milky Way.
Discuss all the equipment needed
Exact camera and lens settings, Walk through setting up out in the field!
Locations for night sky imaging and more!

Prerequisites: You must be completely comfortable with shooting in Manual Mode.

Dates:

Wednesday, October 22, 6pm to 8pm
Monday, November 17, 6pm to 8pm
Wednesday, December 10, 6pm to 8pm

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!

Baker River, North Cascades

Posted on August 3, 2024 by Andy Porter

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!