Park Butte Lookout October

Posted on October 18, 2015 by Andy Porter

On Wednesday night I made my way up to the Park Butte Lookout for the 5th time this year.
Each trip is different, unique. Skies and clouds, temperature and wind, sun or rain it is always a fantastical place to spend the night.

This trip was no exception, I went with my friend, Sam and her dog River.

The cool October air is comfortable for climbing up with a big back.

Leaving late we arrived at the lookout as the sun set, had dinner and almost immediately after were out capturing images of the Milky Way, blazing above.

I clambered down below the lookout for a new perspective of the lookout and Milky Way.

The yellow lamp I brought created a perfect yellow-golden light inside.

Finally the excitement ended and we hit the sleeping pads, out on the lookout balcony.

The early morning light was wonderful. I popped up quickly and started my circumnavigations of the lookout, searching for the perfect light.

Here is the link to buy prints

and here is the link for Photo Tour details.

Halloween Sale! 50% OFF All Prints!!!

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Andy Porter

I am offering a special 50% OFF discount on all Canvas Wrapped Prints and Fine Art Prints.

Simply visit the Gallery Page (here) scroll through the images, find your favorite(s) click the image to see the sizes and options available and go to check out. Then enter the coupon code: HALLOWEEN and you’ll receive 50% your entire order!!!!

SALE ENDS OCTOBER 31st AT MIDNIGHT!

Skagit Valley Tulipshttp://andyporterimages.com/photogallery/gallery5/

Diablo Overlook Panorama

Skagit Valley

Here are some details about:
Canvas Wrapped Prints: Our traditional gallery wraps feature wood frames and hand-stretched, top-quality canvas–not unlike those found in a typical art gallery. Our 1.5 inch thick wrap remains our most popular option, they are ready for display out of the box.

If you would like your Gallery Wrap framed, there are two categories of option: Floating Frames and Traditional Frames.

Floating Frames

: Floating Frames

: Black

: Gold

: Silver

: Walnut

Traditional Frames

: Premium Frames

: Standard Black

: Antique

: Black

: Gold

: Walnut

Fine Art Print Options

Archival Watercolor Fine Art Paper A vellum surface (lightly textured) paper ideally suited for luxurious fine art. Listed size is the finished image, we also add a white 1″ border.
Archival Smooth Fine Art Paper A luxuriously smooth surface that delivers excellent dmax and color gamut. Listed size is the finished image, we also add a white 1″ border.
Photo Luster Paper Produces vivid, lifelike images that rival those of traditional silver halide prints. Listed size is the finished image, we also add a white 1″ border.
Rolled Canvas A museum-grade matte poly cotton blend that is a performance leader in color gamut, and print permanence. Listed size is the face of the canvas, we add room for the wrap edge as well as 2″ for stretching.

Baker River Trail – Fall Colors

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Andy Porter

The Baker River Trail is at its best in the fall. The cool, clean, crisp air refresh your mind while the bright colors enliven the soul.

: Baker River Trail

The trail is easy to get to, just follow the Baker Lake Road north from Highway 20 to its end (You need a NW Forest Pass to park). The trail starts right there and meanders along the west side of the river. The leaves on the ground create a magic carpet for your feet.

You’ll pass some huge grand trees, actually not just trees but patriarchs of the forest, old wise creatures standing guard over the River.

: Trees along the Baker River Trail

After only a quarter mile there is a suspension bridge spanning the azure waters. Go out on the span for wonderful views downstream as the river bends and the late afternoon light illuminates the colors on the east bank.

Continuing along your path the trail approaches the river at several points where you can easily scramble down 5 or 6 feet of embankment out on to gravel bars affording magnificent views of the wild river. Fall brings salmon to spawn and you can see their bright red bodies darting and splashing.

: Baker River Salmon

But don’t take my word for it, go see for yourself!

If you’d like to go on a Guided Fall Photo Tour, here are all the details!

2016 Washington State Scenic Calendar Now Available!

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Andy Porter

The images have been chosen and the 2016 Washington State Scenic Calendar is now available!

: Colchuck Lake, Enchantments

: Diablo Overlook Panorama

: Fall Colors from Winchester Mountain

: Fir Island Barn

: Indian Creek Waterfall, North Cascades National Park

: Morning skies in the North Cascades

: Mt Baker and Park Butte Lookout

: Sahale Arm

: Skagit Valley

: Snow Geese

: Twin Lakes

The Calendar is printed on thick (80#) White Linen Paper. The exact calendar size is 8.5 x 11″ when it is closed, 11″ x 17″ when open. It is Wire Bound. The calendars is printed on 13 sheets, both sides, and the binding is in the middle. Each copy is individually sealed.

The printing is magnificent, all of the images are very sharp.

The cost is $20.00 each with a $5.00 shipping cost for shipping anywhere in the US.

International shipping is $12. The link below lets you order with international shipping!

Bulk rates for 20 or more copies are available. Email for prices. AndyPorterPhotography@gmail.com

For the first time ever you can purchase the calendar with your debit or credit card, online!

Here is the link to purchase your copy. http://andyporterimages.com/calendars/

All calendars orders will ship out in 24 hours.

Thanks very much to all of you for following, commenting and helping to choose the images!

Thank you!!

Andy

Sunrise from Winchester Mountain

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Andy Porter

Morning skies in the North Cascades

This image is from Thursday morning Sept. 23, at about 5am. Taken atop Winchester Mountain, along the Mount Baker Highway in the North Cascades. That’s Venus, the bright light on the right.

Exposure: Canon 6D and Rokinon 14mm lens; f/2.8 at 30 seconds

The next Night Sky Photo Tour(s) are scheduled for October 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th. If you’d like to come along, here is the link!

Winchester Lookout

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Andy Porter

Twin Lakes Panorama

Last Saturday I made it up (finally!) to Twin Lakes and the Winchester Mountain Lookout.

Winchester Mountain Lookout

Located on the north side of the Mount Baker Highway (Route 542) the trail is approached via the Twin Lakes Road. It’s 7 miles from the highway to the start of the trail, 4.5 miles are easy for any car, and the last 2.5 miles require a high clearance vehicle, its a bit rough!

Weekends in the late summer and early fall will find more than 200 cars and pickups parked along the road over the last 3 miles. There is a veritable network of trails originating along the Twin Lakes Road such as Yellow Aster Butte, Tomyhoi Peak, High Pass and more.

Twin Lakes

If your vehicle can make it up to Twin Lakes there are camp sites along both lake shore, out houses and camp fire rings/grates. I saw quite a few parties there car camping with bikes for kids, small boats for fishing along with lawn chairs and coolers.

Here the road ends and the hiking begins. From the parking lot you are right in front of Winchester Mountain, and you can see way up above the flag flapping next to the lookout.

The trail zigzags up the mountain side, 1,300 feet in about 2 miles to the summit. The lookout tower is open to the public, and you can spend the night there. If you get up there and its already taken there are plenty of spots close by to pitch tents.

The view from the top is choked with stark jagged peaks. Goat Mountain, Mount Larrabee, the Pleiades, Tomyhoi Peak crowd the horizon. Mt Shuksan and Mount Baker loom up about all other summits.

The crisp air is perfect for hiking up a steep slope and the fall colors create a luscious palette.

The Winchester Mountain Lookout was clean and spacious, sporting a table, chairs, bed and a wide selection of books.

Saturday was the new moon, and one of the reasons of our visit was to hope for clear skies at night to capture images of the Milky Way.

The low angle of the setting sun set the blue berry bushes on fire.

An hour after sunset the sky exploded with stars.

I opted to sleep out under them, with no tent.

The early morning found the mountain surrounded by clouds. Just as I arose the sun breached the canopy and the sun dance atop the summits across the valley commenced.

Milky Way from Big Rock

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Andy Porter

The usual thinking of night sky and Milky Way images is that you must travel a good distance away from the lights of towns and cities to get any decent shots.

I don’t live near big city, Seattle is 65 miles away, but there are several towns grouped together where I live. But I decided to head up to a local promontory called Big Rock to see about a few night sky images last weekend during the last New Moon.

These three images show that although the lights DO wash out the details of the stars there is still a chance to get some interesting images.

Mount Baker is visible as a small bump on the horizon. The green glow is the aurora borealis, adding some alien color to the edge of the sky.

The next New Moon is October 12th. If you’d like to register for the next Night Sky Photo Tour, here is the link.

New Night Sky Images

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Andy Porter

Every month brings a New Moon and with it, an opportunity to get out for more Night Sky Imaging.

Northern Lights and Milky Way Over Mount Baker

Here in Western Washington its not often that you see the confluence of both no moon AND no clouds, but this last weekend we were blessed with both.

Thursday night I met a friend and we hiked in the dark up to a local promontory known as Big Rock. I expected that there would be plenty of light pollution from the nearby towns, but I did not expect to see the green glow of the Aurora Borealis on the horizon!

Friday night I was teaching a field class on Night Sky Photography through the North Cascades Institute and took 14 students up to Artist Point, at the end of the Mount Baker Highway. There we photographed Mt Shuksan at Picture Lake and then drove up to the roads end to get images of Mount Baker and more shots of Shuksan. At a small tarn we posed for a group shot.

Mt Shuksan

Night Sky Photo Students and Mount Shuksan

Mt Baker

Saturday night I recruited two friends and we hiked up to the Winchester Mountain Lookout. It was my first time up there and I was ecstatic with the whole trip, the hike, the fall colors, the lookout and the stars were all unsurpassed!

All of these image are for sale, as digital downloads, Canvas Wraps and Fine Art Prints. Here is the link to the Gallery Store.

The next New Moon is October 12th. I am conducting Night Sky Photo Tours for Oct. 10th through Oct. 13th.

Here is the link to find out more and register!

Sunrise Over Puget Sound

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Andy Porter

Not far from my house is the Samish Overlook. It is one of my go-to places for sunrises and sets.

On Labor Day I awoke at 5am and though it was mostly cloudy took an chance and made my way there.

From the parking area there are two viewpoints, one facing south with a view of Skagit Valley and Samish Bay

Samish Bay

and the other looking west out over the Puget Sound, towards the San Juan Islands.

Sunrises are always a gradual awakening of colors.

The wind was calm over the water making for some nice reflections.

For more images visit my main web site here.

You will find info on purchase of prints, photo classes and tours.

Choosing images for the 2016 Washington Scenic Calendar

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Andy Porter

September is here, soon autumn will be with us. This is my signal to start work on the 2016 Calendar.

My task is to sort through the years images and somehow come up with 13 stunning shots.

As I review the files there are a few special shots which will almost certainly be included in this next years calendar and in other cases I have a series of shots from a particular spot and need help choosing which is the best one for the calendar. This is where you come in, I will post a grouping of images from a specific spot. Please vote for your favorite in each section by making a comment below or emailing me at: andyporterphotography@gmail.com

Park Butte Lookout