This has been officially added to my list of all time favorite hikes. Last week was my second visit and I was even more enamored than before…
Sometimes known as the “Subway”, Left Fork Canyon is out of the main section of the park. To get there you need to go north on the Kolob Reservoir Road, out of Virgin. Permits are required for ANY hiking there, which is a wonderful thing as it makes for a real wilderness experience which is totally unlike hiking in the Zion Canyon part of the park.
The “subway” name comes from the shape of the canyon walls, as you can see here.
This last shot I managed from inside the subway using my new 14mm lens. 
A truly stunning location. Make sure to book a permit before you head down there next time, you will not be disappointed!
Antelope Canyon
Every spring I take a trip to Utah to go canyoneering. last year, someone asked me if I’d ever visited Antelope Canyon, and I answered that I’d never even heard of the place. Soon after I had a look on-line and was stunned by the images.
So, this year I added it to the list of places to visit.
The canyon is in Page, Arizona, on the Navajo Indian Reservation. The only was to visit is to book a photo tour, something I would normally avoid. 
The canyon is narrow, but easy to walk through, the floor is sandy and completely flat. Being only a few hundred feet long its not a long excursion, but every step is filled with colors, textures, light and shapes out of a dream.
Northwest Travel Magazine
Here is the cover of the March-April Northwest Travel Magazine, featuring one of my favorite tulip images…
Here is my original image…
Next months issue will feature another cover shot I took, in the North Cascades National Park. Here is the image.
Sahale Camp Panoramas
Sahale Glacier Camp sits at the base of Sahale glacier atop 3 piles of rubble each crowned with a ring of stone. The views are breathtaking: a 180 degree sweeping view of the North Cascades, a sea of peaks stretching out to the horizon.
I have visited many times and tried to capture the feel of the view. Here are several panoramas, some from sunrise, and several from sunset, each comprised of two or more images merged.
North Cascades Book
I just got word that these three images will be included in a new book about the North Cascades, due out in the Fall of 2014.
More details coming soon!
Camping under the stars
Mount Baker and Coleman Glacier
Hikers on Sahale Arm
Focus Stacking: First Effort
Focus stacking is a technique used to ensure that every part of an image is sharply in focus. What you are doing is to combine several images taken over a number of different focusing distances.
The main steps are:
1. Capture of a multi-focus sequence of images
2. Process the RAW files to ready them for merging
3. Align the image sequence
4. Merging the aligned images into a final product
I read about this technique a few weeks ago and for some reason did not get around to giving it a try until today. I was out this morning checking out the daffodil fields and remembered to get the image sequence captured.
the post-processing was easy and the result stunning as to clarity and focus! This is a technique I will be using on every photo shoot I do from now on!
If you’ve never heard about this technique, look it up and give it a try! I am not going to write up here how to do it, there are already many good instructions and write ups, including videos on line detailing how to do it.
Here is the result of today’s work.
This first shot is one of the multi focus set, un-modified.
Here is the final, merged image.
The clarity and depth are really something!
First Daffodils of 2014
These images were taken at sunrise, on March 13th, 2014!
Skagit Valley is famous for tulips in the spring. And daffodils! Each year the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival harkens the arrival of spring to the Pacific Northwest.
There are hundreds of acres of tulips and daffodils. If you want to visit, here is a link to the Bloom Map.
Daffodils bloom first, there three large fields alight now, with more to come. The arrival of the tulips generally happens in the first week of April, but it always depends on how many sunny days we get!
Samish Overlook: First Days of Spring!
These are a few images from last evening’s sunset. Overlooking Skagit Valley, things are starting to get green!
Samish River Clouds
The Samish River meanders through the flats of the Skagit Valley. The old wreck was once a racing tugboat, long since abandoned. The confluence of water and clouds is always a draw for me.
Tulips of Skagit Valley
March has arrived and it’s not too long now (hopefully!) until it gets a little warmer and the flowers start to arrive.
Rows of Reds, Reflected
This months issue of NW Travel Mag with one of my images on the cover!
I live in Skagit County, named after the Skagit Indians and Skagit River) in the NW corner of Washington State. And among its other striking features such as the North Cascades and Puget Sound we have the Tulip Festival every April. 
Yellows at sunset
I understand that outside of Holland there are more tulips grown here than anywhere. The valley floor has a wide expanse of fertile, flat farmland and near the towns of Mount Vernon and La Conner there are fields and fields of bright tulips. 
Infinite Pinks
Each year the bloom times change, but generally its mid April when they are at their height of color.
This is a web site that has a link for a map showing exactly where the fields are and when they are abloom.
Rows and people
Every Saturday and Sunday the roads are crammed with cars forming long lines. This is not a good time to come! If you do come on the weekend make sure to arrive for either sunrise or sunset. I am often out for the sunrise and the fields are bright a crisp, a few workers and photographers are there, and that’s about it.
Weekdays are the best, plan to arrive about 5 or 6. The tulipy stores are closed and the manicured gardens. But the huge expansive fields are alive with the hue of low light and alive with vibrance!
Yellowy mud!
Make sure to dress for mud, and bring your tripod and polarizer!
Reds and a dramatic sky
If you decide to make the trip for a sunrise or sunset and want a tour guide, make sure to let me know! I am always happy to have company!
North Western Images - photos by Andy Porter 