Spring Trip to the Olympic Coast

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Andy Porter

Spring Break arrived and we headed west. For us that means a ferry ride and drive along Highway 101, through Olympic National Park, one of the greenest places on earth. We stopped to see Sol Duc Falls along the way.

And after checking into our B&B we headed to Ruby Beach for sunset.

The next morning was rainy, but the skies cleared in the afternoon for a hike along Rialto Beach.

That night we stayed in La Push and enjoyed crazy skies and a lot of hail!

Port Townsend is always a treat for more eye candy.

For information on Photo Tours, Classes and Order Prints its all right here!

Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches, Olympic National Park

Posted on June 8, 2017 by Andy Porter

Near the top of my favorite places to camp! Shi Shi Beach and Point of the Arches, Olympic National Park.

Sunset at Point of the Arches

Sunrise at Shi Shi Beach

Diablo Overlook Night Sky

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Andy Porter

Last night I was leading a Night Sky Photography Class at the North Cascades Institute.

The class went very well, due in major part to the clear skies we were lucky enough to have.

I spent most of my time advising and helping people get their settings right and compose images, but I did manage to get a few cool images as well.

This image is of Diablo Lake and Ross Dam. The snow in the foreground adds a nice balance to the image.

As I awaited the students to return to the vans for the ride back to NCI I wandered out towards the highway and saw a sign for the Cascade Loop Scenic Highway.

This and the road and starry sky presented a wonderful opportunity.

I lead Night Sky Photo Tours each month, when there is no moon. This link gives the dates for each month this year (through September) as well as other details and a way to register for your own adventure!

Night Sky and North Cascades Photo Tours are available for anyone. We can arrange to do a Drive-In tour, where we stop along the North Cascades Highway of the Mount Baker Highway to capture images, OR we can arrange hiking tours (both day hikes and overnights) to more remote locations in the North Cascades as well.

And lastly, spring is not too far off! Book your self a Skagit Valley Tulip Photo Tour!

Point of the Arches – Olympic National Park

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Andy Porter

Olympic National Park in Northwestern Washington State contains several distinctly different wonderlands.

The rain forest, glaciated peaks

Mount Olympus, Olympic Wilderness

and the Pacific coast.

The Olympic beaches are some of the wildest most rugged beaches in the lower 48. I have visited and slept on these beaches many times. There is something truly magical about the ocean.

Last week I spied a window of nice weather forecast for the coast and headed over. I was not disappointed!

Evening light

Lines in the sand

Sunset through the Arch

Arch aglow

Point of the Arches

Evening Light

Point of the Arches Sunrise

Washington State Ferry Ride: Sunrise

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Andy Porter

I recently embarked on a trip from my home in Sedro Woolley to my favorite coastal hike and camping spot at Point of the Arches, in Olympic National Park. It’s a long way, maybe 9 hours from start to camp site, and one of the beautiful legs of the sojourn is a ferry ride from Coupeville to Port Townsend. I booked my spot on the Ferry and arrived just as the sunrise was happening.

Washington State Ferry Sunrise

Ferry Drive-in

Inside the ferry

On the Ferry Deck

Washington State Ferry Sunrise

Washington State Ferry Sunrise Crown

Washington State Ferry Sunrise: Looking Out

Washington State Ferry – Coupeville

Washington State Ferry Sunrise light

I knew it was going to be a great trip when the images from the ferry ride were enough to make the entire trip worth while!

Images of the coast to come, but here is just one to whet the appetite!

Point of the Arches, Olympic National Park

Point of the Arches and Shi Shi Beach

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Andy Porter

Seastacks and seagulls.

Arch and starfish.

Boy on the beach.

Reds and blues.

Gulls in the morning light.

Starfish.

Sunset.

Camp fires along Shi Shi Beach.

Arches under starlight.

Sunrise, the morning after.

RAW Image Manipulation

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Andy Porter

Between mundane tasks like work and exercise I try to entertain myself by studying PS books and navigating the mental fog to apply new techniques for image manipulation.
My most recent “new” technique are the brushes in Camera RAW.
Here is an image in its untouched state:

And here is the finished version.

After opening the image in Camera RAW and hitting “auto” for the exposure setting almost all the additional changes were made with the brushes, altering saturation, clarity, contrast and exposure on various sections, one at a time.

Its a new way to bring out colors and textures. The image is taken at Point of the Arches, Olympic National Park.

Point of the Arches and Shi Shi Beach, Olympic National Park

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Andy Porter

I have camped at many places. Sometimes you find a spot with such beauty, such a personality that you fall in love.

Point of the Arches is one of those places for me. When the tide is out the beach stretches beyond the sea stacks. Wandering among the tide pools, excited to see what’s next, I am astounded at how much things change each time I visit, yet stay the same.

The sound of the waves, first muted and now roaring create a soundtrack that calms and thrills. The gulls and wind add their parts to the symphony.

A fire at night and the feel of sand and smoke.

The stars and darkness crashing.

Perched on the edge. Taking it all in.

Point of the Arches and Shi Shi Beach, Olympic National Park

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Andy Porter

Fantastic weather and a waning moon brought me to the coast on Saturday in another attempt to capture some decent nighttime images.

Sunset comes before starlight.

This image is facing north along Shi Shi Beach. There were probably 30 people camping along its arc. Several campfires interspersed…The orange glare is from the settlement of Neah Bay.