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
Tag Archives: Photo Instruction
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!
Cutthroat Pass, North Cascades
Cutthroat Pass Panorama
The hike to Cutthroat Pass is an easy one, both to get to and to hike. The trail leaves from the parking area at the north side of Rainy Pass, along the North Cascades Highway. It’s about 5 miles or so to the top. Along the way there are streams, meadows and higher up, camps.
Cutthroat Pass Trail
Sunrise at Cutthroat Pass
I made the jaunt up to capture some fall colors. We slept on slabs at the top of the pass.
View from camp atop Cutthroat Pass
View from camp atop Cutthroat Pass
Cutthroat Peak
Milky Way from Cutthroat Pass
Sunrise over Skagit Valley
My never ending search for fine, scenic viewpoints from which to capture images led me to the Samish Overlook.
Arriving before sunrise the moon was still visible.
Clouds filled the valley and the mountain on the horizon was clear.
As the sun came up the low clouds started to burn off.
It was quite a sight!
Liberty Bell Mountain, North Cascades
Any trip over the North Cascades Highway necessitates a stop at the Washington Pass Lookout.
Located at the highest point along the highway, at more than 5,400 ft elevation, Washington Pass Overlook offers stunning views of Liberty Bell and Early Winter Spires.
This section of the North Cascades Highway makes for one of the most scenic drives in Washington and is a part of the Cascade Loop Scenic Highway
I have stopped there many times on the way to or from hikes in the Pasayten Wilderness. Each time the mountain shows a different countenance. Silver Star Mountain is also clearly in view from the Washington Pass Lookout. 
After Mount Shuksan I would have to guess that Liberty Bell is one of the most photographed mountains in the state, due to its stark beauty and easy access to the lookout area.
Several trips I have made to Washington Pass only to capture images, at sunrise, sunset and on clear starless nights!
On the trail to Delicate Arch
Delicate Arch in Arches National Park is the quintessential landmark in the state, adorning license plates and all sorts of travel guides.
The trail you follow to get there is in itself jaw-dropping!
Mount Rainier: Images from Goat Rocks Wilderness
These three images of Mount Rainier were captured while hiking along the Lily Basin Trail in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. The lake with the small island is called Packwood Lake.
Wildflowers of Washington
My three favorite places to experience wildflower explosions are:
1. The Pasayten Wilderness. Here you’ll hike through acres of nothing but wildflowers, as far as you can see. And I don’t mean clumps of flowers here and there, but solid unending hillsides and ridgetops. 
2. Goat Rocks Wilderness. The south side of the Goat Rocks, along the PCT near Snowgrass Flats has some of the brightest, most colorful, died and gone to flower heaven displays. 
3. Sahale Arm, North Cascades National Park. Here the backdrop for the flowers is absolutely magnificent, the jagged peaks surrounding Cascade Pass juxtaposing with the flowers for a truly breathtaking effect. 
North Western Images - photos by Andy Porter 