Skagit Valley Tulips 2015 – Best Images

I went to the tulip and daffodil fields often this year.

Daffodils, Morning Light

Daffodils, Morning Light

Eighteen times to be precise.

Yellow Tulips and a Smile

Yellow Tulips and a Smile

A new record for visits in one year.

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Backlighting, my favorite

The Daffodils started in February.

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Stars!

As of today, April 17, the tulips are done.

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Beheading

Finished, kaput.

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Pink River

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Maximus

I am not sorry, I’m relieved.

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Tulip Selfie

My Tulip Goal for this year was two-fold: to get an image of a huge double rainbow directly over the blazing tulip fields AND to somehow capture an image of dark skies over the tulips being ripped asunder by searing bolts of lightning.

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Converging

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The Barn

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Mud

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Pinks

I failed miserably on both of these counts.

MUD!

MUD!

All of these image, and many more, are for sale as fine art prints as well as Canvas Wrapped Prints. Here is the place to view and buy!

Love the backlit cene

Love the back lit scene

Reflection

Reflection

Water in the rows

Water in the rows

Loner

Loner

Sunset over the Skagit River

Bridge over Skagit River

Bridge over Skagit River

Getting out to capture cool pics is about cloud watching. Days when its clear or overcast lack interest for me. The trick is that you need to pay attention! I have seen many days here in Skagit Valley when it poured rain all day and was miserable, only to partially clear in the late afternoon/early evening and produce some of the best skies ever. Today for example the sky was completely clear all day, but late in the afternoon the clouds appeared and we had a magnificent sunset. I was rather late getting out with the camera and so opted for a spot about 5 minutes drive from my house: The Highway 9 bridge over the Skagit River. I shot with a fast shutter speed to compensate for all the shakin’ goin’ on from the traffic over the bridge. This produced some interesting lines from the currents in the water.
Skagit River at Sunset

Skagit River at Sunset

Wheat Field at Sunset

Yesterday, late in the gloomy afternoon, the clouds commenced to part. I headed towards the water. Capturing images of the marsh and trees and a wonderful old barn I was transfixed. The sun left, departed and so did I. As I returned to the car a sudden streak of sunlight out witted the clouds and let go of one last shout.
Luckily, by then, I had pulled over and managed to find a vantage point snap this shot.

Padilla Bay, Skagit County

Padilla Bay, Skagit County