During our weekend trip to Olympic National Park, we spent a rainy day hiking from Sol Duc Falls to Deer Lake. The waterfall was bulging with water, spilling over the banks of the river and kicking up so much spray that you couldn’t differentiate it from the rain. I battled the wind and rain in an attempt to photograph the falls, but it proved a great challenge. The 8 mile out and bank trail was decorated with wildflowers and the trees were lush and green. We meandered along, crossing over the stream many times before reaching Deer Lake in time for lunch and a brief clearing in the rain. Head ..read more

Mount Storm King, Olympic National Park This spring we were able to make a quick escape to the Olympic Peninsula to spend the weekend at Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. We were blessed with perfect conditions for climbing to the top of Mount Storm King. A short, yet steep trail takes you high above Lake Crescent to 2,600 feet. After a little scrambling, you are rewarded with incredible views of the lake below. If you’re lucky to have a clear day, you can see all the way to Canada ..read more

For the past two months, I’ve been immersing myself in the natural world surrounding me in Kirkland. I’ve visited local parks, nature trails, walked the neighborhood streets, and admired the sky from my bedroom window. In doing this, I’ve appreciated the awakening of spring in a way that I hadn’t previously recognized. I’ve learned the names of new flowers and facts about new birds. On mornings that I’ve sought out a particular subject, I’ve found something else entirely, further proving to never hold high expectations of what my camera will find. Here are some of my favorites ..read more

Majestic Falls, Oregon Deep in the heart of Oregon lies McDowell Creek Falls County Park. A small, hidden gem, this park offers a three mile trail through a thick forest of Douglas Fir. The county has built staircases and walk ways along the park trails to ensure access to the viewpoints of the falls. We hiked this loop on a sunny winter day and while much of the park was in shade, a few spots of sunlight shined through. The neighboring waterfalls of Majestic Falls and Royal Terrace are both spectacular. Majestic is short and stout while Royal Terrace is tall and lean. Both had impressive fl ..read more

As photographers, we are able to capture a moment and record in forever. Those moments are often still and frozen in time. By including an element of motion, we are able to create photographs which are more dynamic and full of storytelling. Using a slow shutter speed, or long exposure, allows anything in your image that is moving to be shown as a blur. In the case of Soco Falls, seen above, I used a shutter speed of 4 seconds to completely blur the moving water, allowing it to appear fluid and silky, while the creek bed remains frozen in time. In the image above, I chose a shutter speed that ..read more

I am excited to introduce my newest offering- small group mentoring! This intimate 3 month mentoring program is  designed to provide you with an environment of openness and the fostering of photography growth. This small group program will be limited to 6 participants. This program will run July 2020-September 2020. The program includes: Personalized Virtual Introduction: A one hour 1 on 1 private virtual session with me to discuss your personal goals, objectives, and what you would like to achieve during this six month period. Following the session, you will receive a road map to work t ..read more

One of the reasons that we fell in love with Kirkland was because of it’s location on the banks of Lake Washington. While it’s far from the beaches we call home, being close to a big, beautiful body of water was important in making us feel more connected to our new neighborhood. The waterfront is just a short walk from our apartment, making access effortless. One mile across the water from Kirkland lies it’s much larger neighbor, Seattle. On clear days, the waterfront offers views of the city skyline. It seems so small and yet looms so large at the same time. The Kirkland Marina Docks offer ..read more

Wouldn’t you love to live in a place where two beautiful waterfalls were your neighbors? The tiny town of Prospect, Oregon is home to neighboring waterfalls Barr Creek and Mill Creek Falls. When I hear the word creek, I hardly think of a 200 foot waterfall, but both of these incredible sights are just that. Sourcing the Rouge River below, Barr and Mill Creek Falls both offer impressive flows during the spring melt. An easy walk from the parking lot of Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint, both falls are easily accessible to all levels of hiker. While viewpoints are limited, you can manage to squee ..read more

For the first 16 years of my adult married life, we lived in a suburban neighborhood with a yard and a community of sidewalks. Living in a new development meant our yards were mostly filled with box woods and thin young trees, our landscaping builder’s grade and for the most part… drab. We planted our gardens, filling our backyard with beauty which meant we rarely had to leave home to appreciate nature (even though you know we did!). But, our beauty was mostly hidden behind our home, rarely shared with those outside of our immediate circle. Fast forward to apartment living in the small downt ..read more

On the journey from California to Washington, we made a stop over in Oregon to visit family and also to play in the snow. We had a wonderful snowshoe on Tumalo Mountain near Bend. The sky was crystal clear and brilliant blue and the snow hung thick on the trees ..read more