Rialto Beach

Rialto Beach is located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The area is absolutely beautiful, yet the crowds do not convey this fact as it is 4 hours away from the Seattle area. Despite the distance, it is worth every minute of the trip there and back.

Here are a few shots from my visits. 

The drive to Rialto Beach can be absolutely spectacular when done early in the morning or during sunset.  This shot was taken about 45 minutes before sunset.

A river empties into the Pacific Ocean along Rialto Beach. During the drive in to the beach, the road follows along the river. 

Driftwood shelter on Rialto Beach at sunrise near La Push, WA. 

Hole in the wall, a natural tunnel formation on Rialto Beach near La Push, WA. 

Two people and a dog walking into the fog on Rialto Beach.

Marymoor Park Birdwatching

This is an image from a recent trip to Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA. Great Blue Herons nest in the trees along the Sammamish River. This was taken just after it had taken off from the tree.  

Canon 5D Mark III w/ 400mm F/5.6L USM

1/5000 sec at F/5.6 and ISO 800

Great Blue Heron in flight at Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA. 

Moonrise over Seattle

On the 25th of January, 2013 I was lucky enough to see a perfectly timed sunset and moonrise over Seattle, WA. Taken from Alki Beach, the sun was setting directly behind me which allowed some beautiful reflections to form over the water while the moon slowly rose overhead. I had no previous knowledge that this was going to occur, and I had only driven into Seattle that day on a whim.

This is a prime example of one of the best pieces of advice I can give a struggling or aspiring photographer. Get out there and shoot as often as you can. You wont know what you are missing until you are there to see it.

Moonrise over Seattle, WA. 

25 second exposure at F/16 and ISO 100

Canon 5D Mark III

EF 24-105 F/4L IS USM

A Hike Toward Serenity

For those who enjoy hiking, this is a must if you are in the western Washington area at some point. The few times I have been up here it has been gorgeous and clear, but I hope someday to do this hike on a foggy day and get some shots out over the lowlands covered in fog while the mountains rise above it. The trail has in my opinion some of the most beautiful scenery in Washington and is a wonderfully enjoyable 8-10 mile hike.

Check out more information here:   http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/lake-serene  

Some photos of the most recent visit: 

Stream alongside the Lake Serene trail on Mount Index, WA. 

View from Mount Index on the way up to Lake Serene in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. 

Lake Serene lies underneath the cliffs of the summit of Mount Index in Washington state. 

Nature in its unadulterated simplicity and beauty. 

View along the trail heading back from Lake Serene.

One Small Step

A comparatively small but significant step on our journey into the cosmos the moon represents one of the greatest milestones in the Earth's history. A time when life from our planet stood on another world and looked back at our tiny planet in an ocean of eternity.

The journey into the cosmos is not felt by one people or one nation, but by all people. The exploration of space brings us all closer together as we learn more about how minute we are in  comparison with the vastness of the cosmos. This more than anything else shows that we are one people, one planet regardless of superficial differences. We are earth, a tiny blue planet orbiting one of billions upon billions of stars in the universe.

The moon taken with a 400mm F/5.6L on a Canon 5D Mark III on a tripod.  

The moon taken with a 400mm F/5.6L on a Canon 5D Mark III on a tripod.  

Science Cafe Seattle

On Tuesday I had the opportunity to see Melissa Rice, PhD. talk on her experience with the Mars rover programs. The turnout was incredible, it is really exhilarating seeing such a huge interest in science. Melissa Rice is an inspirational speaker and the work she is involved with is incredible. Big thanks to the Planetary Society and Pacific Science Center for putting on such a great Science Cafe!

Packed house at T.S. McHugh's in Seattle.

Melissa Rice, PhD. fielding questions on Mars and the rover programs.