Coastal Green: The Pacific Northwest
The Olympic Peninsula in Washington State is the furthermost northwest tip of the continental United States. Nearly one million acres of this wilderness are protected lands, 95% of which are within Olympic National Park. Dense old growth, multi-layered forests are home to ancient cedars and spruce, fir and hemlocks. Trees as old as 1000 years, as tall as 300 feet with circumferences of more than 50 feet tower high in the canopy. Fallen trunks become the “nurse logs” upon which new growth take root. In the Willaby Creek, Hoh and Sol Duc Valley Rainforests, temperate habitats with up to 200 inches of annual rainfall, lush beards of club moss drape the curvaceous boughs of ancient trees. The forest floor is a luxuriant carpet of ferns, maple saplings and groundcover. All hues and shades of green sparkle in the dappled light or recede into mysterious shadow. These trees assume a wraith-like, eerie character. Hiking into the Sol Duc River basin brings us to bright shiny streams and thundering waterfalls set amidst emerald mosses and water slicked boulders.
In contrast to the overgrown verdant forests, the Olympic Pacific coastline is expansive, rugged and spartan. At Karaloch and La Push beaches, tides and wind pound the shore driving fallen trees up against rock cliffs, creating huge piles of weathered logs. In their worn and beaten texture we find abstract forms and hidden eyes.
These varied and rough conditions – with constant rain, drizzle and mist – require careful consideration of camera equipment and accessories. The Leica S (typ 007) along with the 30-90 mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH zoom lens and the 120 mm APO-MACRO f/2.5 lens allowed Albert to capture a range of images. Low light and generally overcast skies made a tripod and polarizing filters mandatory. Ruth worked diligently with the Leica Q (typ 116) focusing on tight macro shots and using the 28 mm f/1.7 for wider views. We traveled with Art Wolfe and LHSA member David Farkas on this special workshop based at the Lake Quinault Lodge. David came laden with Leica SL’s and Q’s for workshop participants to sample. We look forward to joining Art and David on more photographic adventures!