Life (Still)

Landscape images from throughout the Pacific Northwest

The welcome embrace
A heavy fog lingers midday along a marshy bottom in Sequim, WA.

Copyright © 2013 Damon D. Edwards, All rights reserved. Use without permission is illegal.
The welcome embrace D800 Damon D. Edwards Hawthorne tree Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest Sequim WA Washington damonedwards.com fence fog marsh
Base layer
The setting sun hits the foothills of the Olympic Mountains in Gardiner, WA.
Bear Mountain Bell Hill Burnt Hill D800 Damon D. Edwards Gardiner Highway 101 Lookout Hill Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest WA damonedwards.com layers summer sunset
The best part of me (my one good arm)
The massive rock formations of Tyler Peak's eastern arm are bathed in clouds, making the scene feel other-worldly.
DSC5589 D800 Damon D. Edwards Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest damonedwards.com
The Passion
The days end above the majestic Olympic mountains erupts with the passion of all that there is to give.
D800 Damon D. Edwards Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest damonedwards.com clouds Dungeness River fog GND golden hour mountains Olympic mountains passion serene snow sunset
Stay gold
The last of the suns golden rays illuminate Cloudy Peak on the western portion of Alphabet Ridge deep inside the Buckhorn Wilderness of the Olympic Mountains in Washington.
D800 Damon D. Edwards Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest damonedwards.com Cloudy Peak olympic mountains golden hour Sunset Alphabet Ridge Buckhorn Wilderness
Slow burn
As the storm clouds take hold, the lingering light from the days sun burns away as a reminder of what was.
DSC4939 D800 Damon D. Edwards Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest damonedwards.com
The crown
I pushed into the earth,
the acid searing through me
Climb
The trees, they stopped there
and my eyes caught the wonder of the light above
A crown rose above the forest and set the sky and clouds alight
I stopped there, reveled in the glory of a new day
while the world below still slept
The crown D800 Damon D. Edwards Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest damonedwards.com
You left me behind
A barn full of hay for winter storage sits on the old Fritz Farm high above the town Sequim, WA.
D800 Damon D. Edwards Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest damonedwards.com No Trespassing barn winter hay Sequim WA Washington farm Fritz Palo Alto Road sign
The reminders of simplicity
The subtle forever
not to mince words
life's' algorithm forms itself
the night embraces stars
only then can you truly see
open the doors
let your mind go
forge everything
find that nothing, isn't
drink deep from the darkness
a washed within the dreams of invaders
the light reminds us
we fade into one another
The journey
leaving nothing left behind
wonder drives the world
To know, you're alive
The pale taste of morning
Breathe.
D800 Damon D. Edwards Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest damonedwards.com mist fog barren solitary cold blue
I stand alone
Amidst Bear Mountain's dense forest canopy of Western Hemlocks and Douglas Firs, the sun illuminates a lone Big Leaf Maple tree standing proud displaying its' vibrant yellow fall color through the low cloud cover.
Acer macrophyllum Autumn Big Leaf Maple Blyn D7000 Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest Sequim WA Washington fall fog forest misty solo unique yellow
The fountain of my youth
A wheat field in Carlsborg, WA sits ready for harvest at the summers end.
Carlsborg Clallam county D7000 Nikon Old Olympic Highway Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest Sequim WA Washington barn blue sky clear sky countryside farm grain northwest rural
The dance
The dance D7000 Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest
Her time has come
It took forever, seemingly, but it has made the long journey and now stands before her. As the sun sets behind the majestic Olympic Mountains, storm clouds let loose their rain over the Hood Canal. The show of such brillant colors, such sights never before seen. Her time has come and it sits here, only but for a moment.
D7000 Hood Canal Hood Canal Bridge Nikon Olympic mountains Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest Poulsbo Purple WA Washington bridge clouds dreamlike gold hues magenta majestic northwest rain rain clouds rare sky storm sunlight sunset water
Alone with her thoughts
A fishing boat sits in Port Hadlock bay as rain clouds move in just before sunset.
D7000 Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest Port Hadlock WA Washington boat fishing boat rain rain clouds reflection sunset water
Moon over Winter Paradise
As the Washington State Ferry MV Kennewick (Sahaptin for "Winter Paradise") passes through the Strait of Juan de Fuca towards Whidbey Island, the perigee moon or "Super Moon" begins to rise into the early night sky.
Moon over Winter Paradise Coupeville D7000 Fort Worden Kwadi Tabil MV Kennewick Native American Nikon Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest Plateau Penutian Point Wilson Port Townsend Sahaptin Shahaptin Sħáptənəxw WA Washington Ferry Washington State Ferries Whidbey Island boat ferry full moon northwest outdoors outside perigee ship sunset supermoon vessel water winter paradise
The encore
As the sun begins to fade from sight over the horizon, the sky absorbs the fleeting colors while the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca dance in and out of the rocks surrounding the Point Wilson lighthouse at Fort Worden State Park.
The encore 1.2 GND D7000 Fort Worden State Park Jefferson county Landscape Lee filters ND filter Nikon Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest Point Wilson Port Townsend Strait of Juan de Fuca Tokina 1116mm f2.8 WA Washington beach bluff clouds lighthouse northwest ocean outdoors sunset water and rocks
Just a moment
A moment. An indefinitely short period of time; instant. As the sun sets over the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the wanning tides spalshes are captured as they crash against the rocks surrounding the Point Wilson lighthouse at Fort Worden State Park.
1.2 GND D7000 Fort Worden State Park Jefferson county Landscape Lee filters ND filter Nikon Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest Point Wilson Port Townsend Strait of Juan de Fuca Tokina 1116mm f2.8 WA Washington beach bluff clouds lighthouse northwest ocean outdoors sunset water and rocks
The window to my soul
The Olympic Mountains. My second home during much of the year. Seen here at sunset are both southeast and northwest peaks of Buckhorn Mountain, Iron Mountain and Mount Worthington. The peaks range in elevation from 6-7000' and considering this shot was taken at sea level, that's quite a hike.
D7000 Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest WA Olympic Mountains sunset snow peaks Damon D. Edwards Buckhorn Mountain Iron Mountain Mount Worthington
Burning inside (come lay with me)
The best educated guess for the temperature of the sun is 5778 degrees Kelvin. The star at the center of our solar system provides the earth with light and heat to provide for life; along with the added bonus of captivating sunsets such as this one seen along the Strait of Juan de Fuca on a rock outcropping on the beach at Dungeness Spit. As the sun fades from view behind the Olympic Mountains, a solid orange stream emerges, firing straight up into the sky as the clouds surrounding it take on hues of red and magenta.
1857 Clallam county D7000 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge Dungeness Spit NDLSA New Dungeness Light Station Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest Sequim Strait of Juan de Fuca WA Washington William Henry Blake beach lighthouse newdungenesslighthouse.com wildlife preserve
Burning inside
The best educated guess for the temperature of the sun is 5778 degrees Kelvin. The star at the center of our solar system provides the earth with light and heat to provide for life; along with the added bonus of captivating sunsets such as this one seen along the Strait of Juan de Fuca on a rock outcropping on the beach at Dungeness Spit. As the sun fades from view behind the Olympic Mountains, a solid orange stream emerges, firing straight up into the sky as the clouds surrounding it take on hues of red and magenta.
1857 Clallam county D7000 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge Dungeness Spit NDLSA New Dungeness Light Station Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest Sequim Strait of Juan de Fuca WA Washington William Henry Blake beach lighthouse newdungenesslighthouse.com wildlife preserve
If only
Dawn as the sun rises at the New Dungeness Light Station situated at the end of the 5.5 mile long Dungeness Spit, the largest sand spit in the United States. For a volunteer lighthouse keeper, this view presents itself 7 times, the results of which are never alike. 7 hopes. 7 dreams. 7 expectations. 7 opportunities. To awaken to a sight such as this daily. If only...
1857 Clallam county D7000 Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge Dungeness Spit NDLSA New Dungeness Light Station Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest Sequim Strait of Juan de Fuca WA Washington William Henry Blake beach lighthouse newdungenesslighthouse.com wildlife preserve
Light (at the end of the tunnel)
A steady light rain and fog begin to settle in for the night along the Oregon coast and the Cape Creek bridge on Highway 101 staves it off, albeit momentarily, before drivers head into the tunnel heading south.
Light the end tunnel D7000 Devil's Elbow State Park Florence Highway 101 Nikon OR Oregon bridge cave coast fog lighthouse lights long exposure night rain road
In formation
Row upon rows of young Douglas Firs stand in formation along the edge of Forest Road 5500 in The Siuslaw National Forest near Yachats, OR.
D7000 Damon D. Edwards damonedwards.com Douglas fir earth forest Forest Road 5500 green Landscape Landscape photography lichen linear moss mountain nature Nikon OR Pacific Northwest PNW Siuslaw National Forest symetry timber trees trees Oregon vertical wood woods
Passing over
Stars in the western sky trail overhead at Marmot Pass, elevation 6000'. Located in The Buckhorn Wilderness, a part of The Olympic National Forest, Marmot Pass is a well-known trail divide for hikers making their way through the Eastern Olympic Mountain range. The trail offers 5 routes, only 3 of them being represented by the wooden trail marker. The first choice, heading east, is the Big Quilcene trail; the most commonly taken approach to the pass. The second choice to the north is the Tubal Cain trail, which leads hikers to a former 1890's mine along with the crash site of a WWII bomber. The final choice is Boulder Shelter, which leads west and takes hikers down into the Dungeness Valley. The fourth and fifth trails, not listed on the trail marker, are the foot path heading South that leads up to Boulder Ridge and the trail heading South-South East down to the valley floor where the marmots play.
Autumn Buckhorn Wilderness D7000 Jefferson county Marmot Pass Nikon Olympic mountains Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest WA Washington astronomy backpacking earth fall heavens hiking long exposure northwest outdoors outside sky star trails stars
Self titled
The fishing boat Quandary certainly seems to be in one. Moored in Port Townsend, WA in midday, this boat and its crew are temporarily out of work while the rest of the fleet is out to sea harvesting their catch.
Self titled
Sun room
Lying beneath the once-shattered and scarred earth above, this skylight illuminates the Ape Cave of Mount Saint Helens, Washington state's most infamous volcano. The Ape Cave is really a Pahoehoe (basaltic lava) tube totaling 13,042' in length that is situated underground in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The tube has an upper and lower section, the upper being more challenging due to its various boulder fields along with an 8' lava fall to climb.
volcano Gifford Pinchot National Forest WA Ape Cave lava landscape skylight sunlight sun underground D7000 lava tube washington nikon Pahoehoe basaltic lava subterrain cave darkness
Royal Dawn
As the early summer morning sun illuminates Mount Deception and The Needles ridgeline, Royal Lake lies below reflecting the serenity of the scene in its calm alpine waters.
Royal Lake hike Olympic National Park WA Washington Nikon D7000 backpacking wilderness lake water reflection outdoors sunrise serene still summer Alpine lake Royal Basin evergreens The Needles Mount Deception serenity dawn wakeup trees woods forest nature peaceful
Along the waters edge
The lifeless pier pilings of better days gone by sit in collective despair within the heavy morning marine layer along the waters edge in Port Gamble Bay.
mist fog marine layer sunrise bay water pylons pilings abandoned WA Washington Port Gamble morning Nikon D7000 silhouette desolate scattered lifeless moody gray grey
Isolated view
A lone sail boat moored off the beaches of the Shine Tidelands State Park in Port Ludlow sits in the early morning marine layer of the Hood Canal.

Side note: It took me about 14 months to get this shot, as I noticed this sailboat last year about a week before it pulled anchor and left. Luckily it came back again this year and we had one good morning where the marine layer was just right for this shot that I had had in mind.
boat Damon D. Edwards gray grey Hood Canal island isolated marine layer minimalism mist moored morning Nikon Pacific Northwest personal best Port Ludlow sailboat serene Shine Tideland WA Washington water
Breaking free
Trees dotted along the hillsides surrounding Makah Bay are seen breaking free from the morning marine layer just off the coast of the Pacific Ocean near Neah Bay, WA.
fog marine layer trees forest sunrise WA Makah Bay Washington D7000 Nikon Damon MK19 hillside mountain olympic peninsula nature landscape great outdoors earth woods
Mussel beach
Mussels line the rock outcroppings along the Pacific coastline of Makah Bay on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.
Mussel beach D7000 Damon D. Edwards Makah Bay Neah Bay Nikon Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest Pacific Ocean WA Washington damonedwards.com outdoors
Anchor Rock
Standing near the coastline of Neah Bay, WA along the Strait of Juan de Fuca, this abandoned outcropping of earth; better known as a sea stack, and the surrounding rocks are illuminated by the morning sunlight. Seen at the morning low tide, the receding waters give insight to the life growing beneath the surface of the ocean. As with many of the Washington coastlines sea stacks, Anchor Rock has a great deal of flora still clinging to its upper surface; to include a grouping of evergreen trees.
10stop Clallam county D7000 Landscape Nikon Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest Sigma 1020mm f4 Strait of Juan de Fuca UWA WA Washington art beach earth great outdoors interesting low tide nature northwest ocean outdoors outside rocks sea stack trees water water and rocks
Down and to the right
On a sunny spring day, an empty Point White pier sits out in Port Orchard Bay at an extreme low tide in Bainbridge Island, WA. The 100' long pier, built in the early 1900's, served in a number of roles such as a steamer and ferry dock and is now a city park.
Down and the right
To the Point
Seen on a crisp late winter morning, Point No Point lighthouse seemingly juts out into the Puget Sound in Hansville, WA as the sun begins to lift over the horizon. The dense cloud layer that hovers over the Cascade mountain range slightly obscures the sun, as the morning tide off of the point recedes.
A Passion for The Pacific Northwest BW 3.0 ND D7000 Damon D. Edwards Hansville Kitsap county Kitsap peninsula Landscape photography March Nikon PNW Pacific Northwest Pacific Northwest photographer Point No Point lighthouse Puget Sound WA Washington Winter beach best light earth incoming high tide lighthouse long exposure magic hour natural lighting nature northwest outdoors outside shoreline sunrise the golden hour the great outdoors
Power point
Cape Flattery, WA - the northwestern most point in the continental United States. A finger located on the cape is shown here, photographed with a B+W 3.0 ND filter for 112 seconds. The long exposure shows the waves in a much milder demeanor, as they appear more like soft brush strokes than the aggressive waves that pound the cape daily. Seen slightly in the foreground and in much better detail just behind the finger, the caves formed by the waves off Cape Flattery can be seen.
water washington wa trees outdoors olympic peninsula nikon nature mk19 great outdoors earth dslr damon 2011 awesome america winter Cape Flattery water and rocks long exposure D7000 trees woods forest
Filling the void
Thor's Well, a hole carved into the volcanic rock that is the central Oregon coast shoreline, is seen beginning to drain shortly after being filled with water from the Pacific Ocean's high tide. Formed by years of the ocean cutting away at the hardened beachhead, the porous rock has been cut away from below and as quickly as the well is filled, it quickly drains out back into the awaiting sea.
Too heavy
Paused for a morning bath along the Hood Canal just outside of Union, WA; this seagulls weight seems too much for the weathered dock to bear.
Too heavy A Passion for The Pacific Northwest D90 Damon D. Edwards Hood Canal Landscape photography Mason county Nikon Olympic peninsula PNW Pacific Northwest photographer Union WA WA Washington barely afloat beach beautiful best light boat canal clouds coast dingy dock earth falling apart float fog great outdoors magic hour marine layer morning natural lighting nature nautical northwest ocean outdoors outside reflection sea seabird seagull serene shore shoreline state of disrepair sunrise the golden hour the great outdoors trees wake up water
Morning light
The early morning rays of the sun are caught in the Fresnel lens situated atop of the Heceta Head lighthouse in Florence, OR. This historic monument, circa 1894, is purported as the most famous lighthouse in all of America.
A Passion for The Pacific Northwest Autumn Central Oregon Coast D90 Damon D. Edwards Devils Elbow State Park Fresnel lens Heceta Head Heceta Head Lighthouse Landscape photography Nikkor 18105mm f3.5 Nikon OR October Oregon PNW Pacific Northwest photographer Pacific Ocean US 101 aged art beach best light clouds earth historic historical historical site history interesting light magic hour natural lighting nature northwest ocean outdoors outside prism ridge line saltwater sea shore sunbeam sunlight sunrise the golden hour the great outdoors tranquil viewpoint