Frost on Mountain Ash Berries, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Grand landscapes are the cornerstone of most outdoor photography, but it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the big picture. Trying to capture all that beauty and present it in a single frame is often the biggest conundrum of outdoor photographers. When the light is dramatic it transfixes us and we want to get it all in, whether it’s a firey sunset that fills the sky or a hillside covered in golden autumn hues. The mantra is “go wide” and we reach for our faithful 24mm lens to preserve every bit of nature’s gift.

It’s human nature to want to take it all in, but the big picture is only one factor in conveying the emotion that is felt at the scene. The details which often lay at our feet and are so easily overlooked not only create a continuity in telling the story of a particular location, but can result in images that stand quite well on their own. And when the dramatic light is nowhere to be found as on dreary overcast days, this is the perfect time to focus on the small things.

The Quinault Rain Forest in Washington’s Olympic National Park is a lush and vibrant setting with limitless possibilities for photography. Along with the Queets and Hoh, it is one of the largest temperate rain forests in the lower 48 and receives an amazing 12 to 14 feet (yes feet!) of precipitation each year. The abundance of plants and trees including Sitka spruce, western hemlock, and Bigleaf maples is a feast for the eyes and the moss-draped branches create a jungle-like feeling in this primeval forest.

The challenge of course is to keep your photo gear dry and a portable umbrella and camera rain hood like those made by Kata are invaluable for shooting when it’s wet. Fortunately, the skies are often cloudy which creates nice even lighting, eliminates the harsh shadows and really makes the colors glow. And if the scene includes water, the longer exposures often required in the forest will create a silky look that only adds to the dreamlike quality of this special place. The only problem I’ve encountered when shooting rain forests is that when you leave your eyes have a hard time adjusting to the lack of green in the rest of the world!

Here’s an image of Mount Rainier from our new Forces of Nature gallery, which illustrates the power mother nature can unleash in a moment or over a millennium in the form of wind, water, ice, lightning, or magma. The cloud formed just moments before sunset and the glowing mass made the dormant volcano appear to come alive - a fascinating contrast of fire and ice.

March 22nd is World Water Day. It’s hard to believe that we share the planet with nearly 1 billion people who don’t have access to clean drinking water. So enjoy that drink (but don’t forget to turn off the faucet).

A recent article in the Washington Post illustrated an interesting trend that is occurring in the medical profession these days and perhaps the timing couldn’t be better. Just when health insurance is the hot topic, doctors across the country are increasingly telling their patients to “take a hike” to fix what ails them.

No, they’re not trying to lose customers, but instead are medicating their patients with nature to treat everything from heart disease to attention deficit disorder. Detailed prescriptions are often written to include park or preserve locations,  specific trails and mileage. In many ways, as Ken Burns recently pointed out, our national park system can and should be an integral part of our health care system.

As a nature photographer, I spend a great deal of time on and off the trail and I feel fortunate that my work not only helps to protect these special places, but promotes my health in the process.