Deserts and Grasslands
The first rays of sunlight shining down over a field of Arrowleaf Balsamroot at Rowena Crest, Oregon in the Eastern Columbia River Gorge. In early spring, the eastern end of the gorge is one of the first places in the region where the wildflowers begin to bloom. After a long Pacific Northwest winter, seeing these stunning wildflowers is very refreshing!
Sunrise light and spring wildflowers in the Columbia Hills of Washington.
Sunrise light and spring wildflowers (Arrowleaf Balsamroot and Lupine) in the Columbia Hills of Washington.
A sunrise view of Mt Hood from the wildflower fields of Columbia Hills State Park, Washington. The wildflowers in the foreground are called Arrowleaf Balsamroot and are some of the first flowers to bloom each spring.
Sunrise light over a field of Arrowleaf Balsamroot at Rowena Crest in the Eastern Columbia River Gorge. In early spring, the eastern end of the gorge is one of the first places in the region where the wildflowers begin to bloom. After a long Pacific Northwest winter, seeing these stunning wildflowers is very refreshing!
Mt Hood towers above a field of wildflowers (Arrowleaf Balsamroot and Columbia Gorge Broad Leaf Lupine) in the Columbia Hills of Washington. I always enjoy making the annual spring trip out to the Columbia Hills to check out the wildflowers. In early spring, the eastern end of the gorge is one of the first places in the region where the wildflowers begin to bloom. After a long Pacific Northwest winter, seeing these stunning wildflowers is very refreshing!
Early morning light at Borax Hot Springs in the Alvord Desert of Oregon. The extremely cold air temperature helped create a thick layer of hoarfrost on the grasses surrounding the hot spring. The quietness of this area was something that caught me by surprise. The only sounds I heard that morning were the occasional bubbles rising in the hot spring. This made for a very peaceful and relaxing morning. This image as selected as the winner of the Wildands category of the "Oregon Wild 2011 Photo Contest".
Early morning light at Borax Hot Springs in the Alvord Desert of Oregon. The extremely cold air temperature helped create a thick layer of hoarfrost on the grasses surrounding the hot spring. The air temperature that morning was 5 degrees F and the hot spring water was 180 degrees F.
"Radiant Glow" Sunrise alpenglow on Steens Mountain from Borax Hot Springs. Alvord Desert, Oregon.
"Painted Hills Sunset" Evening light on the Painted Hills in the John Day National Monument in Central Oregon.
"Underneath the Sky" Grass and sky near Borax Lake, Alvord Desert, Oregon.
Early morning light during the springtime wildflower bloom in the Columbia Hills of Washington.
Early morning sunlight over spring farmland in Oregon.
Sunrise alpenglow illuminates Mt Hood above a field of springtime wildflowers in the Columbia Hills of Washington. To achieve sharp focus throughout the frame, I used a technique I call "compression blending". This technique is an extreme form of depth of field blending and involves using a telephoto lens to compress the different elements in the scene. Once the optimal composition is determined, multiple images are captured at different focus points. The sharp images are later assembled in post processing to create one final image that is sharp throughout.
