Mount Shuksan, North Cascades National Park, Washington ©Jay Goodrich

This month’s image was taken in early September from the end of the Mount Baker Highway near Mount Baker Ski Area in Washington State. My wife Heather, daughter Jade, and son Micah and I were shooting some hiking images for an upcoming calendar along the trails above Artist Point, when we stumbled upon this tarn that was perfectly still at sunset. After I captured a couple of photos with the family in the reflection, I just couldn’t pass up shooting the image as a landscape as well. The more I explore in Washington, the more astonished I am at the unobstructed beauty here. It was one of those evenings where everything came together perfectly-the clouds, the stillness in the water, and the alpenglow on the peak. I couldn’t have created it better with a written request to mother nature. This image was shot with a Canon 1D Mark III, 16-35mm f2.8 II lens, Gitzo carbon fiber tripod, Kirk ballhead, and a three stop graduated neutral density filter.

Clouds over Mount Rainier, Washington © Jay Goodrich

Those who know me best know that I have been friends with Art Wolfe for some time now. He was a huge inspiration before I even had a career in photography and now our relationship has turned into a great friendship. I have spent the last 10 days with him traveling around Washington, sometimes photographing, sometimes driving (12+ hours straight one day), sometimes working and more often than not, laughing. I can count on him to make me laugh to the point that my stomach muscles are sore by time our trips are over. He invokes a drive in me to work harder and push my creativity farther than ever before. Sitting and watching the world pass you by is not an option for Art nor is it even in his vocabulary.

Here are two more photos from Mount Rainier National Park. The star trails image resulted in only 3 hours of sleep in order to be at Reflection Lake for sunrise. The high pressure that has been in place in the Pacific Northwest gave way briefly one evening to produce enough clouds for an unbelievable sunset. I now get to go home for a month, shoot a bunch of architecture projects, and catch up on running my business before it all starts again in Grand Teton National Park when Art, Gavriel Jecan, and I will be leading a workshop together. The whirlwind never stops…

Star Trails over Mount Rainier, Washington © Jay Goodrich

Snow Geese and Heron in the Skagit Valley, Washington © Jay Goodrich

Heather and I have been together for almost 12 years. We have always struggled to find a New Year’s celebration that has kept us talking about the experience for the months following. The parties that we remember often are the ones in which we were always with those closest to our hearts. I think 2000 was the last time that situation had occurred. This year we spent it in Washington with our very dear friends Art Wolfe, Cindy Reed, Patrick Rummans, and Tim Hagan the master coffee maker with the aspen leaf trademark. I can honestly say that I laughed for five or six days straight and I still laugh whenever I think of our time with everyone. I had that much fun.

The day after New Year’s, Art took us all to the Skagit Valley for a photo shoot. It was as if you stole all of the snow geese from Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, and dropped them into this amazing northwestern eco-system, added a bunch of glaciated peaks, the ocean, a river, and very very green grass. The color palette was something to die for, especially at sunset, which is when I took this image. All of these snow geese blasted off because of a lone blue heron who flew into the mix looking for dinner. He then proceeded to fly around with his brethren, unbeknownst to him, that he was the actual cause of all of the commotion in the first place. On the last frame of a 4GB flash card, I rendered this image of the “black sheep” appearing from his flock. This image was taken with a Canon 1D Mark III, 600mm f4 AF IS lens, Gitzo tripod, Kirk ballhead. Mastered in Lightroom and Photoshop.