We got off to an early start to a long day. First destination: Sol Duc forest, about ten miles west of the main part of Olympic NP. Peter, Layla and I were on the road early, and when we arrived, only David was at the trailhead.
I came here to learn how to photograph forests and landscapes. Part of this hike was Sol Duc falls, the other was the forest–David’s favorite, apparently, and the main reason he has come back to the Olympic Peninsula for twenty-two years. Anyway, I haven’t figured out forests yet. I got the s-curve thing (photo right), but that’s general. I tried everything, and it was all lame.
The falls was a nice distraction, and I got some nice shots. And I had some fun with these tiny water droplets somehow frozen on the underside of a fungus.
Just as the sun was coming out, making the forest nearly impossible to shoot with stark highlights and shadows, David (with Layla) found me to give us both some tips. I didn’t get to practice, but I want to write it down for next time.
- Hide trees behind trees. You’re trying to simplify the chaos of the forest.
- Find a few trees in a row, ideally in perspective to lead the viewer into the forest. They don’t have to be in a line, actually, but they should be at different distances.
- Use at least one tree as a vertical frame, even cut the trunk in half.
- Don’t bother finding the tops of the trees. It’ll just wash out the picture.
- Find leading lines.
- Generally, you’re trying to make the viewer feel like they can step right into the forest through your picture.
Anyway, I’ll remember this for later.
Next destination: Rialto Beach, on the Pacific Coast. The lighting was bleak, flat. Gray clouds, no texture, dirty gray/brown water. Blech.
Layla and I walked about twenty minutes down the beach to "hole in the wall," an arch at the far end of the beach. Photographically dull, but a beautiful hike. On the way back, we figured we should find some subjects to shoot. A rusted propane tank was the target. The pictures all sucked, but we were getting tired, and trying David’s landscape technique with the propane tank as our foreground was hilariously funny. By the time we had walked back, though, our legs were weak from keeping a sure footing on the pebbles and rocks that made up 75% of the beach. I had planned to stay until sunset, but by the time I reached the parking lot, I was done. Peter had been ready to go for an hour, so we took off immediately.
When we got back, I rallied to make a trip out to Ediz Hook for the sunset there. It was flat. Pretty to watch, bland to photograph.
This has been a very challenging workshop.