Today was Day 0 of the Olympic NP Workshop led by David Middleton.
Day 0 meaning, I thought everyone would get in Friday evening, and we’d be shooting today. No such luck. Workshop’s first meeting was this evening. There are sixteen of us, I think, only one other is in my age range. Actually, I think she’s younger than me, probably 20s. But everyone else is 50s or older. No strenuous hikes on this trip. Which, considering how slammed I was after my activities this morning, it’s probably a good thing.
I sent David an email before the workshop, asking for recommendations for my free Saturday. He suggested I check out Lake Crescent and/or the Elwha River if it’s cloudy, or the harbor if it’s sunny. I figured I hit all three, but after the long ride yesterday, and some strenuous hikes with huge amounts of gear, I only hit two of the three waterfalls along the Elwha River I’d planned to hit.
The experience was daunting: I’ve never been that good of a nature photographer. I try, but having lived in, well, Chicago, San Francisco and Manhattan since I left home at 18, I’m a city boy. Urban photography, people, seems to work better for me, even though I want to take the beautiful nature shots.
Anyway, I can get the waterfalls. I’m good with the waterfalls. The killer, though, was the photo to the left. I had to jump creeks to get to it, but just as I was about to head back, I caught a glimpse, just above the falls, of another waterfall. I couldn’t see much of it, but gods, it looked magnificent.
And no way to get there without climbing gear, or major bodily injury.
A good day, though.