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dpreview > Randy  > My Favorites > *My Personal Favorites*
These are twenty of my personal favorites at this time, and in no particular order. It's always difficult to pick out my all-time favorite images. More often than not it's the emotion I feel for a certain area that is just as important as the image itself.
They could, and probably will change at any given day. Behind each image is a story. Some are quite different from one another, and require a different mindset and approach. Some were pure luck, (Field of Dreams) (Early Morning Bite) Others were just being prepared at the right place and the right time. ~Randy~

The Power Of Imagination Makes Us Infinite.

_John Muir
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Randy > This is the Gig Harbor boat marina with Mount Rainier as a backdrop. The morning I shot this, December 9th 2009, it broke an all-time weather record, for being the coldest day in the Greater Puget Sound area. I couldn't adjust my camera with gloves on, so when I returned to my truck my fingers felt like they were going to break off like an icicles, and shatter on the ground. I'm usually excited about capturing scenes like this, but It was miserable, until I arrived home to a hot cup of coffee.
Randy > (The Lookout) The Bald Eagle has been the national symbol of America since 1782 As a kid I rarely had the pleasure of seeing an Eagle. However banning pesticides in the 1970s, along with the birth of conservation programs have brought this magnificent bird back for all to enjoy. My friend spotted this pair of Eagles overlooking the bluff on the old Sequim highway. We had a great time following this pair around.
Randy > (The Old Grist Mill) The historic Cedar Creek Grist Mill was built in 1876 and restored in 1989 as a centennial project. It is the only one of 19 grist mills still operating in Washington State. It's impossible to see that it's raining, My wife followed me around with her oversized umbrella as it was pouring down rain.
Randy > (Mt Rainier National Park) My wife and I were hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail that overlooks Chinook Pass. Just after we started up the trail, she looked back and exclaimed that it looked as though hand gliders were soaring over the rocky spire in the distance. I used my longest zoom, and noticed the hand gliders were actually birds of prey circling back and forth looking for a meal. I'm sure the scene we witnessed hasn't changed over the last Millennia. As if on cue, the moon and the birds slowly disappeared.
Randy > Second Beach is located near the Village of LaPush, it is an exceptional stretch of wilderness coastline on Olympic National Park. The broad sandy beach and picturesque sea stacks, relics of ancient rocky headlands, make it a perfect place to observe the grandeur of the primal forces of nature. Second Beach is part of the only 58 miles of uninhabited coastline in the lower 48. This scene looks warm and peaceful, however it was taken in March. As the sun disappeared, it became windy and bitterly cold. I kept busy jumping around to keep warm.
Randy > (Little Red Barn) This was taken after the terrific snowstorm during the Winter of 2008. This barn is less than a mile from my house. It's always been in the back of my mind to take this image in the snow. After 17 years the conditions were perfect.
Randy > Cape Disappointment Lighthouse has been guiding Mariners through the graveyard of the Pacific, since 1853. It is the oldest functioning Lighthouse on the Pacific Coast. I manually focused my camera on the Lighthouse, and timed the rotation of the beam, as I engaged my shutter to get a nice light-burst from the tower. I did this for quite some time, until I had the perfect star burst from the tower.
Randy > (Olympic National Park) This was taken on the West shore of Lake Crescent. I visit this spot at the end of October each year to capture Fall colors. This was an added bonus.
Randy > The Bremerton & Seattle Ferry, passing below the Olympic Mountains. Washington State Ferries, owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation, serves communities on Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands. It is the largest fleet of passenger and automobile ferries in the United States. I was returning home from a job interview, driving along the Port Orchard waterfront. The night before it snowed quite a bit on the Olympic Mountain Range. The surprising part is that it was a clear morning, which doesn't happen very often. I waited about 15 minutes until the ferry was centered below the Olympics. I guess the reason I like this image, is that it represents the beautiful area that I call home.
Randy > (Gifford Pinchot National Forest) Mount Adams in late July, overlooking Horseshoe Lake Earlier in the day it was very warm. We spent the day swimming in the lake. I was floating on my air-mattress looking up and the moving clouds, thinking to myself, I'd rather be here than my condo in Hawaii. My favorite spot in the world!
Randy > Lake Crescent is 624 feet deep. It's also known for its brilliant blue waters and amazing clarity (Olympic National Park) As a child I remember driving around lake Crescent's twisty road with my Mom & Dad, secretly hoping we wouldn't drive off the road into the lake. Having picnic's and camping were part of my earliest recollections. I can recall my Mom telling me to wait for an hour before I could go swimming. I spent my 20th Birthday at this same spot, diving off the dock into it's frigid waters, surfacing, whilst hollering how cold it was to my friends. The scene before me hasn't changed since my childhood. The morning I shot this photo it was a quiet morning with no one around but myself. It was a time to reflect about my childhood memories, and the great times spent here. "Each year I return, it's like visiting an old friend."
Randy > (October 2009 Has Arrived) As I was walking out the door underneath my deck to throw the ball for our dog Brandy, I noticed this spiderweb with the sun illuminating it, I sprayed the web with water to highlight it, and found a leaf. in our front yard. Although it turned out, I wanted to try it with a larger leaf, and to get the small water droplet, just before it fell from the tip of the leaf. My wife Ardys is pretty resourceful. She found the perfect orange leaf to compliment the spiderweb.
Randy > The Humes Ranch cabin was built around the year 1900 by William Humes. William Humes was originally from New York and arrived in the Elwha River area enroute to the Klondike. William, his brother, and a cousin liked the area so much they set up homestead sites. I first camped at this spot when I was eleven years old. I make it a point to visit this area every year towards the end of October. I have a fondness for the Olympic National park, probably because I grew-up near by in Port Angeles Washington. I have great memories of the park and all the hikes and picnics I experienced growing up.
Randy > This crescent moon image was taken as I was waiting for the light to change. The sun was starting to dip towards the horizon at Horseshoe lake near Mt. Adams. I had intended to take a sunset shot of the lake with Mount Adams as a backdrop. I looked up and noticed the clouds gathering around the moon, while slowly changing to a dusty Pink color. I shot three different compositions, and decided I liked this one the best. I guess I need to look up more often.
Randy > (Early Morning Bite) We were camping at Ollalie Lake near Mt. Adams, and had taken our usual morning walk after breakfast down to the lake. We noticed the mist rising above the lake with the fisherman in his boat. I ran back to camp to retrieve my camera. He was quite a ways away so I used my long zoom and shot quite a few. I got lucky with this particular shot as he was about to cast his line.
(Gifford Pinchot National Forest) Mount Adams in late July, overlooking Horseshoe Lake

Earlier in the day it was very warm. We spent the day swimming in the lake. I was floating on my air-mattress looking up and the moving clouds, thinking to myself, I'd rather be here than my condo in Hawaii. My favorite spot in the world!
Randy > (Gifford Pinchot National Forest) Mount Adams in late July, overlooking Horseshoe Lake Earlier in the day it was very warm. We spent the day swimming in the lake. I was floating on my air-mattress looking up and the moving clouds, thinking to myself, I'd rather be here than my condo in Hawaii. My favorite spot in the world!
(Gifford Pinchot National Forest) Mount Adams in late July, overlooking Horseshoe Lake

Earlier in the day it was very warm. We spent the day swimming in the lake. I was floating on my air-mattress looking up and the moving clouds, thinking to myself, I'd rather be here than my condo in Hawaii. My favorite spot in the world!
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