The Forest Illuminated

It was my third visit to Washington State, but my first with Sharon beside me.

We began at the Salish Lodge, overlooking Snoqualmie Falls. If you were a fan of the television series Twin Peaks in the early 1990s, you might recognize it by its name in the show: the Great Northern Hotel.

As is my usual practice when traveling, we explored.

We found the coffee shop where Agent Cooper would settle in for cherry pie and a “damn fine cup of coffee.” Then, heading east into the Cascades, I spotted a place name on the map that sounded familiar: Roslyn. We drove there, and suddenly I understood why I recognized it. Roslyn was the town where the exteriors for another television series, Northern Exposure, had been filmed. Sometimes a name on a map leads to an unexpected discovery.

We were savoring the cool July weather, which made Houston’s summer heat seem a world away. The rolling hills, blanketed in forests, were the perfect antidote to the concrete and humidity we’d left behind.

An Unexpected Turn

Later that afternoon, while making our way back toward the hotel, we took another detour down an unfamiliar road. This time, we found ourselves near the Snoqualmie River.

The photographs we’d made earlier in the Cascades had been bathed in glorious blue skies, punctuated by occasional cumulus clouds. But here, the cooler microclimate had coaxed mist from the river, sending it drifting among the fir trees. Wisps of vapor wound through the forest like strands of cotton candy, softening the deep greens of the needles. The late-afternoon sun, backlighting the treetops, painted them with delicate golden highlights. The lingering mist softened the entire scene into a palette of muted, almost pastel earth tones.

When the Light Takes Over

When I began exploring the image file, something unexpected happened. Rather than bringing out the rich colors and contrast I might ordinarily seek, the photograph seemed to suggest its own interpretation. The more I worked with it, the more it became an almost painterly study of light, atmosphere, and delicate color—a quieter, more nuanced rendering than is typical of my work.

Five distinct planes of focus give the composition a remarkable sense of depth, drawing the eye through successive layers of trees and mist. The lingering vapor becomes more than atmosphere; it gently separates the layers of the forest while lending the scene its ethereal quality.

The Feeling of Being There

For me, that’s one of the great rewards of traveling with a camera. It’s the discovery of something unexpected, something I couldn’t have anticipated when I set out. And then comes the challenge of making a photograph that conveys not just what I saw, but something of what I felt standing there.

The Forest Illuminated grew out of just such a moment.

Limited Edition

Issued in a total edition of 15, with 2 Artist Proofs.

The edition applies across all sizes. Signed and numbered by the artist.