Autumn Rainforest

I've always wanted to go to Olympic National Park, and finally I got my wish a couple weeks ago. This was primarily a scouting trip, as the main reason I was in the area was to visit an old friend in Seattle. Thus, I only had a day and a half in the park to work with and only brought my camera, two lenses, and a small, tabletop tripod (so I could just go "carry on" on the plane). Not much time considering the vast size of the park.

This is from the Hoh Rainforest area of the park. This is an image I've always wanted to make, yet never been able to, because A) I just don't get to the Pacific NW very often and B) forests are notoriously difficult to shoot. Finding a spot that has the right light and room to make a good composition is not easy.

I wasn't very optimistic that I'd be able to find such a spot, especially considering my paltry Gorillapod tripod. But, I was lucky enough to find this spot, where a low branch allowed me to attach the tripod. Since it was so flimsy bearing the weight of my camera and lens, I had to use the self-timer in order to avoid camera shake. (I can't wait to take a crack at this park with all my regular equipment!)

This was made from one exposure. I made several slight dodge and burn adjustments, in order to create depth.