Olympic National Park | Pacific Northwest Photography | Washington State Photography
May has come and gone in the blink of an eye. It started off with a four day jaunt through the northwestern portion of Olympic National Park, and now ends just a few short days away from my first market of the season. If you’re not following me on Instagram, here's a recap of that adventure with a few photos and words to accompany it. My first time visiting Olympic National Park didn’t disappoint, as it was oh so nice being around the ocean once again!
5/3/26
Here’s a fun story! Rewind this thing to November of 2008. My girlfriend at the time invites me to this vampire movie. I’m like cool “vampires”, must be like 80’s classic The Lost Boys. Couldn’t have been more wrong, as the movie turned out to be Twilight! Why did I mention this, because it turns out my trek through part of Olympic National Park unbeknownst to me, brought me right through some of the locations mentioned in the film. Anywaysssssss, my first trip to Olympic National Park brought me back to the ocean. Not the Atlantic this time, but to the Pacific. Rugged, gritty, eerie, moody, picturesque is what first comes to my mind. A near 14 hour drive from Big Sky, couldn’t keep me away from my first sunset along the coast of the North West Pacific.
5/4/26
I went for sunset at Rialto beach, and all I got were these stinkin’ grey skies. None to worry though, I love shooting moody photographs. In fact, had rain been forecasted for the week, I still would’ve ventured out to Olympic National Park for all her moodiness. The nice thing about the sun not being out for sunset, is that I didn’t have to wait around for too long. Snap a photo here, snap a photo there, and I was home semi early for bed. (Click on the photos below to expand them.)
5/5/26
The Hoh Rain Forest can be described as mythical and magical. If fairies, elves, trolls, and big foot existed, they would surely make their home here. Trees stretch for what seem like miles into the sky, some topping out at thousands of years old. Ancient trunks bend and weave like the most agile of dancers. Moss drapes down like a fine veil. Shades of emerald green continuously envelope your senses. Sadly, big foot was not seen, or may he have been heard? (Click on the photos below to expand them.)
In my opinion, Ruby beach was the most picturesque beach that I had visited in Olympic National Park. Waves crashed against jagged sea stacks marking the old coastline, anemones awaited the arrival of high tide to return them to the deepest depths of the ocean, and my poor dog experienced her own case of explosive diarrhea right in front of a craggy sea stack. A moody picture perfect day along the rustic beaches of the Pacific. (Click on the photos below to expand them.)
5/6/26
The rainforest swallowed me up once again, but this time it spit me out onto third beach. Once again grey skies danced above my head. I thought to myself, “how do people live this way full time? Under long stretches of vacant sun and dreariness?” I guess you just adapt to the surroundings that you were brought up in. Some are lucky enough to escape it, others are not. A select few enjoy it! A waterfall flowed from the south side of a bluff, emptying out into the Pacific Ocean. One of those moments when you look up to the sky and thank the heavens for the scenes you are witnessing. The tide was out, and ochre sea stars clung to boulders, as they waited for high tide to return. I on the other hand was regretting the fact that I’d be leaving the Pacific coastline to begin my trek back towards Seattle. I wanted one more day to explore the North Westernmost point of the contingent US, but life continued onwards. Besides, it gives me a reason to come back and visit sometime sometime soon. In just one short day we traveled from the ocean to the mountains and beyond!
5/9/26
And alas, we’ve come to the end of another journey. All roads leading back to Montana, all roads leading back to another summer of grinding away at this art endeavor. I’ve tightened up my radius a bit in regards to live events for 2026, in the hopes that it’ll close the gap between profit and expenses. My scope now ranging pretty much from Bozeman, Montana into Jackson, Wyoming. It all begins on Wednesday June the 3rd, for the first Big Sky Farmers market of the season.
