This Fine Art
Cascade Image, of "Paradise Meadows," is very representative of the extraordinary display of
wildflowers that takes place in the meadows above Paradise Lodge (from late July to mid August) every summer at
Mount Rainier National Park. Many other areas of the Cascade Mountain Range also offer this late summer event, but the exact timing of this explosion of color varies from meadow to meadow based upon such factors as elevation, how much snow has fallen the previous winter, how quickly the snow melts in the spring and early summer, the temperature and the amount of sunshine. This always makes photographing these breathtaking fields a challenging, but extremely rewarding endeavor... much like an Easter egg hunt for a small child. I always try to visit
Paradise shortly after the first of August at which time I just begin exploring and hiking the network of trails above Paradise Lodge, always keeping a keen lookout for meadows that have an extremely high concentration and variety of
wildflowers. Once I find such a meadow, I examine it more closely to see if it would be a suitable foreground for a photograph. If it is, then I make plans to come back to the meadow when the lighting is perfect (
previsualization). That is exactly how I came upon this wonderful floral setting just to the west of
Edith Creek. The previous day, when I discovered this spectacular field of
Indian Paintbrush, Lupine, Sitka Valerian and Asters, all the flowers were in the shade due to the low cloud cover hanging over the park. From experience, I knew that the early morning light of sunrise would afford me my "perfect lighting" but I would need the clouds and sun to cooperate. I was extremely fortunate the following morning when a brief sun break illuminated both the wildflowers and
Mount Rainier which allowed me to capture this wonderful image.
