On my yearly trip to Wenatchee, WA I decided to stay a few more days and check out The Palouse Scenic Byway. I have heard about the Palouse a few years and not long ago a friend brought up the fact that she was going out that way. This summer was my time to make the trip.
What is the Palouse? The Palouse is located in the southern part of Washington State. The towns that you may drive to and/or through are Pullman, Colfax, Rosalia, Colton, Oakesdale, LaCrosse and Uniontown (and there could be more). Wheat and lentil are grown here. What are located there are farmlands after farmland that changes from vivid spring greens to amber autumn golds with a touch of brown. Driving on the byway it looks like an artist with his/her paintbrush and the farmland is their canvass. You think you saw the most beautiful landscape and then you drive around a corner and you see another just as beautiful as the last. Set in these hills/rolls of land you will have abandoned barns. As a photographer I enjoy photographing what’s here today because it may be gone tomorrow. You see that in these barns, buildings, and home.
I decided to stay in Pullman. Washington State University is located in Pullman, which makes it a college town. Like many I could have done some research and found a workshop or a local photographer to take me around but I didn’t. I went online and found a site that gave me two -day trips and one half -day trip. I like that because I wasn’t trying to look hard for the “typical” places workshops go to. Believe me when you’re driving around you see all kinds of interesting things to photograph. I see something, pull on the side of the road and shoot. And when the sun went down – to see the shadows among the hills which provided more depth….it was something to see.
I’m always hearing photographers say that the best time to shoot is in the morning or late evening/night. Some don’t dare to go out during the day because the lighting isn’t right. Not me….especially when I spent money to go somewhere. I go out and take photographs. It was very hot in Washington. A lot of smoke was there because of the wildfires in Canada. The temperature average around 96 degrees. Only one day I saw a little bit of clouds. I didn’t let that stop me. When I was taking photographs I tried to aim my camera low enough to avoid the skies. But when I couldn’t I didn’t.
On my drives of The Palouse, I was able to visit, Palouse Falls State Park, Steptoe Butte, Artisans at the Dahmen Barn, Palouse Wind Farm, and the historic Visitor Center that use to be a Texaco gas station. I have never been to Idaho so I went to Lewiston and Moscow (yes Moscow). But the best part of the entire trip was driving around and enjoying the farmland. The beauty is just amazing. I’m really surprised of the images I was able to capture because I was so into the land.
Fujifilm X-Pro2 was my camera of choice. All the lenses I had with me my 50-230mm f/6.7 was my main workhorse. It’s a low-end lens but it kicked butt. It was a last minute choice and I’m glad I had it.
Below are just a few photographs from my trip. If you like to see more please go to my website: http://www.dawnhesterphotography.com.
HAPPY SHOOTING!! 🙂 🙂
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