. . . If, the light cooperates and the wildflowers are in bloom, neither of which happened for us on this trip. We found ourselves singing that Peter, Paul and Mary song “Where have all the flowers gone?” and thoroughly disappointed with the lack of light over Mt. Rainier. But, despite our disappointment in capturing a killer photo we enjoyed this National Park. Even though the camera doesn’t capture the beauty, our human eyes did and it was beautiful.
Some of our tips for shooting Mt. Rainier
- If you want to shoot a sunset, the best place we found to stay was Eatonville which gave us easy access to the west side of the mountain and the Paradise Visitor Center. But if you want to shoot a sunrise you are better off staying in Enumclaw as it provides easy access to the east side of the mountain and the Sunrise Visitor Center.
- A challange to photographers shooting in a National Park is drones are prohibited and you can not get off the designated trails. So when you see that perfect composition you may not be able to shoot it due to these limitations. FRUSTRATING!
- The flowers are supposed to be at their peak the middle of July, but don’t count on that. It is important to check with the park service ahead of time if you want to be sure to get the flowers at their peak (wish we had).
- To get that killer shot of Mt. Rainier in Reflection Lake you need to be there at sunrise, but if you just couldn’t get up, sometimes sunset will also work. During the day the breeze will kill the reflection.
Here are a few of our favorite shots from this trip
Here is a link to 8 general tips for visiting US National Parks:
https://www.campingworld.com/blog/rv-lifestyle/where-to-go/8-tips-for-visiting-u-s-national-parks/
As landscape photographers we have some down time when the sun is high and the light is terrible so, we find local attractions to visit. Here are a couple we found in the Eatonville area.
The Pioneer Farm Museum
This museum is geared more for kids but oh well, we are big kids. The gal in the office was a good sport and gave us a tour. Here are some of the shots we took using a macro lens and a 50mm prime lens. The buildings are dark inside so be prepared to shoot in low light.
Northwest Trek
We took a photography tour of this wildlife park which provided a private tram for touring the free-range area. The tram operator stopped at every opportunity for extended periods so everyone had ample time to get their shots. You can also take the regular tram ride through the free-range area during the day but it does not stop.
Tip: Go the middle of July to see the new baby animals.
After the free-range tram tour you will be able to visit bears, cats and other northwest animals throughout the park.
NW Trek: https://www.rwtrek.org