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Mount Rainier National Park

Photography In The National Parks: Seeing The Forest For The Trees

Not all park forests are alike. Some forests thrive in moist, even waterlogged environments, while others flourish in much drier climates. Some forests remain green year-round while others burst with color in the fall. Some forests stand as stark testaments to the ravages of wildfires while other forests provide environments for trees to grow to mind-boggling heights and widths. All these forests and their trees flesh out the story of a national park visit and the Traveler’s contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides example images, tips, and techniques to help you capture the forest story of your own park trip.

Photography In The National Parks: The Yin And Yang Of A Composition

When you look at photos you’ve captured during a visit to a national park unit, do you notice one or more of your shots clearly showing a division of light and dark, or energy and calm, or two different colors, or two different textures? Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson sees this phenomenon in many of her own images, calling it the “yin and yang of a composition.” In this month's column, Rebecca provides examples of this yin-yang concept and how you can look for it in nature with your camera.

Celebrate International Dark Sky Week In A National Park

“Half the park is after dark.” April 5 – 12 marks International Dark Sky Week 2021, a celebration of the vast, wondrous, starry sky above us. Perhaps you are even planning a visit to a National Park Service unit that's been designated an International Dark Sky Park. This special week also emphasizes how light pollution hampers our ability to see the stars and produces harmful consequences to all living things.

A Waterfall's Winter Flow Snuggled Between Green Ferns, Mount Rainier National Park

A winter's flow of a silky waterfall between green ferns along Westside Road near the Nisqually entrance to Mount Rainier National Park

"Fed by snowmelt, some of the park's waterfalls are ephemeral, only appearing during certain times of the year. Others are buried deep within the park's wilderness far from roads or trails, making them challenging to find and view. Mount Rainier’s numerous waterfalls are best viewed in early summer as melting snow feeds the streams, and again in autumn as the rains fill the streambeds. During late summer, only the major waterfalls will be flowing. Few of the many waterfalls have been named. What names would you give to your favorite unnamed waterfalls?

Rebecca Latson

Photography In The National Parks: The Art Of Patience

You’ve heard the sayings “patience is a virtue,” and “patience has its rewards.” Patience is, indeed, a virtue that produces photographic rewards in a national park, if you have the time for it. Photographer Rebecca Latson explains why you *should* take the time to practice some patience behind the tripod, and how that virtue can yield great shots and more.

Searching For Glaciers In The National Parks

It’s no secret glaciers are retreating due to global warming trends. Different federal agencies have set up glacial monitoring programs to track these changes in the national parks. But don’t fret about a total disappearance of glaciers just yet. There are national parks in both the U.S. and Canada where you can still see, and even stand on, a glacier.

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