Moody Blues

Washington State, 2023

Limited edition fine art print of 6 – In the fall of 2023, I was on assignment to shoot a documentary on the Southern Resident Killer Whales. Part of that trip was gathering behind-the-scenes footage and telling a deeper story about the region. One cannot tell a story about the Pacific Northwest ecosystem without going into Olympic National Park. This was my first time in the region. Nothing prepares you for the endless shades of green or the power of the mighty Pacific to its west. While camping along the ocean one night, we had devised a plan to photograph Ruby Beach in the morning. Thankfully, we had a primarily uneventful evening in regards to the weather. My alarm went off early. I checked the forecast right away. Rain was expected in a matter of minutes. We packed up our tents as quickly as possible to avoid packing up in the rain. To our surprise, it held off for at least another hour, allowing us to get great shots of the moody beaches in Washington. This part of the state receives over 170 inches of rain per year. I was so glad to capture it when it showed its true personality.  Photo © copyright by Derek Nielsen.