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(Note: the following will have a definite Washington orientation; that's where I live and do most of my shooting. At the same time, however, I will mention Oregon offerings as appropriate.)
First things first: While there may be four seasons in a year, nature photographers quickly learn that, for our purposes, there are two seasons up here in the Pacific Northwest: photography season, which runs from late March or early April to late October, in which there seem an infinite number of stunning, photogenic locations to choose from, and off-season, running from early November through mid-March, in which the dominant themes are rain, slate-gray skies, and dead vegetation. Photography season is a time where you barely have enough hours in the day to capture every great location that's out there; the off-season is a time either for hibernating, feeling depressed that the beauties of nature seem to be out-of-commission, or working all-the-harder to find something worth shooting.
January – We're waist-deep in the off-season right now. The mountains are the most obvious alternative, but you better outfit yourself with a good set of snowshoes first, as there are few places where you can park and expect to have good compositions just waiting for you. The most obvious mecca for winter mountain photography is Mount Rainier, but Mount Baker is also a good choice. While I haven't been there in winter, I understand a snow-capped Mount St. Helens can be a good subject but, as many of the roads are closed, quite a bit of hiking might be necessary. (So far, I haven't been to any of Oregon's mountains such as Mount Hood.)
In any event, in winter mountain photography, picking the right weather is essential. "Grand landscapes" with snow-capped mountains don't look at all impressive when large patches of the sky are filled with clouds. Winter may be one time when a completely cloudless blue sky is desirable, as a background for mountains wearing their own coat of white. If you find yourself in the mountains on an overcast day, hit the trails and look for "intimate landscapes" that don't include the sky.
If your tastes run to wildlife instead of landscapes, January marks the high point of the Bald Eagle migration along the Skagit River in Washington and the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. There used to be a Skagit Eagle Festival in Concrete at the end of January or the beginning of February but, last I heard, budget cuts had forced its cancellation. Financial problems aren't going to keep the eagles away, though, so get out your long lenses and be ready to shoot in more informal conditions. Similarly, the Skagit flatlands are home to thousands of migrating Snow Geese (and even some Trumpeter Swans), although flocks of geese in flight practically demand rare blue skies.
On the Martin Luther King birthday weekend, the faux-German tourist town of Leavenworth hosts their annual Bavarian IceFest. While your tolerance for simulated Alpine atmosphere may vary, there's no denying that the the old-time German architecture, trimmed with thousands of Christmas lights, can be quite photogenic – and the climax of the celebration, a fireworks display over the snow-covered village square with its light-trimmed gazebo, is a highlight of tourism photography in the region.
February – Depending on the year, February might more closely resemble January or March; in some years, we're still in the peak of winter (in which case, review the suggestions for January) or, as seems to be the case in El Niño years, spring-like temperatures and climate can prevail (in which case, follow the suggestions for March).
In any event, February will generally bring decreasing chances of snow in the forecast, and more of that good old Northwest standby, heavy rainstorms. In which case, coastal shots in stormy weather are always a possibility. Bundle up yourself (and your camera) and take off for Olympic beaches such as Ruby, Rialto, and First. If you can't make it that far, some of the beaches on Whidby Island or Semiahmoo Spit near Blaine offer the chances for moody, atmospheric images, although without the drama of crashing Pacific Ocean waves found on the coastal beaches.
Oregon photographers will find their more-southerly location a blessing, as spring photography will be possible in the southwest part of the state by mid-to-late-February, while Washingtonians, much like Puxatawny Phil, will usually find themselves facing six more weeks of winter.
March – This is when things start getting interesting. At some point around mid-month, the daffodil fields in the Skagit Valley will come into full color, and the first grass widow bloom will appear at Rowena along the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge. This, for me marks the beginning of photography season for the year. While the spring won't have totally come into its own further north in Washington, you will also find the first flower blooms at arboretums and botanical gardens. Since skies will be overcast a good deal of the time, the light will be ideal for closeup studies, so make sure to pack your macro lens. And, of course, winter won't have disappeared from the mountains, but the roads will probably be a lot less icy and treacherous, so winter mountain scenics are still a possibility, especially on the blue-sky days that are starting to come along with greater frequency.
April – Put simply, April is tulip month in the Northwest. The best-known of the tulip-growing areas is, once again, the Skagit Valley with its annual month-long Tulip Festival, but Oregonians have a fine, and possibly even-more-photogenic, alternative in Woodburn, southeast of Portland. And, to make matters confusing, there's also the Holland-America bulb farm in Woodland, Washington, just northwest of Portland. In any event, the drill is the same: if a mostly-sunny day is in the offing, come early or late for grand vistas of tulip fields lit by early-morning or late-afternoon light. If cloudy, visit the display gardens (Roozengarde in the Skagit Valley is particularly impressive) and shoot close-ups of individual bulbs.
April can also mark the beginning of waterfall season, depending on weather conditions. Since most higher-elevation waterfalls may be still snowed-in, Oregon's Columbia Gorge is the prime location at this time, particularly with wildflowers gracing the riverbanks.
May – In May, the snowmelt in the mountains is on in full-force, the forests have their coat of spring green, and wildflowers are beginning to bloom, yet days are still frequently overcast. This makes it an ideal time for waterfall photography in lowland areas. Once again, the Columbia Gorge is the most popular location, with dozens of photogenic falls in easy hiking distance just a few dozen miles outside of Portland, but Silver Falls State Park, a bit further south, also offers outstanding shooting. Overcast days are also a great time for photographing the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park, or you can opt for the Sol Duc trail, and get both rainforest and one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Washington state.
Surprisingly, clear days in May can also be one of the best times in the year for coastal sunset photography at Pacific beaches like Ruby. Rialto, Second, Shi-Shi, and pretty much the entire Oregon coast. For one thing, the weather will often feature mixed sun and clouds, making for dramatic sunsets; also, the late-afternoon fog so common in summer is much less common in spring (or fall, for that matter).
Also, May is prime blooming month for Washington's state flower, the rhododendron, as well as the azelea. Overcast days are ideal for visiting hotbeds of such flowers, among them the Washington Park Arboretum and Kuboda Garden in Seattle, and especially the Rhododendron Species Garden on the Weyerhauser property in Federal Way.
Oregon photographers will find this a great time to visit Painted Hills in the eastern part of the state. While this is a great location year-round, May will find the wildflower bloom to complement the striated colors of the hills themselves.
June – June can be thought of as a midpoint between the spring subjects of May and the summer imagery of July. Many of the attractions of the previous month are still in fine form, such as waterfalls and rainforests. The famous Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway in central Oregon, closed by snow throughout the winter, will have opened by now. Similarly, with the loop road around Rainier now open (in most years – check to make sure before you leave!), the Grove of the Patriarchs makes for a great shoot on an overcast/misty day. By the same token, however, wildflower blooms at lower elevations serve as a foretaste of the high-mountain displays of July and August. In a less-wild realm, early June is the prime season for roses and daylilies, and a trip to the local arboretum or public garden will generally pay dividends in a bumper crop of images. Photographers in eastern Washington (or who can make the drive there) will find undulating, impressionistic waves of bright green early wheat everywhere.
July – July is the beginning of the Northwest's spectacular high-mountain wildflower season. In Oregon, the bloom will be at full-strength throughout the mountains, with the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway especially noteworthy. In Washington, the season proceeds in stages, with the first usually being locations on the Olympic peninsula such as Hurricane Ridge and Deer Park. (Simultaneously, it will be lavendar-growing season at the farms in the nearby Sequim valley, making for a nice multi-day trip in the early-mid part of the month.) Wildflowers will generally also be in bloom on Mount Rainier at Sunrise, which, although the highest road destination on the mountain, is also in Rainier's "rain shadow," and thus reaches full summer earlier than other destinations in the park. The Silver Forest trail is an easy, flat hike that offers spectacular early-morning vistas of Rainier with fields of lupine and paintbrush in the foreground. For a different mountain experience, the devastation of Mount St. Helens can be particularly well-captured when framed with the blooms of returning wildflower species.
August – The wildflower bloom at Mount Rainier continues, spreading around to the southern reaches of the park. In early August, the bloom at Tipsoo Lake on Chinook Pass is at its peak, and the flowers combined with Rainier and its reflection in the lake is a trademark Northwest scene, particularly in early morning. Soon thereafter, the bloom at Paradise and Reflection Lakes reaches its peak, and is a must-visit destination for most Northwest photographers. Portland-based photographers will find similar attractions at Mount Hood Meadows, while, in southwest Oregon, the drive around Crater Lake will be open for its short season.
Aside from the mountains, August is also a prime time to visit the Pacific beaches, from Shi-Shi on the northwest tip of the Olympic peninsula to Bandon in southern Oregon. If the fog stays away, the potential for spectacular sunset shots is unparalleled and, even if the fog rolls in, you have a great chance for moody, misty of sea-stacks, driftwood, and coastal forests dimly visible through the gray.
For many of us, August is also the time when "day job" vacations are scheduled, thus making it a fine time to go further afield for an extended photo trip. Beyond the traditional region of the Pacific Northwest, Montana's Glacier National Park, as well as Yellowstone and Grand Teton in Wyoming, are each a day or two's drive, and offer some of the most photogenic scenery in the world. Canada's Banff and Jaspar provide a similar level of photographic opportunities...but make sure your passport is current, since the border is no longer at its pre-9/11 level of open travel.
September – September begins with the last days or weeks of summer, with many spending the end of their (unofficial photo-tour) vacations on the Labor Day weekend, and concludes with early autumn, particularly in the mountains. This will be a prime time to return to some of the Cascade locations of the past couple of months, this time with the wildflower explosion replaced by the bright reds and oranges of huckleberry and vine maple. In particular, autumn comes early to Mount Baker in the north Cascades, and a trip to Artist Point on a clear day will generally prove worthwhile, as well as give you a shot at one of the most iconic of Northwest images: autumn-foliage-bedecked Mount Shuksan reflected in the still waters of Picture Lake.
October – Needless to say, this is fall-foliage month...but "fall foliage" means something quite different on the west side of the Cascades, with its evergreen forests. Generally, it will be the vine maples and ground cover that change into autumn colors, while the overarching pines and firs provide a dark green background to the small flashes of red, orange, and yellow in the scene. Interesting and photogenic with the right compositions, but far from the riot of color you will find in New England or the Smokies. What to do? To paraphrase Horace Greeley, "Go East, Young Photographer!" Specifically, to the east slope of the Cascades, which has a very different mix of trees from the west. Here, you'll find cottonwoods and aspens more reminiscent of the Rockies than Washington or Oregon. The predominant colors will be yellow and orange rather than the reds of, say, Vermont maples, but will still result in very impressive images. Best in Washington will be the loop that takes you over Stevens Pass, down Tumwater Canyon, through Leavenworth, over Blewett Pass to Cle Elum, and returning over the mountains on Snoqualmie Pass. This will include my favorite spot for autumn shooting: Easton Ponds, just a few hundred yards off I-90 east of the small town of Easton. Photographers living further south can enjoy the loop from the Columbia Gorge out to Trout Lake and along the Klickitat River.
Generally, autumn shooting in the lowlands of western Washington can be disappointing, as the big-leaf maple species common there tends to go rather quickly to brown. Not so further south in Oregon, where one of the best places in the Northwest for fall color is Silver Falls State Park, a short drive east of Salem. The combination of waterfalls (at least ten of them on one trail!) and the golden colors of autumn can be absolutely overwhelming – I'd take a fall weekend here over one in Vermont or New Hampshire any day.
Photographers who prefer crashing waves and sea-stacks to autumn colors should note that October is another time when the coast will generally be free of late-afternoon fog – on clear days, this will be an ideal month for sunset shooting.
November – Remember how I mentioned, at the top of this article, that the Northwest year is divided between photography season and off-season? Well, November marks the beginning of the latter. All is not lost, however; in most years, the early part of November will still have some vestiges of autumn, especially further south in Oregon. After that? In the wild, check out forest rivers and streams, where the white of blurred-motion water against the greens of moss-covered rocks don't require much else in the way of warmer colors. Also, since November will often have more clear days than the months that follow, photographers who don't restrict themselves to the natural world will find this a good month for architectural shooting. Just follow renowned photographer Tom Mackie's lead, and describe cities as "urban landscapes," and you should have no trouble finding interesting subjects in large downtown areas such as Seattle, Tacoma, or Portland, or even in smaller urban areas like Eugene, Olympia, Bellingham, or Bremerton.
December – By December, the first blanket of snow will have coated the Cascades and Olympics, thus opening up opportunities for winter mountain photography I wrote about in the January entry. The Snow Geese will have returned to the Skagit valley, bringing equally-large flocks of photographers with them. Storms along the Pacific coast will provide more opportunites for dramatic, moody images. But, of course, December is also holiday season, and who can resist the opportunity to photograph arrangements of thousands of colorful lights against the winter darkness? In the Seattle area, three of the best "photographer-friendly" displays can be found at Bellevue Botanical Gardens, Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, and Coulon Park in Renton. Otherwise, December offers the chance to sit back, enjoy the holidays (and hope for that new piece of photo equipment under the tree?), and plan for another year of Northwest photography!