These photos are from Deception Pass, my favorite place in the Pacific Northwest. The park is three minutes from where I live and work, and where I spend a lot of time. It’s where I go to think and recharge. I am constantly amazed by the fact that I keep discovering new things within the park. Whether it be a new trail, lookout, or secret spot: they just keep coming. Everyone should visit this place once in their lives. And I would recommend coming in the winter. It will be rainy, but you will have the WHOLE park to yourself which is an amazing thing. I don’t think I will always live here but I will always return to this magical place.

I live on an island in the Pacific Northwest called Fidalgo, otherwise known as Anacortes. It’s sleepy here but if you like being outside you will never get bored. It rains a good portion of the year but our summers, although short, are amazing. There is nothing better than being in the Pacific Northwest in the summer.

A perfect day would start on an unusually warm summer morning. I would take an early run with my dogs at the Heart Lake trails, meet my better half for breakfast at Adrift, go to the farmers market and get picnic supplies and a bottle of wine, then hike out to Whistle Lake for an afternoon swim and some cliff jumping. After that we would grab some takeout bbq from Dads Diner and eat outside on our porch and watch the sun go down.

The insane natural beauty.

Winters can be dark, damp, and a little depressing. (But rain in the lowlands means snow in the mountains, which means snowboard time!) It can also lack youthful and creative energy at times, and the assortment of restaurants of a bigger city.

How beautiful it is, if you know where to go.

A salty old sea captain with a weathered face and a pipe.

All the Yodeler’s in our Global Yodel community inspire me daily. I love so many photographers… but three photographers that I am especially into right now are Martin Parr, Steve McCurry and Joel Sternfeld.