A dramatically backlit Mt. Hood in winter. The setting sun caught some developing lenticular clouds and turned them into a very enjoyable light show. Looking south from Parkdale, OR.

Late autumn wildfire smoke does have a single silver lining — spectacular colors at sunset. A simple composition of Mt. Hood looming against a pastel sky, taken from the overlook in Underwood, WA.

A series of spring storms in the Columbia Gorge created some extremely moody, atmospheric scenes. Seemed like the perfect opportunity for some classic black and white photography. Looking west down the Columbia Gorge from the overlook at Ruthton Park, Hood River, OR.

Capturing the last glimmers of golden autumn sunlight before the sun dropped behind the hills. Taken on Highway 8 along the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge. Driving west on this bit of road at the end of golden hour is just about the best thing ever.

Mount Hood during a colorful autumn sunrise, viewed from Laurence Lake Drive, just outside Parkdale, OR. This is the first time I've successfully captured the morning light right as it hit the mountain — as the sun rises the light changes so quickly my usual careful multi-shot process becomes almost impossible. This time I threw caution to the wind and just shot as fast as I could... out of six different takes, this was the only one that didn't have blurry bits. Well worth the effort.

My traditional autumn shot, looking over the Hood River valley from Panorama Point, OR. I try to capture this view every year — my favorite place in the world dressed up in colors for my favorite season. Going for a little different framing than I usually do this year. Everything feels so autumn-y, I figured I'd let a foreground tree participate.

Some fantastic morning light illuminates Memaloose Island and geologic layering on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge. Looking north from Memaloose Overlook, just outside of Mosier, OR.

The Hood River Valley and its eponymous mountain during afternoon golden hour. This was taken immediately after a pretty awesome thunderstorm passed by, so everything was about as vibrant as could be. Looking east(ish) from the Cook-Underwood Road Overlook, Underwood, WA.

The Columbia River rolls quietly by the city of Hood River as a late-spring sunrise fills the skies with brilliant colors. Looking east(ish) from the Cook-Underwood Road Overlook, Underwood, WA.

Mt. Hood and the Hood River Valley light up with vibrant colors during a late-spring sunrise. Looking east(ish) from the Cook-Underwood Road Overlook, Underwood, WA.

Mt. Hood catching the light from one of the last sunrises of winter before spring sets in. Looking south from Laurence Lake Drive, Parkdale, OR.

Back at one of my favorite spots in Hood River as rapidly shifting weather yields a splash of sunlight. Looking west from an overlook in Ruthton Park, Hood River, OR.

An ominous wave of spring weather makes its way down the almost impossibly green Columbia Gorge. This is a view from the archives, before the Eagle Creek fire added a bit more silver to the Oregon side of the Gorge. Looking east down the Columbia Gorge from Cape Horn overlook, WA.

Hood River Valley during an autumn sunrise — my annual pilgrimage, and one I never regret making. This particular morning must have been colder than I realized, because the valley filled with haze and woodsmoke immediately after I captured this panorama. Looking south down the Hood River Valley, Hood River OR.

An unexpected early morning led me to visit the Women's Forum overlook in the Gorge to see what sunrise had to offer. I was not disappointed. Hands-down my favorite shot of this iconic view so far. Looking east down the Columbia River Gorge, OR.

My first panoramic of Mt. St. Helens bathing in summer sunlight. Looking south from Johnston Ridge Observatory, Mt. St. Helens Volcanic Monument, WA.

Getting close up with clouds as they cast their shadows across the snowy flanks of my local volcano. I will never stop taking photos of this mountain. Looking south from Laurence Lake Drive, Parkdale, OR.

Enjoying the annual spring explosion of apple and pear blossoms amidst the orchards of the Hood River Valley. Hood River, OR.

The lady in white returns! Mt. Hood blanketed with the first snow of the 2015-2016 season on a crisp autumn day. Looking south from Laurence Lake Drive, Parkdale, OR.

A winter (or almost winter) sunset with a clear sky is always a pleasure — there's a beautiful simplicity to it. Looking south from Panorama Point, Hood River, OR.

View of downtown Portland on a particularly atmospheric autumn morning. This view, looking east from Pittock Mansion, has to be one of the most photographed views in all of Portland. Well, here's my mine.

Sunlit beach grass and sand dunes captured against a soft background of Haystack Rock in Pacific City, OR.

Mt. Hood wearing a cap of lenticular clouds at sunrise on a brisk winter morning. Looking south from Laurence Lake Drive, Parkdale, OR.

Mist fills the Columbia Gorge after an intense hailstorm passes through. Looking west from Crown Point in the Columbia River Gorge, OR.

Wizard Island, Hillman Peak, and a bit of Llao Rock covered in morning clouds during an extremely crisp October sunrise. Looking north from the visitor center at Crater Lake National Park, OR.

A particularly foggy morning makes abstract art out of the shapes and shadows of a really cool tree. Mt. Tabor Park, Portland, OR.

A field rich in golden wheat (I assume, I’m not a farmer) shines in the summer sunlight with Mt. Hood in the background. Looking south from Laurence Lake Drive, Parkdale, OR.

I don’t make it out to Hood River as often as I’d like in the winter — I-84 has this nasty habit of becoming an icy death trap — but when I do, the sunsets are glorious. Looking south from Panorama Point, Hood River, OR.

An empty road beckons in the early morning sunlight. Looking east from atop the bluffs just outside Mosier, OR.

Cloaked in clouds and glacial ice, Mt. Hood looms large in black and white. Looking south from Laurence Lake Drive, Parkdale, OR.

A close-up view of one of the many waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge. Wahclella Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls to get to, rewarding hikers with a gorgeous, moss-covered pool at the end of a small canyon.

Autumn sunlight illuminates Mt. Hood and the Hood River valley at dawn. Looking south from Panorama Point, Hood River, OR.

Morning sunlight reveals a slowly waking city with Mt. Hood standing silently in the background on a summer morning. Looking east from the West Hills, Portland, OR.

Rays of sunlight break through the clouds and dance over the Pacific Ocean. Looking west from the Oswald West overlook along Highway 101 just north of Manzanita, OR

Portland's iconic St. Johns Bridge disappearing into the mist on a particularly atmospheric autumn morning. Looking west (and up) from Cathedral Park, Portland, OR.