Sol Duc Serenity

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 area. Nothing prepares you for the forest’s endless shades of green and density. While looking for salmon along the Sol Duc River, we came across a yellow tree perfectly saturated at the top of one of the area’s waterfalls. Using a dark filter, I was able to shoot a beautiful flowing waterfall with the midday light, making the yellow tree pop. I love how this came together.  Photo © copyright by Derek Nielsen.