Catching Autumn Color at Seabeck's Hood Canal

The sunrise, cool crisp air, crystal clear water, warm autumn color, fog layers, Olympic Mountains, seagulls, a fisherman taking his boat out to sea, tranquil and calm — this is what I feel and see as I look, linger, and take in the natural beauty of the Hood Canal, at Seabeck. A picture perfect slice of Pacific Northwest paradise.

Want to learn how to be a better photographer? Please contact me today to set up an appointment for one-on-one photography instruction. Tel: 240-899-5295 E-mail: info@jollysiendaphotography.com . Let’s have some fun and take our photography to a new level!

Fisherman goes out on the Hood Canal in Autumn.

Serenity, color, light, shadows, reflections…and more.

Seagull flies over the pastel cloud reflection and the marina on Hood Canal

Wide angle shot of cumulus clouds over the Hood Canal with a seagull and a crow

The Brothers Mountain, Olympic Mountains, peaks over light pillows of fog on the Hood Canal.

Rich Autumn Color is Dreamy for Nature and Landscape Photographers

Look in your backyard and grab your camera! This is the time of year to capture autumns richest colors at their peak. In my Kitsap Peninsula, Washington backyard, we love our beautiful Red Maple tree. In fact, this photo is one of my best fine art photography print sellers! Everyone loves the oriental style tree line and the warm red color or the leaves. And, I didn’t have to hop on a plane and fly to New England to get this fall color!

Maple Tree, Bremerton, Washington.

I’m amazed at the variety of colors of the trees found in Washington State and throughout the West. From New Mexico to the Olympic Peninsula and Canada there is so much beauty! Americas nature playground provides a bountiful display for landscape and nature photographers.

Get out there and enjoy! Here’s my friend Rachel Zachary taking a walk along the burning Aspens along the Rio Grand near Taos, New Mexico. So relaxing!

Better hurry — the color won’t last long.

Jolly Sienda Photography offers personal instruction for budding photographers who want to be more comfortable with their cameras and see things differently when they photograph the world. Contact me today and lets have some fun together!

Adventure Travel Photography in Morocco!

Traveling to Morocco has been on my bucket list for years! I spent one day in Tangiers in 1987 (ferry crossing from Spain). The intriguing sights, sounds, smells, and overall exotic feel called my name. Dreams can come true! In April 2018, my partner and I spent 17 days exploring Morocco. We traveled by car over 1,400 miles, passing through seaside towns, lush green agricultural landscapes, small villages each with their own mosque, up and down through the Rif and the Atlas Mountains, rode camels at the amazing Sahara Desert, and traveled through the rugged and tropical Dades Gorge -- all of this was now ours to share with you!

Our driver, Ali, told me daily, "Keep your camera ready because you never know what you're going to see." Boy, was he right!

Photographing the people, places, and culture of Morocco ignited my senses, made me SMILE,  and fueled my passion to capture the best in international photojournalism. Ali was right, you never know what could be around the corner.

Exotic Morocco will bring me wonderful memories that will last a lifetime! How about you? Reach out to me if you are interested in travel photography. I'd love to hear from you!

Travel Photography Caribbean Style! Explore, Color, Light, Angles & More!

People ask me all of the time -- what's your favorite type of photography? And, I answer by saying, "I love all kinds of photography: portraits, weddings, landscapes, food, etc." However, when I'm traveling and seeing new places I'm sooooo happy!! I'm on sensory overload. There's so much to see! And, I'm paying close attention to what's happening in the moment and how I will take pictures in different settings. I love this challenge!

Herd of goats stand on a large lava rock, St. Kitts, Caribbean.

Often I'll tell our driver, "Stop the car!" And, I'm jumping out and running to get the shot! Like I did for the goat scene in St. Kitts. 

I'm also drawn to color, shapes, and changing light. I'm always thinking about the light source and adjusting my camera dials to experiment with different ISO, shutter speed, and aperture settings. 

Left to right: St Kitts yellow barn and palms; Sunrise after the storm at St. Lucia; Afternoon sun in St. Kitts lights up row houses after a tropical rainstorm.

Woman selling plants on the street in Antigua, Caribbean.

I enjoy photographing people too using their natural surroundings. In Antigua, Caribbean, I got down low, almost on the ground, and photographed my subject using different angles which adds dimension and interest. It's all about experimentation and seeing what works!

After a long day of travel photography, I treat myself to an awe moment on this deserted beach on the Island of St. Lucia. Simply paradise!

Daytrip to the Skagit Valley and the North Cascades Highway for landscape photography

I love where we live in the Pacific Northwest! In just three hours or less you can explore mountain ranges, lush agricultural valleys, seashore, and more!

We stopped in Edison, WA and ate delicious paella outside at Slough Food's sundeck. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The scenery along the North Cascades Highway is breathtaking!

Sauk River and the Cascade Mountains

I'm told the wildflower trail up to Mount Sauk is beautiful in July

Daffodil fields at the Skagit Valley

On St. Patrick's Day, we photographed the daffodils in the Skagit Valley and drove to Concrete, Washington, to see a portion of the beautiful North Cascades Highway. Can't wait to explore more of this region once the entire highway re-opens. Portions of the North Cascades Highway closes due to snow every year. 

Paella served at Slough Food in Edison, WA.

Whitehorse Mountain near Darrington, WA.

So happy for spring! Daffodils along the Skagit Valley, Washington

Enjoying nature photography and travel photography in sunny Florida

I recently visited relatives in southern Florida and went on an airboat to photograph and see wildlife at Everglades National Park. We had so much fun!! I shot the sunset at Juno Beach as high surf and waves crashed onto Juno Beach's pier. We also checked out the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. What a blast!!! Check out the seven new photos below. I LOVE travel photography and nature photography!!!

Great Blue Heron flies over the Everglades

Here I am holding my Canon camera with a 70 x 200 lens with Richard Anderson and Linda Anderson on an airboat in the Everglades!

We saw lots of alligators in the wetlands!

Rose early to catch the sunrise and high surf at Juno Beach

Pastel sunrise greets boats along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Palm Beach, Florida.

New Pacific Northwest Fine Art Photography Landscapes

Tulips and a Red Barn in the Skagit Valley. This metal print is available for purchase via Fine Art Photography on the website.

Reflection on Liberty Bay. This metal print is available for purchase. Contact me.

Two Pacific Northwest Coastal Sunsets, Same Day, Only One Hour Apart.

It's amazing how quickly light can change within a short period of time. Since, I am also a landscape photographer, I am always interested and chasing the light. The first image below of Samish Bay, along the Chuckanut Drive view point, was taken at 4:29 pm. The next shot was taken at 5:27 pm, just a couple of miles up the road, at the boat marina overlooking Bellingham Bay in Bellingham, Washington.  The light changed so dramatically in just an hour!

Pink sunset sets on a boat marina and Bellingham Bay

Bellingham, Washington, Pink sunset sets on a boat marina and Bellingham Bay, Puget Sound, sailboats, landscape, landscape photography

Winter sunset on Samish Bay

Chuckanut Drive, Washington, Winter sunset on Samish Bay, Lummi Island, Bellingham Bay, Puget Sound, Landscape photography, Jolly Sienda Photography

Prayers for the people and life in California

I write this today with a heavy heart as the world watches the horrifying news feeds from California. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who are suffering and have lost so much. You can rebuild, but life is priceless.

It's been a really rough year for the State of California; first Sonoma and Napa, and now raging wildfires up and down Highway 101 in Southern California.

I took this landscape photography picture in January 2017 at Torrey Pines State Beach, San Diego County, at sunset.

Mother Nature changes our view

I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and our view of the Olympic Mountains changes daily. Thank you Mother Nature!

Sometimes, I take photographs of the Olympic Mountains wearing my slippers.