Welcome to the second Curious About guest blogger, Brendan Morrison, a Wenatchee-based photographer and videographer. Brendan’s goal is to offer practical tips to encourage anyone with a cell phone camera to create artistic photographs at places close to home.

Brendan says, With this series I went through my archive to find some of my favorite photos of the local rocky features that surround our valley. These features are both beautiful to look at and also have quite interesting geologic histories. They can also all be accessed by the public under the pretense of “exercise” even during these uncertain times when our comings and goings are limited. That said, should you find the urge to wander up into the hills, please do so either alone or with other members of your household and remain at least six feet away from other hikers.

In the image above, one important thing to note about this shot and the two following shots are the placement of the subject. When framing each of these shots I used the rule of thirds. This is an important concept to learn in photography and can greatly improve your images. Here is a link to a video explaining the rule of thirds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7wnhDKyBuM

One important thing to look for when shooting a photo, is to make sure you fill the frame. Often beginner photographers will leave too much sky in the photo which ends up making the frame feel somewhat empty. If you mind the edges of your shot and make sure that your subject fills the frame, then the image will feel more full and grounded.

In the image above of Blake and Serena, I like how the photo shows how these rock features that surround our city really seem like they just rise out of the ground.

This image of Castlerock at sunset is a great example of the use of leading lines. Leading lines can be a powerful tool in photography. They can be used to draw the viewer’s eye towards the subject of the photo. In this case, the trail leads from the bottom of the frame up towards Castlerock which is the focal point of the image.

 The winter-time image of Castlerock serves as a great example of how important layers can be in a photograph. With this photo we have the snow covered brush in the foreground, Castlerock in the mid-ground, the glowing city lights behind it, and even further back are the mist covered hills. When composing an image, the incorporation of layers can help add depth.

Looking up at Saddle Rock from the south side shows the last few bits of light shining upon the rocky prominence. I like shooting Saddle Rock from this side because it provides a different take on the often-photographed front side. I feel like this angle shows more how vertical some of the faces are.

The rocky feature in the image above lies not too far from Saddle Rock and can be accessed from the same Appleatchee-side trailhead parking lot. These rocks are known as Rooster Comb. With this photo I tried to use the rocks to frame the Columbia River in the background.

One of the nice things about photography these days is that it is so accessible. Anyone with a cell phone has the ability to take a very high quality image, all without the need for an expensive camera and lens. All photos in this post I took with my cell phone and lately it has been one of my favorite cameras. It is so easy to throw in and take along on a hike without adding any weight to my pack.

For those of you who are cooped up at home and wanting to learn more about photography I have included a few links below to help:

This first link is a basic Ted Talk describing the history of photography and its origins. Photography History: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=279&v=XaGUL8B-BrE&feature=emb_logo

This next link is a series by photography Youtuber Ted Forbes. His channel is full of information about every facet of photography and a lot can be learned by watching his videos. This series below is on composition. I firmly believe that one of the quickest ways to improve your photos is with proper framing and composition. It seems like a simple concept, but when executed properly it can really bring you images to the next level.Photography Composition Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGWYHimA8gQ&list=PLGEE7pGLuppTEjrviNCTwDHA00VsMzsAl

Another great resource that is available to people through the North Central Regional Library is Lynda. Here there are a myriad of videos on photography as well as many other subjects.Lynda Photography Courses: https://www.lynda.com/Photography-training-tutorials/70-0.html

Editor’s note: Brendan Morrison grew up biking and hiking in the Wenatchee Valley and its surrounding hills. Brendan’s passion for the outdoors directly translated into his adoption of photography as a hobby. He strives to capture beautiful landscapes and inspire people to pursue them and care for them as he does. Find more of his work on Instagram @brendan.r.morrison or on his website at brendanmorrison.myportfolio.com.

Brendan has earned regional recognition for his photography:

-Cascadia Conservation District Photo Contest Best in Show: 2015, 2016, 2017

-Cover of The Good Life magazine -2017

-Cover of The Planet – 2018

-Third Place in Foothills Magazine Photo Contest – 2020

His award-winning photos can all be found on the publication section of his website: https://brendanmorrison.myportfolio.com/publications