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Redwood National and State Parks

Photography In The National Parks: Water, Water, Everywhere …

National parks and protected areas are brimming over with water scenes, from glaciers to snowy landscapes to ponds to rivers to misty mornings. Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides tips and techniques for how to capture those myriad forms of water (glaciers, snow, ponds, streams, rivers, mist, clouds) in a composition.

Photography In The National Parks: Seeing The Forest For The Trees

Not all park forests are alike. Some forests thrive in moist, even waterlogged environments, while others flourish in much drier climates. Some forests remain green year-round while others burst with color in the fall. Some forests stand as stark testaments to the ravages of wildfires while other forests provide environments for trees to grow to mind-boggling heights and widths. All these forests and their trees flesh out the story of a national park visit and the Traveler’s contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides example images, tips, and techniques to help you capture the forest story of your own park trip.

Photography In The National Parks: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Western landscapes are suffering more than a glancing blow from this year’s wildfires. Many of those fires are encroaching upon National Park System units. Two years ago, a wildfire devastated 97% of the 42,000 acres of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area in California. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of park staff and their partners, most of this park is once again open for recreation, including landscape and bird photography. Before heading home from her Redwood National and State Parks visit, contributing photographer Rebecca Latson took a detour over to Whiskeytown, returning with tips on what you can see and photograph within this recreation area risen from the ashes of the 2018 Carr Fire.

Ferns, Forest, And A Sunstar, Redwood National And State Parks

A haze-veiled sunstar peeking between tall redwood beneath which grow bright green ferns in Redwood National and State Parks

"Most people know Redwood as home to the tallest trees on Earth. But the parks also protect vast prairies, oak woodlands, wild riverways, and nearly 40 miles of rugged coastline. People have lived in this verdant landscape since time immemorial. Together, the National Park Service and California State Parks are managing and restoring these lands for the inspiration, enjoyment, and education of all."

Rebecca Latson
Ferns, Forest, And A Sunstar

Photography In The National Parks: My 10 Fave Shots from 2020

Every New Year, the Traveler’s Rebecca Latson keeps a tradition of showing her favorite shots captured during her national park photo travels of the previous year. In this month’s column, Rebecca reviews her 10 favorite images from 2020, telling us why she likes those particular shots and how she captured them. Maybe her favorites places are already yours, or maybe they will be new favorites for you to photograph.

2020 Year In Review: Parks, A Pandemic, And Photography

Despite 2020’s coronavirus pandemic causing cancellation of a number of park photo trips, Traveler’s Rebecca Latson still managed to visit several of the National Park System’s units in a safe, distanced manner. Over the year, Rebecca shared tips, techniques, and favorite places to photograph as well as how to stay safe and healthy while doing so. Here’s a look back at her articles and photos.

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