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“Palouse”
Description:
Rolling hills surround the Whitman County Growers’ historic grain elevator in the Palouse, one of North America’s most productive wheat-growing regions. The Palouse’s wave-like topography formed from wind-blown loess over thousands of years, creating fertile soils farmed since the late 1800s. Viewed from Steptoe Butte, the hills resemble an inland sea of green.
Story:
The rolling hills of the Palouse remind me of the ocean, and the buildings become ships riding a sea of green. Driving through the region feels like traveling in a lifeboat surrounded by towering waves of wheat, always shifting, always rising around you.
From the slopes of Steptoe Butte, that verdant ocean looks inviting. “Idyllic” and “pastoral” are common descriptions, but the real magic happens only when viewed through binoculars or a long lens. Compression turns gentle hills into heaving swells, capturing what it feels like to move through them.
The most popular time to photograph the Palouse is late spring, usually early June. Workshops gather here; one happened to be taking place the evening I visited. I found a quiet spot away from the group, posted up beside a bush that blocked the wind — the wind here is relentless.
I arrived a couple hours before sunset and watched the shadows slowly deepen between the hills. After capturing this iconic view of the Whitman County Growers’ grain elevator, I stayed to watch as those shadows finally swallowed the landscape at dusk.
I smiled. The landscape that once engulfed me as I drove through the countryside will always be smaller — infinitely smaller — than the sky above.
-BAP
Location:
Steptoe Butte State Park Heritage Site
Colfax, Washington
47° 01' 58.3" N, 117° 18' 17.6" W
Google Map Link
Time: 20:11 PDT (sunset 20:41)
Date: June 6th, 2022
Camera & Settings:
Nikon D810, NIKKOR 200-500 mm f/5.6E, CPL Filter, Tripod
ISO 64, 480 mm, f/8.0, 1/5 sec
📥 Download FREE desktop wallpaper
🖼️ View artwork details & shipping
📸 Request a free wall preview
“Palouse”
Description:
Rolling hills surround the Whitman County Growers’ historic grain elevator in the Palouse, one of North America’s most productive wheat-growing regions. The Palouse’s wave-like topography formed from wind-blown loess over thousands of years, creating fertile soils farmed since the late 1800s. Viewed from Steptoe Butte, the hills resemble an inland sea of green.
Story:
The rolling hills of the Palouse remind me of the ocean, and the buildings become ships riding a sea of green. Driving through the region feels like traveling in a lifeboat surrounded by towering waves of wheat, always shifting, always rising around you.
From the slopes of Steptoe Butte, that verdant ocean looks inviting. “Idyllic” and “pastoral” are common descriptions, but the real magic happens only when viewed through binoculars or a long lens. Compression turns gentle hills into heaving swells, capturing what it feels like to move through them.
The most popular time to photograph the Palouse is late spring, usually early June. Workshops gather here; one happened to be taking place the evening I visited. I found a quiet spot away from the group, posted up beside a bush that blocked the wind — the wind here is relentless.
I arrived a couple hours before sunset and watched the shadows slowly deepen between the hills. After capturing this iconic view of the Whitman County Growers’ grain elevator, I stayed to watch as those shadows finally swallowed the landscape at dusk.
I smiled. The landscape that once engulfed me as I drove through the countryside will always be smaller — infinitely smaller — than the sky above.
-BAP
Location:
Steptoe Butte State Park Heritage Site
Colfax, Washington
47° 01' 58.3" N, 117° 18' 17.6" W
Google Map Link
Time: 20:11 PDT (sunset 20:41)
Date: June 6th, 2022
Camera & Settings:
Nikon D810, NIKKOR 200-500 mm f/5.6E, CPL Filter, Tripod
ISO 64, 480 mm, f/8.0, 1/5 sec
A telephoto lens transforms the Palouse from “Okay.” to “Wow!”. (iPhone 11)
