I’ve been compiling a list of place/things to photograph around WA state. This is my list for the north sound area. Links go to Google Maps where you can get directions.

• Whidbey Island
  • Fort Casey State Park has some great architectural photography possibilities along with great views. The Admiralty Head Lighthouse may be the most photographed in the late afternoon. The best view is from the south side of the lighthouse with the north sky as a background. There are also gun batteries worthy of photographing because of the  lines and curves, texture and shadows.
  • Historic Coupeville Waterfront is worth a stroll with many old buildings to photograph, including the wharf, which juts out into Penn Cove. When you’ve had your fill of the waterfront, head out to Ebey’s Landing, a mixture of farmland, high bluffs and rocky beaches. There are several barns in this area worthy of shooting. Some openings along Hill Road will let you take photographs of the curve of the beach and the high bluffs above.
  • One of the premier rhododendron gardens is at Merkerk Gardens. It’s not a big place, so take a stroll before digging out your gear. There’s great design work put into the garden, which makes good patterns in your photos.
  • Deception Pass State Parkis one of the most popular state parks in Washington. It’s popular with photographers due to the dramatic Deception Pass Bridge. Bad weather can make great, dramatic photos at this location. Other areas of photographic interest, like North Beach, which gives a great view from below the bridge. Rosario Beach and Bowman Bay are also good places to get great photos. Cranberry Lake has still waters that make great reflections during sunrise and sunset.
• Tulip Fields of the Skagit Valley
  • The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is every April and offers some fantastic photographic opportunities of fields of colorful tulips.Roozengaarde and Tulip Town are the two big farms to visit. If the weather is rainy, Tulip Town has an indoor pavilion with many tulips groupings for close-up shots.
  • One of the very best places to photograph snow geese is on Fir Island, near the tulip fields of Skagit. On the road to the island, you can also get good views of Mount Baker. The fields along Mann Road are also good locations for snow geese and trumpeter swans. Look for raptors in the trees.
  • Padilla Bay Reserve is good for bird viewing and photography and you can use your car as a blind.
  • If you want to photograph falcons, eagles, short-eared owls and shorebirds, head to Samish Island and the Samis Flats. You’ll need a recreational use permit from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to park at “The West 90″ parking lot.
  • Near Mount Vernon is the Johnson-DeBay Swan Reserve. Here, you can photograph trumpeter and tundra swans. The area is fenced so the birds aren’t disturbed.
  • Every winter (December-January), hundreds of bald eagles flock near the Skagit and Nooksack Rivers. SR 20 from Concrete east to Marblemount is probably the best bald eagle viewing. Good view sites are at mileposts 99 and 100. Best to have a big lens of 500-600mm for the best shots.
  • Nootsack River and Deming Homestead Park, where the Mount Baker Highway follows the Nooksack River, is one of the best places to view eagles in the lower 48.
• Anacortes Area
  • Wander around the marina looking for interesting colors, reflections and thing nautical at Cap Sante Marina.
  • Mount Erie has the best views from Fidalgo Island. Cloudy evenings are best to capture stunning sunsets from the top of the mount.
  • Washington Park is a popular spot for photographers. Take the one-way scenic loop road for good views of the San Juans and Olympic Mountains.
• Far-North Sound
  • Chuckanut Drive offers scenic views over Samish Bay toward the San Juans. The best views are from pull-outs at milemarkers 11 & 12.
  • The west-facing shoreline of Larrabee State Park features rocky coves and weathered rocks. Low tide offers the best things to photograph since it exposes purple starfish, barnacles, and anemones.
  • Mount Shuksan and Picture Lakeis one of the most recognizable sites in Washington. This is one of the best locations for fall color in late September to mid-October. When the air is still, it’s possible to get a perfect mirror image of Mount Shuksan in Picture Lake. Head to Heather Meadows to capture views of both Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker (mid-morning is best).