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

• San Juan Island

• Friday Harbor is great for travel photography. Walk around and see what catches your fancy. The marina is a good spot for early-morning photography. Near the end of Front Street, you’ll find a stairway flanked by large boulders and colorful poppies that makes a nice photo. A public park on West Street overlooks the marina and a good place for a sunrise shot.
• Lime Kiln Point State Park is a good place to photograph a lighthouse, historical buildings and even whales (considered the premier whale-watching spot in the islands). Orcas often come very close to the rocking shore. Summer is still the best time to sight the whales. The best light for whale photography is from the shore in the morning. The whales also come close to a pullout at the Westside Preserve Viewpoint.  The Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse is very picturesque and you can photograph it either from the north or from the south (mid-morning and at sunset).
• At the Westcott Bay Sculpture Park and Nature Reserve, the interesting thing to photograph is the one hundred stone, wood and metal sculptures throughout the park. It also has diverse eco-systems with a variety of plants and animal life.
• English Camp is a good place to get historic building photos. There’s also a formal garden enclosed by a white picket fence.
• At Cattle Point there is a meadow that is covered in orange poppies in the summer and makes a great foreground for photos. It’s also where you can view South Beach with the cliffs and beach curving away to the point.
• To photograph lavender, head over to Pelindaba Lavender Farm. You may even find an old piece of farm equipment in the middle of a field that makes an interesting photo.

• Moran State Park has some of the best views from atop Mount Constitution. The view from the top looks north, west and south, with Mount Baker and Bellingham to the northwest and Mount Rainier to the south. Visit during sunset for good photos – afternoons are too hazy.
• About a quarter mile up Mount Constitution Road is the trailhead to Cascade Falls. The 75-foot falls is easily accessible and best photographed on an overcast day.
• Head to Rosario Resort and park in front of the Moran Mansion and walk to the water side of the hotel. If you use a wide-angle lens, you can capture the sidewalk, flowers, and desk with the calm waters of the Eastsound as the background.
• North Beach has stunning views of Mount Baker plus Sucia, Matia and Patos Islands.
• The Covered Bridge on Mount Baker Road is private property, but it can be photographed from the road. It’s right across the street from Orcas Power & Light.

• Lopez Village has some vantage points for fantastic sunsets. The boats in Fisherman Bay may make good silhouettes come sunset.
• The Lopez Historical Museum is full of interesting subject matter that you can photograph.
• Fisherman Bay Preserve has been set aside for preservation of natural beauty and public access. From the parking area, follow the mowed trail to a vantage point overlooking Fisherman Bay and Lopez Village. This is a good spot to photograph moored sailboats and the village lit with the warm, afternoon light.
• Hummel Lake Preserve is another good location for sunrise, water lilies, and birds.
• Shark Reef is known for its rugged and scenic coastline with views of the Olympic Mountains and the Cattle Point Lighthouse.
• Watmough Bay is a great place to photograph Mount Baker looming in the background while sailboats are moored in the foreground. It’s an excellent place for sunrise.
• For landscape photography, Spencer Spit State Park is good early morning or late afternoon with ferry boats as they travel around the islands. With the ferries’ interior lights, twilight can be one of the best times to photograph them. Early mornings are often misty, which lends to an eerie effect over the water and around the islands.
• There is a lot of farmland on Lopez, so don’t be afraid to just drive around and see what catches your eye. Near Spencer Spit State Park, there’s a farm that still uses a horse-drawn plow and seeing the farmer in action makes for an interesting photo.
• A vineyard, a flower garden and wine tastings at Lopez Island Vineyards and Winery has all the ingredients for creative photography.