The Hoh Rain Forest is known for its lush, moss-covered scenery, fueled by its extraordinary annual rainfall of 3.55 m (140 inches). Vegetation seems to grow on every surface. On one of my trips to this amazing place, I began my exploration the way many visitors do—by hiking the Hall of Mosses Trail. The forest was beautiful, and I spent quite a bit of time taking photos of it. Just as I was finishing that hike, upon arrival at the parking lot, my eyes caught a rather strange sight right in front of my car—a small garden thriving on the vertical surface of the upturned roots of a fallen tree, complete with ground cover and flowers. Surrounded by moss-covered trees, this striking root garden captured the essence of the Hoh Rain Forest—life flourishing everywhere and on everything, telling the story of life, death, and rebirth in an old-growth forest.
To capture the story, I framed my subject to show its surroundings, including part of the fallen tree trunk and the moss-covered trees in the background. As is often necessary in a dark forest, I used a tripod to steady my camera. Because the air was still, I was able to use a relatively low ISO setting, small aperture, and a slow shutter speed to capture the image. This experience reminded me that some of the best photographs can be right in front of you, if you open your eyes to see them.
