After backpacking trip into Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness, I almost left without making a single photograph. Smoke from distant wildfires muted the sky, the light never arrived, and sunrise felt uneventful — until everything changed.

In this adventure film, I hike deep into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington State in search of high alpine lakes, dramatic mountain light, and meaningful landscape photography moments. What unfolded became one of the most unexpected photographs I’ve made — The Mountain that Dreamed.

This image is now released as Field Note No. 01, part of a new series where I share the full stories behind select photographs and offer small-batch fine art print releases connected to those experiences.

Camera Gear Used:

Camera: Canon R5

Lenses: Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L Series | Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 Art | Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3

Tripod/Ball Head: FLM CP26-S4 II and FLM 47GX head

Filters: Maven CPLs and ND Filters