Rolling HillsThe cultivated fields of the Palouse undulate and form gentle curves.

My wife, CJ, and I took a photographic workshop in the Palouse region in Washington put on by professional photographers Rad Drew and John Barclay. This week long workshop started on a Monday and finished on Saturday. It was a wonderful time getting to know new people (fellow photographers), learning new techniques, and enjoying the beautiful scenery of the Palouse.

The Palouse is a distinct geographic region of the northwestern United States, encompassing parts of north central Idaho, southeastern Washington. It is a major agricultural area, primarily producing wheat and legumes. It is the 2nd largest wheat producing area in the world (2nd only to Russia). The Palouse agricultural area encompasses 4,000 square miles.

Due to travel difficulties, CJ and I did not arrive early enough to make the Monday meeting. But we met the other photographers at dinner that evening at Sangria Grill in Moscow, WA. Soon we were off to Sprague to photograph old trucks. John Barclay had arranged for the permission so we could wander among these trucks as we wished.

Photographers and TrucksTwo photographers line up their shots of old trucks.	Photographers TalkPhotographers pause to discuss techniques and composition.
Dodge GrillThe grill of a Dodge truck with peeling paint shows many paint jobs were done.	Truck Fender - YellowThe headlight rests on a yellow fender that has been other colors before.

I enjoy photographing old cars and trucks especially ones with rust and peeling paint. So it was a great start to the day.

Getting an overviewFrank sets up for an overview shot of the trucks.	Examining ResultsMarlee and Rad check out what they got on their cameras.
Old Chevy TruckAn old Chevy truck shows its fading paint and rusty parts.	Green Dodge truckA green Dodge truck has rusty fender and highlight.

Next up was a stop in Sprague to visit an auto salvage yard. We talked with the owner who came over early to remove tarps from the autos. He used to sell the car parts but realized that he gets more money (tips) from photographers who want to take pictures. He was very talkative and concerned about the homeless problem in his town. A car in the lot was thought to be the same type as famed photographer Ansel Adams drove. Maybe it was his actual woodie? Maybe.

Old WoodieThis old woodie with a wooden platform on the top is similar to one famed photographer, Ansel Adams drove. Maybe this was his?

Too soon we were off to visit a red barn dominating the scene above fallow (unplanted) fields. The clouds in the sky helped keep things looking good. Too often I have been out with gray uninteresting skys. Here we had no problems with that.
  Red BarnA large red barn dominates the landscape as it sits by a fallow field.
Another red barn got our attention. You can see some of our group lining up to take pictures. Keeping the electrical wires out of the picture can be a challenge. An old one-room school is collapsing on Fugate road. It is the Skeen School and has been sagging more and more every year. It is currently being propped up but that doesn't look like it will help for long. The school has been photographed by many people for years.

Lining UpFive photographers line up to get a barn shot.	Barn and CloudsThe barn with clouds in the sky.
Skeen SchoolA one-room school is almost completely collapsed.	Tripods and PhotographersPhotographers on the road edge with their tripods.

Our last stop was at Steptoe Butte. This is one of the iconic places in the Palouse. "High above the Palouse Hills on the eastern edge of Washington, Steptoe Butte offers unparalleled views of a truly unique landscape. " And we enjoyed it as the cloud shadows changed the landscape views frequently.

Steptoe ButteRising above the surrounding area, the butte gives a great viewpoint for seeing the cultivated fields.

Cultivated Fields and TreesA view from Steptoe shows the rolling hills of wheat and canola with geometric designs.

Finally we returned to the Holiday Express in Pullman to get some rest before starting up early again on Wednesday.