I have started a series that I call “Whidbey – Not for Tourists.”  It is not a particularly good title but serves as a convenient name for the collection in Lightroom.  As you know I live on beautiful Whidbey Island which attracts an ungodly number of weekenders and tourists.  It seems as if there are hundreds of photographers in residence and all are attempting to capture the most beautiful, romantic and interesting images.  However, as in all such travel destinations, there is the more unsightly here as well.  Perhaps I am perverse in documenting that part of our Shangri-La.  Here are a few examples of things that our local Chambers of Commerce do not advertise but are nonetheless part of our culture.

It does not take much searching to find abandoned cars and trailers that quickly become substrate for lichens and mosses, and engulfed by ferns, blackberry vines and nettles.

Washington State allows ownership of beaches (what a non egalitarian provision for such a blue state). The few public beaches we have are well defined to protect land owners from the riff raff.

Unfortunately tourists and weekenders alike can not be protected from the all too frequent rape of the forests that occur here.  Timber harvesting practices that ensure the most profit at the expense of all other considerations are all too common.

More later.