Photography by Tom Purse

Ever since I was a small boy playing in the woods I have enjoyed the outdoors and photographing places I have visited. I've lived in several states, been to many countries, and now reside in Washington. To me, Washington offers more photographic opportunities than any place I have lived. With two mountain ranges, hundreds of lakes and waterfalls, a national park, several national forests, and just beautiful landscapes in general, I feel very fortunate to be here with my camera. I'm an avid hiker and enjoy being out in nature as much as possible. I try to convey to anyone viewing my photos the exhilaration I felt at the time, and every time I return to photograph places like Mt. Rainier, Mt. Shuksan, Mt. Baker and Mt. St. Helens. I truly hope that my photos bring enjoyment to anyone who views them. I edit very few of my photographs. I've been known to get trapped on small ledges, hang out of trees and do whatever it takes to get some of my shots. Once I managed to get myself lost for several hours until I met another hiker who was also lost. Wasn't long before we found our way back to the trail, proving "two heads are better than one". I like to go "off trail" and try to find images most people won't ever see. I like to play tricks on people with some of my photos and sometimes what I shoot isn't really what it appears to be. Ansel Adams has always been an inspiration to my photography and I always strive to be as good as he was, although I know this is not a reality.