As my interest in photography deepened I found it brought along a desire to work in larger format.  I get excited by the details in an image and the possibility of making very large prints with great impact.  July of 2000 I bought a used view camera so I could work with 4x5 film.  After several practice sessions I went on a camping trip to one of my favorite places on Mt. Hood, Paradise Park.  Besides being a great location for wildflowers and views, the hike was not too long and I wasn't sure how I'd hold up with the greater weight of 4x5 gear in my pack.  

It was a lot of work to bring in all the equipment but I made the trip without too much difficulty.  On the last day I found a tree near camp making the struggle to survive near timberline.  The carpet of flowers beneath it added a lot to the scene.  The purple flowers are lupines, the pink ones asters, and the red are Indian Paintbrush.   The large green leaves are from the corn lily, Veratrum californicum.  It's a common plant in moist meadow areas.  It's also very poisonous to animals and insects.  

I took this picture in the morning.  I wanted the light to be a bit softer but the base of the tree was in shadow until around 9 am.  As soon as the shadow was gone I took the shot, which has become one of my favorite images.  Be sure to check the full detail view to see more of the beauty that is conveyed through large-format film.