Joey Priola Wilderness Photography

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  • A rock and seaweed rest on the purple sands of California's Pfeiffer Beach. The unique purple sand at Pfeiffer Beach comes from manganese garnet found in the nearby hills, which gets washed down to the beach below. Big Sur, California.
    Psychedelic
  • A beautiful winter sunset along the dramatic coast at Rialto Beach. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Fireworks
  • Waves lap at the purple sand of Pfeiffer Beach on a beautiful June evening. The unique purple sand found at Pfeiffer Beach comes from manganese garnet found in the hills above the beach, which gets washed down to the beach below. Big Sur, California.
    Getaway
  • A tangle of kelp rests on Shi Shi Beach at sunset, in the shadow of a large sea stack. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Castles and Kelp
  • For one reason or another, it’s just hard to crawl out of bed on some mornings. Or, in the case of the morning this photo was taken, a sleeping bag. It was a damp and chilly dawn on the Washington coast, and I was still feeling weak from a bad stomach bug I’d suffered through the previous week. The thought of rolling over and burrowing deeper into my sleeping bag seemed heavenly, but I knew that I hadn’t traveled here to sleep. I can’t recall when it first happened, but on mornings like this throughout my travels, where the pull of the warmth and comfort of my tent seemed to be stronger than my desire to get out for sunrise, I had begun to recite a mantra of sorts in my head: “if you don’t go, you won’t know.” Maybe the sunrise would be a dud, but if I didn’t get out there to see for myself, I would never know what possibilities I might miss out on. So on this morning, I extracted myself from my cocoon of warmth and comfort, slipped into wet boots and dirty clothes, and struck out for the beach. On summer weekends, Shi Shi Beach can often be lined with hundreds of tents, but on this soggy November morning, the only creatures I shared the beach with were seagulls looking for breakfast. As I wandered about in the dim light of dawn, I could see a faint glow building in the sky to the east, over the forested slopes of the OIympic Peninsula. As the glow intensified, I settled on a composition, and all of a sudden the sky erupted into possibly the most vivid and colorful sunrise that I’ve ever seen. After the show was over, I wandered up and down the beach, admiring the patterns in the sand, the piles of driftwood, and the ceaseless sound of waves heaving against the shore. Eventually I made my way back to my tent, where I joyfully slipped back into my sleeping bag, fully at peace with what I now knew, after I had gone.
    If You Don't Go, You Won't Know
  • Two of my all-time favorite places for coastal exploration and photography are Washington's Olympic National Park and Maine's Schoodic Peninsula. The sea stacks that are characteristic of the Olympic Peninsula, and the beautiful cobble beaches that can be found along the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park, make both of these places among the most scenic coastal destinations that can be found in the USA. While wandering the  Schoodic Peninsula one morning, I discovered this sea stack rising up from a cobble beach that combined my favorite aspects of both peninsulas, as if this sea stack had traveled the 3,000+ miles from the Pacific Coast to join me in Maine on this special morning.
    Acadia Meets Olympic
  • A hardy tree that has somehow managed to grow from the top of a sea stack at Point of the Arches takes in a fantastic November sunrise. Shi Shi Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Roots
  • On our final day of a backpacking trip along the wilderness coast of Washington’s Olympic National Park, my friends and I ventured south from our camp at Point of the Arches. After climbing over rocky headlands and through pristine temperate rainforest high above the sea, we arrived at a deserted little cove between the headlands. At first this beach seemed just like all the others we had passed by, but upon closer inspection we discovered that the beach consisted of a seemingly infinite assortment of small, smooth pebbles of all different colors. We spent the afternoon lounging in the sunbaked pebbles, and exploring the intricacies of a world that often goes undetected. I used a shallow depth of field here to create an abstract expression of the pebbles, with only a slice being in focus and the rest fading into featureless colors and patterns.
    Pebble Feel
  • Stars shine over offshore sea stacks on a remote section of coastline in Washington's Olympic National Park. In November of 1920, the Chilean schooner W.J. Pirrie was being towed towards the Washington shores when a brutal storm hit the pair of ships, forcing the towing vessel to abandon the Pirrie. The ship was no match for the tempest, and 18 of the 20 crew members were killed. Their bodies washed up on the very beach where this photo was taken, and if you search in the woods behind the beach, you'll find a plaque memorial for the victims.
    Spirits In the Night
  • A colorful sunrise during a memorable stay on British Columbia's Long Beach, in Pacific Rim National Park.
    May This Last Forever
  • Quite possibly the most beautiful coastal sunset I’ve ever experienced, taken during one of my all-time favorite backpacking trips (20 miles along the rugged Olympic Coast from Rialto Beach to Ozette Lake). My numb legs from standing in the frigid winter surf to get this perspective were soothed by a driftwood beach fire and some family wine. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Gods of Olympus
  • Receding waves, caught by pebbles on Kalaloch Beach, streak back towards the sea during a beautiful winter sunrise. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Return to Me
  • Sunset light illuminates sea stacks and weathered rocks on the beach in Washington's Olympic National Park.
    A Moment in the Sun
  • An abstract rendition of ocean waves, created by moving my camera from side to side during the exposure. Kalaloch Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Sea Dreams
  • Dawn broke cold and clear on this beautiful winter morning on a sandy beach in Cape Cod.
    Deserted Dunes
  • The rising sun breaks through the clouds and sea mist just enough to give a warm glow to the beautiful cobblestones on a beach on the Schoodic Peninsula. Acadia National Park, Maine.
    Serenity
  • Sea foam and pebbles on Kalaloch Beach. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Fingers Through Your Hair
  • A view into both the above and underwater worlds at Saona Island, where a starfish rests on the sandy ocean floor and palm trees fringe the white sand beach. If you travel here and come across a starfish, please resist the urge to pick it up to get a closer look. Saona Island, Dominican Republic.
    Hi There
  • Two small white flowers found their own little oasis inside a hollowed out piece of driftwood on Long Beach, in British Columbia's Pacific Rim National Park.
    Me & You
  • Colorful stones on a rugged beach on the Newfoundland coast surround a boulder striped like a tiger.
    Who Dey
  • A wave crashes and sprays on the beach where beautiful volcanic rock protrudes above the sand. Saona Island, Dominican Republic.
    Hideaway
  • A palm tree stretches out on the beautiful beach on Saona Island.
    Away From It All
  • Elephant seals snuggle up on the beach in Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve and Marine Conservation Area.
    Snuggle Time
  • Waves crash and spray in a rocky chasm at Pfeiffer Beach. Big Sur, California.
    Power
  • Receding waves rush back out to sea at Ruby Beach, as a lone sea stack looks towards the pastel twilight sky. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Sunken Wizard
  • Watching a beautiful sunrise from the surf at Bavaro Beach. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
    Rejuvenation
  • Waves crash through the keyhole arch at Pfeiffer Beach after sunset. Big Sur, California.
    Persistence
  • A beautiful sunrise glow bathes a rugged cobble beach in warm, soft light. Watching the sun slowly creep above the horizon while listening to the cobblestones clink with each incoming wave was the perfect way to begin the new day. Acadia National Park, Maine.
    Alone With Your Thoughts
  • Rippled sand leads towards a massive sea stack at Point of the Arches on Shi Shi Beach. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Sand Castles
  • A colorful starfish rests on the rocky coastline amongst the towering sea stacks at Point of the Arches on Shi Shi Beach. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Son of Shi Shi
  • Starfish, sea anemones, and kelp adorn the rugged coastline at Point of the Arches on Shi Shi Beach. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Mysterious Dawn
  • Sunset light strikes the face of a massive sea stack along the Olympic Coast on a moody November evening, just steps away from one of my all-time favorite backcountry campsites. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    We Three Kings
  • As a teenager obsessed with running track and cross country, Steve Prefontaine was my idol. Hailing from the sleepy lumber town of Coos Bay, Oregon, “Pre” turned the running world on its head with his bravado and quotes like ” to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift” until he met his untimely end in 1975 at the age of 24. While it’s been years since I ran my last race, my admiration for Pre lives on. It thus seems fitting that during my post-grad school road trip I was lifted out of the deepest loneliness of my journey while in Coos Bay. <br />
Far from home and feeling lonelier than I ever thought possible, I aimlessly drove the backroads of Central Oregon until I found myself at the coast. After spending a restless night at a deserted campground in Newport, I awoke the next morning to find myself covered in poison oak. Barely able to open my eyes, I headed to the nearest urgent care, which happened to be just up the road in Coos Bay. After getting some meds and pondering my next move, not wanting to return to the suffocating loneliness that was waiting for me back at my campsite, I happened to see a flyer advertising the Prefontaine Memorial Gallery, an exhibit devoted to Steve Prefontaine. I immediately drove over and headed up to the gallery, and was in awe at what I found. The room was filled with countless trophies and medals that Pre had won, and even had some spikes that he had raced in. I spent most of the afternoon poring over each medal, marveling at how this man had made the most of his all too brief life.  By the time I was done in the gallery, I had a renewed vigor and zest for life, and drove back to my campsite eager to explore the very dunes that Pre himself used to train on. Because to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift, and this trip, I realized, was a gift that I just couldn’t sacrifice.
    The Gift
  • A budding rhododendron signals the arrival of spring along the Oregon coast.
    Arrival
  • A beautiful and colorful sunrise on the rugged coast was the perfect start to a perfect day in Maine's Acadia National Park.
    Perfect Start
  • A palm tree on Saona Island frames a visitor taking in the tropical beauty of the Dominican Republic on a perfect sunny day.
    Welcome Home
  • Periwinkles and kelp adorn a boulder along the rugged coast as an incredible sunrise emphatically marks the dawn of a new day. Acadia National Park, Maine.
    Life In Between
  • Beautiful sunrise light strikes an upright boulder and the distant cliffs along the Atlantic Ocean in Maine's Acadia National Park.
    Rise Up
  • A lone starfish clings to the underside of a boulder as it waits for the tide to come in. Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia.
    Tides of Time
  • The motion of rushing waves seems to mimic the curve of the clouds, during a phenomenal sunset along a deserted stretch of coastline in Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Sunset Swirl
  • An intimate view of a sea anemone I found in one of the many tide pools at Point of the Arches. The opportunity to view sea life such as sea anemones and starfish in a wilderness setting is one of the many reasons why the coast within Washington’s Olympic National Park is one of my favorite destinations for backpacking and photography.
    Medusa
  • Low tide at Point of the Arches reveals a tide pool filled with colorful starfish and sea anemones. The opportunity to view sea life such as sea anemones and starfish in a wilderness setting is one of the many reasons why the coast within Washington’s Olympic National Park is one of my favorite destinations for backpacking and photography.
    Vibrancy
  • A beautiful sunrise reflects in a tide pool tucked within the seaweed and barnacle-covered boulders of the Schoodic Peninsula. Often referred to as the "quiet side" of Acadia National Park, the Schoodic Peninsula sees only a fraction of the crowds found at the Mount Desert Island portion of Acadia, making it the perfect place to enjoy some solitude with your scenery along the beautiful coast of Maine.
    The Quiet Side
  • A lone sea lion calls out to his companions, as waves crash on the black volcanic rocks of the Oregon Coast. Cape Perpetua, Oregon.
    Calling Out
  • A sunflower sea star crawls along the sand in the shallow water of a coastal tide pool in the backcountry of Washington's Olympic National Park. Watching this sea star scuttle about was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had in the wilderness, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had it. Beginning in 2013, the year that I took this photo, a mysterious sea star wasting disease coupled with rising ocean temperatures has virtually wiped the once prolific sunflower sea star out of existence on the North American West Coast.
    Ode to Ned
  • One hundred years ago, on December 11, 1919, the SS Ethie got caught in a violent tempest off the west coast of Newfoundland. With the ship nearly out of coal and iced over, the decision was made to intentionally run the ship aground in an attempt to prevent it from being claimed by the storm and the savage sea. All 92 passengers were fortunately rescued and survived the ordeal, including a baby that was sent ashore via rope chair in a mail sack! News of the rescue spread far and wide, and the story was picked up by the Associated Press and was published in the Philadelphia Ledger. Somewhere along the way, as the story was retold and possibly embellished, the greatest hero of the rescue became a Newfoundland dog. The Hero Dog was said to have swum from the breached ship to land with a rope in its mouth, in order to bring the rope to observers on shore so that the passengers could be rescued. While the veracity of these stories will likely never be fully known, remnants of the wreck can still be seen strewn about the rocky and beautiful coast at Martin’s Point, and make for a very interesting spot to stop and explore while traveling the west coast of Newfoundland.
    Remembrance
  • Two starfish cling to the rocks and each other as they wait for the tide to come in again. Olympic National park, Washington.
    Holding On
  • A hiker pauses on a granite headland on the Schoodic Peninsula to marvel at the power of the ocean. Acadia National Park, Maine.
    Call of the Sea
  • Palm fronds soak up the warm tropical sun on Saona Island.
    Under the Canopy
  • A skiff floats in the turquoise Caribbean waters off of palm tree-fringed Saona Island.
    Escape Plan
  • Clouds and the sea glow with beautiful light and colors after a phenomenal sunset. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Afterglow
  • Starry skies over my tent along the beautiful coast of Washington's Olympic National Park.
    Spirit of Adventure
  • The post-sunset glow illuminates the ripples of Cedar Creek as it flows towards the Pacific Ocean. Olympic National Park, Washington.
    Dragon Scales
  • The sun bursts through the clouds shortly after rising to make the rocky coast of the Schoodic Peninsula sparkle like gold. Acadia National Park, Maine.
    Gold Coast
  • While trekking out on the jetty in Provincetown, I kept noticing piles of broken crab, clam and mussel shells, and was initially perplexed by their presence. Once a seagull swooped down on the rocks right in front of me, though, it all became clear. After the sea gulls pluck a clam out of the sandy sea floor at low tide, they fly up to the jetty and repeatedly drop their meal onto the rocks until it cracks open enough for them to enjoy their reward. It was refreshing to learn that sea gulls are indeed capable of hunting and not just stealing your picnic lunch while trying to enjoy a day at the beach! Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
    Breakfast on the Jetty
  • A beautiful beach of white cobblestones lines the turquoise waters of Georgian Bay. The lack of vegetation in the lake here gives the water an unbelievable color and clarity, which can make Georgian Bay seem more Caribbean than Canada. Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario.
    Canadian Caribbean
  • While wandering Long Beach one evening at the tail end of an emotionally-charged day, I scrambled up a rocky headland hoping to escape the thoughts that wouldn't get off my mind, and to watch the sunset in the process. Atop the headland, I discovered an array of pretty spring wildflowers that were basking in the glorious sunshine after a long and wet Pacific Northwest winter. Just as I settled in myself to enjoy the renewing warmth of the sun, a bird began to circle overhead, and together we watched the sun cast the final warm rays of the day over the mighty Pacific. Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia.
    Birds of a Feather
  • Interesting patterns in the sand along a rocky section of Long Beach at sunset. Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia.
    Delusions
  • A rusted buoy rests on the white cobbles of a beautiful beach in Ontario's Bruce Peninsula National park.
    Castaway
  • One of the best things about owning a canoe? Still being able to explore the wilderness when you bust your ankle. A morning paddle took me out to a rocky little island in the middle of a calm pond, where I thankfully was able to hobble around enough to find this little clutch of grass and flowers nestled in the rocks, with my canoe beached in the distance. Adirondack Park, New York.
    Morningtide