In the rolling hills of the Palouse, a colorful harvest reaps amber waves of grain

Photographer: Rod Hoekstra

Photo taken: Aug. 12, 2020, Steptoe Butte, Whitman County

Photographer’s description: “In June, July and August, my girlfriend walked across Washington, starting in La Push and ending at the Idaho border. I ran support for her during this time, which gave me a lot of opportunity to photograph the crop-harvesting operations in the farmland of Eastern Washington. The soft light on the rolling hills of the Palouse illuminated this combine as it took in the ripe wheat and created swirling rows in the landscape.”

Critique: “First of all, good on your girlfriend for undertaking that endeavor. And I’m glad you thought to share with us one of your images made possible by her journey. This photo shows off summer in the Palouse spectacularly. The undulations and bends in the landscape are lit very nicely: not too harsh, and we get a nice contrast between the fields and the colorful machines. As a Washington State University alum and someone who is fond of the Palouse, this photo is like comfort food to me. Thanks for sharing.”

Below is a gallery of previous Reader’s Lens picks. Share your recent photo from around the Northwest. Submit online at seattletimes.com/submit-photos. Our favorite will appear in this spot next week. We judge the year’s best and award prizes in December.