Photographer: Jeff Bottman, Seattle
Photo taken: Nov. 4, along trail to Cutthroat Pass, off the North Cascades Highway.
Photographer's description: "These are my tracks in new snow high in the North Cascades. On that Friday I met not another soul the whole day, on a normally busy trail. Conditions were magical with blue skies, scudding clouds, animal tracks, and silence. The snow glinted rainbow colors. Camera: Nikon D90."
Expert says: "Many elements add up to a well-thought out photograph. Nice composition with the slope beginning at the top horizontal-third line and bisecting the frame diagonally to the lower-horizontal third. The horizon is level. The tracks add a human element and walk into the corner to give that negative space weight. The cloud cover helps by keeping the foreground snow in shade and highlighting the peaks and snow in the background."
— Kevin Fujii, Seattle Times picture editor