TRAVEL TIPS AND INSPIRATION
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE FREE ADVICE FOR TRAVEL PLANNING
MEET THE BOUND TO EXPLORE TEAM
Hello! We are Brian and Julie, the married couple behind Bound to Explore. Our goal is to inspire others to fit more travel and adventure into their current lifestyles.
With full-time jobs, finding the time to get out and explore can be challenging, but we are here to show you it is possible! Our blog covers a range of topics including trip planning guides, hiking reports, and photography tips.
We hope you will follow along with us on our adventures!
EXPLORE AND DISCOVER
RECENT ADVENTURES

Moving Day
Had fun with the title on this one since it was taken on the day that Brian and I moved to Washington last January. I am looking forward to some warm summer days hiking up in the mountains, but while we wait I wouldn’t mind getting a touch of snow here in the lowlands again. It just makes everything look better. 😜
#waterfalls #waterfall #waterfalls_collective #pnwwaterfalls #pnwonderland #pnw #washingtonexplored #snoqualmiefalls #snoqualmie #winterlandscape #snowy #waterfallphotography #womencapturemagic #washingtonwomenphotographers
1 day ago

Making Wildflower Wednesday a thing this week.
Seeing paintbrush on hikes always brings me joy, so hopefully this mediocre flower image brightens you day just a little. 😜
#paintbrush #flower #wildflowers #wildflowerwednesday #flower #flowerstagram #pink
4 days ago

Waking Dream
The first snow at the end of autumn made this one of my favorite hikes in 2022. The weather paired with the landscape yielded conditions that were just so indescribably beautiful that it didn't seem real. I wish I could say that the images I created reflect that beauty and awe, but I don't think any images could do it justice.
#mountains #northcascades #snowliage #cloudscape #stormy #pnwonderland #pnw #explorewashstate #womencapturemagic #infocuswomen #washingtonwomenphotographers #pnwhappyhikers #pnwoutdoorwomen #washingtontrails
3 weeks ago

Posting something a little different today since most of my images are in color. High school Julie exclusively shot 35 mm black-and-white film on her dad’s old SLR, and processed her work in a dark room. Digital was just becoming a thing, so it’s pretty amazing to consider how much photography has changed since then! While working with film was fun, I definitely prefer the convenience and flexibility of digital.
I decided to return to my monochromatic roots with my processing on this image because I wanted to highlight the contrast and shapes between the water and sand. It’s not perfect, but I’m happy with the result and feel a little more inspired to play with this type of processing.
#monochrome #blackandwhite #abstractphotography #ocean #smallscenes #slowphotographymovement #lightandlandmag #elementsphotomag #onland #womencapturemagic #infocuswomen
3 weeks ago

Season Finale
It’s officially winter here! ❄️ This scene unfolded on my last hike of the fall season in the Cascades. The trek up to the pass was slow-going because I was in absolute awe over the mix of fall colors with freshly fallen snow. Luckily, as I crested the summit, it was just in time to see the light rays break through the clouds and they lasted long enough for me to set up a composition. This was just one of those moments that I kept pinching myself over.
#mountains #pnw #pnwonderland #lightrays #snow #explorewashstate #northcascades #moodygrams #pnwphotographer #womencapturemagic #infocuswomen #futurewomenphotography #washingtonwomenphotographers
1 month ago

Merced Reflection No. 1
#abstract #abstraction #abstractphotography #waterabstract #watercolor #slowphotographymovement #slowphotography #reflection #elementsphotomag #painterlyphotos
1 month ago

Sunset in the Skagit Range. This image was created on one of my favorite hikes this year. Even though the road to the trailhead was so bumpy that I thought I was going to get a concussion from my brain jingling around in my skull, the views from the top were incredible - 360 degrees of mountain peaks! When I first reached the summit, I didn’t know where to point my camera, but this composition eventually caught my eye.
#mountains #northcascades #pnw #pnwonderland #mountainlovers #sunsetphotography #womencapturemagic #infocuswomen #futurewomenphotography #womensphotographycircle #washingtonwomenphotographers
1 month ago
Subscribe to receive regular blog updates directly to your inbox