A love letter to the Pacific Northwest

Snapping black-and-white shots on his iPhone, photographer Aaron Lavinsky reveals Washington state's colorless beauty

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Flying a kite on the shores of Washington state.
(Image credit: (Aaron Lavinsky)It was that desire for something different that drove photographer Aaron Lavinsky, 27, to dedicate himself to the landscape while living in Grays Harbor, Washington, — and to)

(Aaron Lavinsky)

(Image credit: (Aaron Lavinsky)The resulting images are relatively small — shooting with an iPhone will do that — and yet still incredibly engaging, like the worn snapshots of strangers you might uncover at)

(Image credit: (Aaron Lavinsky))

(Image credit: (Aaron Lavinsky))

(Aaron Lavinsky)Lavinsky, who now lives in Minneapolis and shoots for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, says his biggest regret with the series was not having more time to travel farther out on his day trips."I wish I got to spend more time further up the (Olympic) Peninsula. It's such a huge area," he says. "The Hoh Rain Forest and Lake Crescent were jaw-droppingly beautiful, and I only visited a handful of times."But in this uniquely saturated locale, Lavinsky managed to find his own splendor within an hour's drive."The rain is what makes the area so incredible," he says. "It's wet, green, full of natural energy. The earth is alive in so many ways, wherever you look. I've never felt as connected to an environment as I did living in Washington. The surroundings were constantly inspiring."

(Image credit: (Aaron Lavinsky))

(Image credit: (Aaron Lavinsky))

(Image credit: (Aaron Lavinsky)The best part of the series is that Lavinsky was far from alone while shooting it. With no deadlines to meet or requirements besides the ones he created for himself, Lavinsky)

(Aaron Lavinsky) **To see more of Aaron Lavinsky's work, check out his website and his blog, and follow him on Twitter and on Instagram**

Sarah Eberspacher
Sarah Eberspacher

Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.