When most people think of the Pacific Northwest, gloom and incessant rain comes to mind. In fact, this year, , with 24.63 inches of rain. weather.com meteorologist Linda Lam said that the average December through February rainfall for the city is 14.42 inches.

Photographer Dylan Furst makes the most of the dreary weather. In fact, he's inspired by it.

"I started taking photos of nature about four years ago. I was tired of my friends complaining about the bad weather we have here in the Pacific Northwest. I wanted to show people how lucky we are to live where we do," he told weather.com.

His photos certainly show a romantic side of the region. The Teton peaks rise above a foggy trail. A bald eagle soars above green pines. This is the Pacific Northwest from Furst's perspective.

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Perhaps the most captivating of his images shows a grizzly waving as the photographer passes by car, taken at Olympic Game Farm in Washington, which is home to both endangered and non-threatened species. Furst said that this bear is a retired circus bear who is unable to survive in the wild.

"I haven't spent more than a few hours at a time waiting for the perfect shot, and that's nothing in the sceme of things," he said. "I have so much respect for the photographers who sometimes camp out for weeks for one photo. I think my process is more about getting out as much as I can, and I figure I'm guaranteed to see some wildlife along the way."

Some of Furst's favorite locations outside of the Pacific Northwest include Newfoundland for wildlife and Norway for landscape photography. He was able to whalewatch in Newfoundland in the summer, witnessing the .

Furst has many travel plans in his future, and he showcases images of the Pacific Northwest and beyond on his and .

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