Early May is the prime time for wildflower displays in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. There are a number of locations on both the Oregon and Washington side of the river that are great for finding and photographing wildflowers. Here are three of the best places for getting photos with masses of color. Tom McCall Preserve, pictured above, is a Nature Conservancy holding at Rowena on the Oregon side of the River. An easy stroll just a few [read more ...]
The folks at HostelBookers.com came up with a great idea for sharing stories and photos, and one of my online friends, travel blogger Kathryn of TravelWithKat.com encouraged me to join in the fun. So, here I am taking part in HostelBookers 7 Super Shots. 1. A photo that takes my breath away: The Na Pali Coast on the island of Kauai is truly spectacular. Fly along the coast on a helicopter tour, take a Zodiac or kayak into coves and caves, hike [read more ...]
One of the most scenic places on the Oregon coast is Bandon Beach. It’s one of my personal favorites, and I think it is has some of the most photogenic scenery on the entire west coast. The main attraction for photography is the sea stacks – monolithic rock formations that provide dramatic subject matter for photographers in just about any weather condition. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better location for sunset seascapes. Nowhere else on the coast has such [read more ...]
Spirit Falls, Umpqua Natonal Forest, Cascade Mountains, Oregon. A very scenic drive on Forest Service roads in the Umpqua National Forest will take you to a trio of waterfalls between Cottage Grove and Oakridge, Oregon. I found conditions for photography just about perfect the other day for waterfall photography, with soft light overcast light and good water flow in the creeks thanks to recent rains. To add to the attraction, there is still a bit of fall color left in [read more ...]
National Geographic Traveler magazine recently rated coastal destinations all over the world, with a ranking based on, among other things, environmental health and visitor experience. I am very pleased to find that two of my favorite coasts are among the top-rated. Both the Oregon Coast and the Na Pali Coast on Kauai are, according to the magazine, “In excellent shape, relatively unspoiled and likely to remain so.” The rugged and remote Na Pali coast is one of the scenic wonders [read more ...]
September is National Wilderness Month, so proclaimed by President Obama. I’ve had the good fortune to hike and backpack in several wilderness areas recently, and firmly believe that our federally designated Wilderness areas rank right up there with our National Parks as some of the best things about the U.S.A. There are a number of new and proposed wilderness areas in the Pacific Northwest, places that are now protected, or worthy of protection, for future generations. Nationally, The Wilderness Society [read more ...]
The Old McKenzie Pass Highway, OR 242, has opened for the summer after snow plows were finally able to clear both lanes of the road. This part of the McKenzie Pass – Santiam Pass National Scenic Byway is an incredibly scenic route across Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. Traveling west to east, the highway passes through lush old-growth forest characterized by massive Douglas-fir and western red-cedar trees, makes a series of hairpin turns to climb to the central Cascades, and crosses lava [read more ...]
The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), recently honored the best books in 50 categories at the 22nd Annual Benjamin Franklin Awards™ in New York City prior to the BookExpo America tradeshow. Photographing Oregon was named best book of the year in the Travel category. Judged by a panel of book industry experts including buyers at wholesale and retail levels, librarians, book critics, design experts, and independent publishing consultants, these books have been scrutinized by individuals involved in the very markets [read more ...]
It’s rhododendron season in the Pacific Northwest. Depending on location and elevation, these beautiful evergreen shrubs bloom from April through June in the western regions of northern California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. There are several species and many varieties of rhodies grown as garden ornamentals, but only the Pacific Rhododendron (R. macrophyllum) grows in the wild. One of the best known places to see and photograph these wonderful flowers is in the California Redwoods, but they’re also prolific in [read more ...]
A couple of magazines feature my photography on the cover this month. VIA, the magazine of the AAA auto club, assigned me to shoot a story on the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and nearby Florence, Oregon. For the cover, they chose a shot of a couple of guys jumping off a dune face along the John Dellenbach Trail in the Umpqua Dunes Area. Just so happens that the two guys are my son Hunter and his friend Tom Clawson. [read more ...]
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