Oneonta Gorge

Women's Forum Viewpoint

Fairy Falls

Taken during the Multnomah Falls hike, this smaller cascade was definitely worth stopping for. Columbia River Gorge, OR

Panther Creek Falls

The first stop after landing in Portland was to head North into Washington State and seek out this amazing waterfall. After navigating through some winding logging roads complete with downed trees and descending down the hillside holding on to a raggedy piece of paracord, I arrived at the bottom of this first set of falls along Panther Creek. The noise in this location was incredible, and the unrelenting mist soaked through all my gear and required frequent wiping of the lens and filters. I thought the rest of the trip would be hard-pressed to compete with such an amazing first exposure to Columbia River Gorge and the Pacific Northwest, but this area continued to surprise me over and over with lush green landscapes and wispy waterfalls throughout the rest of my trip. Columbia River Gorge, WA

Cape Perpetua

After shooting Thor's Well at sunset, I ran (more like drove) up to the top of the Cape Perpetua lookout to take in some long exposure light trails, crashing waves, and howling winds! The coast of Oregon is filled with lots of rocky seascapes, turquoise blue water and some amazing wind-swept trees, standing hunched over after decades of battling the unrelenting winds out here. I can't wait to return to check out all the nooks and crevices that this beautiful state has to offer. Cape Perpetua, OR

Sun Setting on Rowena Crest

When your main shot doesn't work out, you turn around and shoot PNW wildflowers in early-May! I arrived at this location to shoot some iconic twisty roads and light trails after the sun set behind me. To my luck, a rockslide had occurred on the twisty road just past the entrance to the parking lot, preventing my shot. Trying not to waste the opportunity, I frolicked over the fields searching for a backlit composition, which you see here. Hood River, OR

Multnomah Falls

First car in the parking lot at the Multnomah Falls Lodge that morning and was able to photograph these falls and the pedestrian bridge in total peace. Shortly after, I ran into another photographer who i'd met earlier in the week and we trekked the Multnomah-Wahkeena hike for the remainder of the morning. I was happy to hear that despite the massive wildfires in the area this past summer, that the rangers were able to save the lodge and limit the damage to this beautiful area. Columbia River Gorge, OR

Wahkeena Creek

A quick detour off the Multnomah-Wahkeena hike to check out this awesome creek with lush green moss growing all around it. Columbia River Gorge, OR

Thor's Well

I recently spent a week down in Oregon photographing the Columbia River Gorge, but also made sure to spend a few days in Yachats to photograph the coast and Thor's well. I returned multiple times in different conditions, times, and tides to see what this small attraction would produce. Each time, I was amazed at the raw power and sheer amount of water that travelled around the well before plunging back into the ocean. This shot was taken during high tide, but I also have a low-tide sunset shot that I look forward to sharing with you soon! Yachats, OR

Lower Oneonta Falls

Captured deep within Oneonta Gorge, and travelling through 5*C chest-deep water for most of the hike led me to one of the most spectacular dead-ends I could ever ask for! This location was the reason I chose to visit Oregon this past spring, and it (along with the numerous other areas I visited) did not disappoint! The water temps and 7am start meant I had this entire place to myself for most of the morning, and despite the thunderous roar of the cascading water within the walls of the Gorge, it was eerily peaceful and calm. Columbia River Gorge, OR

The Tranquil Maple

This Japanese maple tree in full bloom had the most vibrant canopy i’d ever seen, especially with all the lush greens i’d worked with so far throughout Oregon. Deceiving in size, I had walked past this a number of times in search of the “big maple”, only to realize the actual tree is maybe 5’ tall. Sticking my lens in underneath this tree yielded an amazing perspective of twisting branches, colourful leaves, and lush green moss and quickly became one of my fondest memories of this trip. Portland, OR

Lower South Falls

The second stop on a very soggy hike around Silver Falls State Park. Silver Falls State Park, OR

Elowah Falls

Had Elowah Falls all to myself for about an hour on this particular morning, with a lot of opportunities to scout the infinite angles available at the site. A lot of spray from the falls meant I could not get a super sharp/clear version with the walking bridge in frame, but moving further back presented some amazing compositions. This shot was taken atop one of the large boulders in the river below the falls, and was definitely tricky to get to during the spring melt. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful location! Columbia River Gorge, OR

South Falls

The first of many waterfalls along the trails in Oregon. Silver Falls State Park, OR

Wiesendanger Falls

An early morning start on the Multnomah-Wahkeena hike meant I was the first to arrive in the parking lot shortly after sunrise. The goal was to start the 5mi hike ASAP in order to shoot all 8 waterfalls before the sun would start to cast harsh light on the scenes. A fellow photographer Michael Hellen, who I had met a few nights earlier at Rowena Crest, coincidentally also had the same game plan. We kicked off the hike and began capturing images. As we arrived at Wiesendanger Falls, our luck ended, but not before the sun cast some amazing light rays just off to the side. Columbia River Gorge, OR

Latourell Falls

A quick roadside stop in between sunrise and my first hike, I threw the car into the parking lot of Latourell Falls and quickly ran up to the viewpoint to capture this image. Some of the best images are the ones that aren't planned and you need to seize the opportunity and react quickly to get the shots you want. This was one of those cases where minimal effort (and a little luck) paid off! Columbia River Gorge, OR