Spring in the Pacific Northwest state of Oregon is a photographer’s dream – join Tom’s 11-day workshop to discover how to capture it in all its rugged, wild glory. From tumbling waterfalls and creeks in full flow and magnificent gorges carving their way through the Cascade mountains to tranquil lakes reflecting nearby peaks and dramatic seascapes of rocky arches, towering stacks and secluded beaches, it’s your opportunity to play with light and conjure incredible images. As a bonus, you’ll also be visiting the most unspoilt of the coastal redwood forests, just over the state line in California. With plenty of personal tuition from Tom, you’ll find your landscape photography skills blossoming as quickly as the Oregon spring flowers.
After meeting at Portland Airport, we’ll be spending two days in Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, where the river has carved a canyon up to 4000ft deep in places through the Cascade Range. It’s home to 90 enchanting waterfalls, including the Multnomah Falls, which plunge over 620ft from basalt cliffs and are spanned by a graceful stone footbridge. A short hop west brings us to the magical landscape of Wahkeena Canyon, whose lush forest boasts the three-tiered 242ft Wahkeena Falls and exquisite Fairy Falls, only 20ft tall but ideal for ethereal long exposures.
Our next overnight stop is Eugene, ringed by hills and forests and just a short drive from three wonderfully photogenic falls on the glacier-fed McKenzie River watershed in Willamette National Forest. The Waterfalls Loop Trail takes us along a picturesque path through the verdant forest to the mighty 100ft Sahalie and 70ft Koosah Falls, whose powerful flow generates mist and rainbows dancing over the river, while nearby Proxy Falls plunges 226ft in two delicate cataracts then vanishes into the porous lava rock at its foot.
The beautiful mountain city of Bend on the Deschutes River, at the eastern edge of the Cascades, is our base for capturing sunrise over Sparks Lake. Fringed with meadows, marshes and woodlands, the tranquil waters mirror the towering peaks of Broken Top, Bachelor Butte and South Sister.
Heading higher into the desert, we’ll spend two days shooting the extraordinary Crater Lake. The deepest in the USA and one of the purest on the planet, it was formed nearly 8000 years ago by a cataclysmic volcanic eruption, creating an almost circular caldera, whose distinctively conical Wizard Island was built up by subsequent eruptions. With brilliant blue waters, steep slopes carpeted in wildflowers and pines, and clear skies undisturbed by light pollution make it perfect for dawn, dusk and astrophotography.
From our three-night base over the border in California at Crescent City, whose famed native azaleas will be in full bloom, we’ll capture some of the planet’s largest trees at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. It’s the most northerly redwood park on the California coast and probably the most unspoilt, with few trails to disturb images of sun-dappled groves of these ancient giants.
No photography trip to Oregon would be complete without capturing the savage beauty of the southwest coastline, particularly along the Samuel H Boardman Scenic Corridor – a richly forested 12-mile stretch of secluded coves, craggy bluffs, pounding swell and intriguing offshore rock formations. We'll focus on two of the most iconic locations – Secret Beach, with its spectacular tree-topped sea stacks, and Natural Bridges, a rocky inlet framed by two archways, remnants of the roofs of eroded caves.
Our final night is in Bandon, a charming ocean-side town at the mouth of the Coquille River, whose glorious sands are famous for their colossal sea stacks – all that remains of an ancient marine terrace. With evocative names like Face Rock, Wizards Hat, Elephant Rock, Cat and Kittens, they are fabulous photographed in near silhouette at dusk with the sun setting over the Pacific.
Meeting at Portland Airport at 1pm on the 14th and dropping off on the 24th at 1pm.
Whether you’re a beginner or semi-pro, you’ll find plenty to learn and enjoy on this workshop.
You’ll require either a digital camera with at least a 16GB memory card (minimum 32GB if it’s high resolution) or a film camera (SLR, medium, large or wide format) – Tom has many years of experience working with both.
Additional kit – a tripod, shutter release and polarising filter will help you maximise your shooting opportunities, although they aren’t essential.
Average fitness levels are required, as there will be quite a lot of walking, although nothing too strenuous.
The Oregon climate is as varied as the terrain. You’ll be experiencing everything from Mediterranean and marine west coast conditions to sub-alpine and high desert, ranging from highs of mid-20s / mid-70s to the possibility of freezing night-time temperatures at Crater Lake. The answer is to pack a waterproof jacket and clothes you can layer as required.
No Images are Public Domain. All images on this site are the copyright property of Tom Mackie and protected under United States and International copyright laws. No copying, saving to digital file, reproduction or manipulation is permitted unless with express written authority of Tom Mackie. Fair use is not an excuse. Usage of a image for the basis of any form of creative concept is also in violation of our copyright. THERE ARE NO ROYALTY FREE IMAGES HERE.
No Images are Public Domain. All images on this site are the copyright property of Tom Mackie and protected under United States and International copyright laws. No copying, saving to digital file, reproduction or manipulation is permitted unless with express written authority of Tom Mackie. Fair use is not an excuse. Usage of a image for the basis of any form of creative concept is also in violation of our copyright. THERE ARE NO ROYALTY FREE IMAGES HERE.
