Location:
Elowah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon
45.61198° N, 121.99471° W
Story Behind the Shot:
Elowah Falls, a beautiful 213-foot cascade tucked into Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge, is an incredible sight, but the view from the base didn’t quite capture the drama I was looking for. Wandering downstream along the creek, I came across this spot where moss-covered trees and rocks framed the falls perfectly. The fallen log in the foreground created a natural leading line, drawing the eye straight to the waterfall, completing the scene.
Capturing this perspective was very tricky. The rocks were slippery, and balancing my tripod across the creek was sketchy at best. At one point, I slipped into the creek, losing a filter in the process. On top of that the shifting sunlight required quite a bit of patience, as I waited for over two hours for overcast moments to achieve the desired silky effect through long exposure.
