8/6/08 - A Tourist in Oregon, Part II

It is probably a cliche to photograph the waterfalls of the Columbia Gorge, but there is good reason why everyone does it... They are simply stunning. On this particular day, it started out overcast and drizzly. I was able to take advantage of these conditions to produce, what I think are, moody images.


Multnomah Falls is one of the more popular falls to visit in the Gorge. However, I was lucky enough to have arrived early enough to time a shot without herds of tourists standing around. My goal for this shot was to show the flow and height of the falls while also presenting the lush vegetation and dramatic cliffs on either side of them. I shot this at a slow shutter speed to capture the fall as one continuous flow. I did have to do some burning and dodging to get the details in the rocks.


It's apparent why these are called Ponytail Falls. I placed my wife behind the falls to provide a perspective for just how tall the falls are.


This image was capture by standing behind Ponytail Falls. My goal was to show the power of the falls as contrasted by an otherwise peaceful forest setting.