One of my stated photography goals for 2015 is to capture some photographs of the Oregon Coast that are worthy of being in my fine art portfolio. In the back of my mind I felt like three new prints of the Oregon Coast captured during 2015 would be a good start. Because I am a very involved father and because I am the husband of a hard working owner of Bend, Oregon’s newest Veterinary clinic, Riverside Animal Hospital, and because I live over three hours from the Oregon Coast, I knew that three new prints would be a lofty goal.
Well, I got lucky! After playing soccer dad for my wonderful daughter, Emma, she and I decided to spend the night at the Oregon Coast. Because her soccer game had been in Portland, the Oregon coastal community of Cannon Beach was a close( and attractive) option. We booked a hotel room and left Oregon’s biggest city for the Oregon Coast town of Cannon Beach.
The Oregon Coast is undeniably beautiful but I have an admission to make…….I am more of a mountain person than a beach person. I enjoy the Oregon Coast immensely but because our home is in Bend, near the Cascade Mountains, I find it hard to leave home. Bend is blessed with countless mountain oriented entertainment and the Oregon Coast is….. over three hours away. Well when Emma and I were at Cannon Beach something wonderful and enchanting happened. My daughter morphed from a smart, hard-working, athletic, funny 12 year-old to a frolicking, giddy, beautiful 6 year old. She was a giddy cart-wheeling pixie and I was a beaming blissful father. I couldn’t have felt luckier. I captured the above fine art photograph with my large format camera after a 70 degree day filled with cavorting on Cannon Beach. Not Bad! The sunset was stunning, as you can see. I had a pre-conceived composition, which completely went out the window as the sun sank low over the Pacific Ocean. Cannon Beach’s iconic Haystack Rock couldn’t share the frame with the brilliant sunset. I quickly re-commposed several times before I found this “Ahhh-Hahhh” composition. The placid tide pool reflecting purple skies backed by Cannon Beach’s Pinnacles made for an elegant setting. I was ecstatic as I stared at the ground glass of my large format 4×5 film camera. This fine art photograph captures some of what makes the Oregon Coast special. Tide pools, sea stacks, and gorgeous sunsets.Emma, as always, was instrumental in my happiness on this evening but she was also helpful in allowing me to capture this fine art photograph. On several occasions, she detoured beach walkers out of the scene so that I could captured Cannon Beach at its best, and people free. Thank-You Emma! To purchase this beautiful photograph of Cannon Beach.
After our wonderful but short visit to Cannon Beach, I developed a new appreciation of the Oregon Coast and its happiness-inducing powers. Any place that can make a 12 years -old do involuntary cart- wheels for hours on end is worth re-visiting!
Canon Beach Cartwheel
