When our family set the Oregon coast as the family summer vacation destination of 2014, I was excited to see and photograph an area of the country that I had never before photographed – including the lighthouses that dot the coast. Although we could see the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse from our rented coastal beach house in Seaside, Oregon, it was too far away to really photograph. So I know I needed to get closer to the offshore beacon to capture a photo worth sharing.
The photo I pictured in my mind was of the sun setting into the ocean, silhouetted by the outline of the lighthouse. Before the sun was even close to setting, I used the app on my iPhone to identify where I needed to stand in order to capture the sun AND lighthouse in the same frame. The Photographer’s Ephemeris app pinpointed exactly where I needed to stand – but it wasn’t until 45 minutes before sunset that the family got settled in the cabin and I was able to break away to zip over to Ecola State Park.
I was amazed at the lush landscape and windy roads of Oregon. Once I broke off the main road, I found my way twisting and turning through what appears to be a rain forest. However, I wasn’t able to enjoy too much of the scenery on the way since my goal was quickly dipping into the ocean. I pad the State Park entrance fee, parked, grabbed my gear and set up shop. Sadly, there were some think clouds low on the horizon, so I didn’t have as much time as I thought before sunset, and my window of the sun was quickly closing.
I lined up my shot but noticed a strong glare of the sun on the glass of my lens, ruining my shot. I did my best to move around, hoping to eliminate the glare, or at least move it out from covering the actual lighthouse. Luckily, I was able to get about four photos captured before the sun set, but I was disappointed that I didn’t have more time to set up the shot. Although the sun was now behind the clouds, I continued shooting the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse from a variety of angles. Some included the hillside and shores, while others focused on the lighthouse and vastness of the Pacific Ocean.
I’ve posted all the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse photos, along with others from the trip, here if you’re interested in checking them out.
~signed, Carltonaut
Carltonaut 