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Photographing Oregon: A Guide to the Natural Landmarks of Oregon
Have you ever wanted to see with your own eyes all the beautiful locations found in coffee table books, posters, calendars, and travel magazines?
Do you want to see the most photogenic spots in our parks and monuments?
Do you want to visit spectacular off the beaten track locations outside the parks?
Photographing Oregon covers the most photogenic natural locations in beautiful Oregon, from the rugged coastline to the fertile Willamette Valley, through the Columbia River Gorge and over the Cascade Mountains, across the Great Basin high desert and Columbia Plateau to the eastern border.
Come explore coastal cliffs and beaches, sand dunes, lighthouses, wildlife refuges, gardens, waterfalls, verdant valleys, volcanic peaks, unique rock formations, the deepest canyon in North America and remote desert outposts.
304 pages of great information for everyone; no need to be a photographer
240+ full color photographs, to previsualize most of the sites
Hundreds of locations, including the best spots and how to get there
All the major national parks, monuments and state parks
Clear and precise directions provided for seldom seen and hard-to-find sites
Lots of travel tips not usually found in traditional guidebooks
Where, when and how to get the best shots
Valuable tips on composition, exposure and hard-to-shoot scenery
Comprehensive ratings for each location (interest, difficulty, etc.)
Also available in the same
Photographing the Southwest Vol. 1 Southern Utah
Photographing the Southwest Vol. 2 Arizona
Photographing the Southwest Vol. 3 Colorado and New Mexico
Offering the same kind of great information on these areas.
Do you want to see the most photogenic spots in our parks and monuments?
Do you want to visit spectacular off the beaten track locations outside the parks?
Photographing Oregon covers the most photogenic natural locations in beautiful Oregon, from the rugged coastline to the fertile Willamette Valley, through the Columbia River Gorge and over the Cascade Mountains, across the Great Basin high desert and Columbia Plateau to the eastern border.
Come explore coastal cliffs and beaches, sand dunes, lighthouses, wildlife refuges, gardens, waterfalls, verdant valleys, volcanic peaks, unique rock formations, the deepest canyon in North America and remote desert outposts.
304 pages of great information for everyone; no need to be a photographer
240+ full color photographs, to previsualize most of the sites
Hundreds of locations, including the best spots and how to get there
All the major national parks, monuments and state parks
Clear and precise directions provided for seldom seen and hard-to-find sites
Lots of travel tips not usually found in traditional guidebooks
Where, when and how to get the best shots
Valuable tips on composition, exposure and hard-to-shoot scenery
Comprehensive ratings for each location (interest, difficulty, etc.)
Also available in the same
Photographing the Southwest Vol. 1 Southern Utah
Photographing the Southwest Vol. 2 Arizona
Photographing the Southwest Vol. 3 Colorado and New Mexico
Offering the same kind of great information on these areas.
- GenresPhotographyTravel
299 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2009
12 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 8, 2018
Have owned this one since it was published. When I open it to the stickies, the urge to travel arises. Have never been to southeast Oregon with a camera. The photos in the book are excellent examples of Oregon's awesome diversity.
It opens with a two page picture taken from Smith Rocks, one of my favorite folders for pictures, showing snow capped Mount Jefferson through a gap between the fangs of the ancient caldera.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_R...
If you were to fly to Central Oregon, your plane would land at the Redmond airport. From there to Smith Rocks is about 15 minutes drive.
Quoting - page 210 - This chapter, "Central Oregon & The Eastern Cascades," opens with a picture of "South Sister at sunrise from Cascade Lakes Highway." (Perhaps the most likely of Oregon's Cascade volcanoes to erupt.)
"Central Oregon is a land of contrasts. The terrain varies from snow-capped alpine peaks to forested plains to arid desert." (Chrisl questions the "forested plains" part. Juniper on lava, maybe. Plains with soil are irrigated cropland.)
"The Great Basin lies to the southeast and the crest of the majestic Cascade Mountain Range borders the west." (The south slope of the Maury Mountains, in southern Crook County forms the north edge of the basin. South of the mountain range, Logan Butte, a unique 44 million year old geological formation has attracted scientists for generations. If you have seen the Painted Hills and want another variation, a journey up the "wild and scenic" Crooked River to Logan Butte on a sunny day will fill your camera with memorable views. If you need exercise, take time to climb Chimney Rock on your drive through the canyon. High above the river, atop the layers of lava, the Cascades enhance the western horizon. Logan Butte fossils helped a local tavern owner choose the name: "Skull of the Oreodont" commonly called the Skull. That owner sometimes had the library acquire PhD thesis for him via interlibrary loan.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merycoi...
http://www.bendbulletin.com/news/1525...
https://eponaleah.wordpress.com/2011/...
"Included in this territory are 1.6 million acres of National Forest, 500 miles of rivers, and more than 150 lakes." (The BLM has great amounts of acreage, too. Nearly 16 million acres in Oregon, about 46% of total land. The Skull attracted the federal employees and teachers, but ultimately became a Chinese Restaurant with a different lifestyle drinking crowd. As a member of the BLM's bowling team, I enjoyed spending time with one of their archaeologists. The Ochoco National Forest and the BLM's Prineville district both have large office buildings, and payrolls. People from Central Oregon wanting to harvest juniper would get their permits in the Prineville office.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochoco_...
Page 216 - "The Crooked River snakes through a canyon of rhyolite cliffs at Smith Rock State Park on the northwestern edge of Oregon's high desert country. ... somewhat reminiscent of red rock country in the southwest USA."
South from Prineville - "Lower Crooked River National Backcountry Byway ... this 44-mile long route, the Wild & Scenic Lower Crooked River meanders through a rugged canyon with cliffs and sheer walls up to 600 feet high. ...
"One of the most distinctive rock formations is Chimney Rock, a basalt monolith overlooking the river. A 2.6 mile round-trip hike involving a moderate climb ... From the end of the trail 500 feet above the river, there are broad views of the canyon and distant Cascade Mountains ... Rattlesnakes aren't really a problem here, but it's the kind of territory they like ...
***
page 245 features a picture of Big Indian Gorge on Steens Mountain ... awesome place. I'd like to spend time in the Steens, again, this time with camera and energy ...
Text around picture - "Several years ago I was selected to provide photos for an Oregon guidebook. The author and I met briefly with the editor, and then went our separate ways, not expecting to meet again until the book was almost complete. Three days later we ran into each other at the top of Steens Mountain--a special place in the hearts and minds of many outdoors people in the northwest, and the place that both the author and I chose as an inspirational start for our work on the book.
"Steens Mountain ... is a 30-mile long basalt fault-block mountain, the largest such formation in the northern Great Basin. Rising slowly in the west from the Blitzen River Valley, it builds to an elevation of 9,773 feet at the summit and then drops abruptly to the Alvord Desert a mile below. Glacial cirques are carved into the mountain, deep gorges accessible only by rugged trails. Wildflowers hung the rocky terrain, adapting to the strong winds commonly blowing over the exposed slopes. Kiger mustangs and other wild horses roam the western side of the Steens, a herd of bighorn sheep claim the upper slopes as home, and some of Oregon's best stands of aspen trees are found here."
... "Most of southeastern Oregon could be described as desert, but the Alvord Desert is different. The salt flats of this playa cover an area six miles wide and 11 miles long ... a popular place for land sailing and glider flying. Along its western edge, Steens Mountain rises abruptly to a peak a mile above the desert floor, creating a rain shadow that allows only 6 inches of rain a year to reach the desert. ... resembles Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley. Steens Mountain looms above the desert, and the scene is particularly beautiful at sunrise, giving you the opportunity for panoramas of the long fault-block mountain, or classic toes-to-infinity landscapes from the alkali formations and mud flats to the peak of Steens."
***
p249 - - Owyhee Uplands
"Way down in the southeast corner of Oregon, and a lot closer to Boise, Idaho than Portland, are some very interesting geological features that make good photo subjects. The area is also interesting from a cultural and historic standpoint. Many years ago a number of Basque sheepherders settled here and the cultural influence is still seen in the town of Jordan Valley, where the pelota court in the municipal park is central to the community
"One of Oregon's more unusual landmarks is the Pillars of Rome, a long, 100-foot high formation of fossil-bearing clay that reminded Oregon Trail pioneers of pictures they'd seen of ancient Roman ruins.
"The Owyhee, named for three native Hawaiian fur trappers who died in the area, is a fabled run for river rafters as it makes its run through a deep canyon in the very southeast corner Oregon. If you're not floating the river, access is very limited and involves many miles of driving bumpy, dusty roads.
Pictured in wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome,_O...
Thinking Basque, A Shepherd Watches, A Shepherd Sings is another book deserving a re-read.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
***
After becoming a library director, I liked to travel to other county libraries. Library Board allowed the trips as work time. No mileage or meal money. Visited nearly all the libraries east of Oregon's Cascades, and most on the coast. The drive to Lakeview was my favorite. It's an area of pluvial lakes and geological oddities. Nowadays, the area may be best known for the Paisley Caves, where the oldest North American human fossilized poop has been discovered.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluvial...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Rock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abert_Rim
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paisley...
It opens with a two page picture taken from Smith Rocks, one of my favorite folders for pictures, showing snow capped Mount Jefferson through a gap between the fangs of the ancient caldera.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_R...
If you were to fly to Central Oregon, your plane would land at the Redmond airport. From there to Smith Rocks is about 15 minutes drive.
Quoting - page 210 - This chapter, "Central Oregon & The Eastern Cascades," opens with a picture of "South Sister at sunrise from Cascade Lakes Highway." (Perhaps the most likely of Oregon's Cascade volcanoes to erupt.)
"Central Oregon is a land of contrasts. The terrain varies from snow-capped alpine peaks to forested plains to arid desert." (Chrisl questions the "forested plains" part. Juniper on lava, maybe. Plains with soil are irrigated cropland.)
"The Great Basin lies to the southeast and the crest of the majestic Cascade Mountain Range borders the west." (The south slope of the Maury Mountains, in southern Crook County forms the north edge of the basin. South of the mountain range, Logan Butte, a unique 44 million year old geological formation has attracted scientists for generations. If you have seen the Painted Hills and want another variation, a journey up the "wild and scenic" Crooked River to Logan Butte on a sunny day will fill your camera with memorable views. If you need exercise, take time to climb Chimney Rock on your drive through the canyon. High above the river, atop the layers of lava, the Cascades enhance the western horizon. Logan Butte fossils helped a local tavern owner choose the name: "Skull of the Oreodont" commonly called the Skull. That owner sometimes had the library acquire PhD thesis for him via interlibrary loan.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merycoi...
http://www.bendbulletin.com/news/1525...
https://eponaleah.wordpress.com/2011/...
"Included in this territory are 1.6 million acres of National Forest, 500 miles of rivers, and more than 150 lakes." (The BLM has great amounts of acreage, too. Nearly 16 million acres in Oregon, about 46% of total land. The Skull attracted the federal employees and teachers, but ultimately became a Chinese Restaurant with a different lifestyle drinking crowd. As a member of the BLM's bowling team, I enjoyed spending time with one of their archaeologists. The Ochoco National Forest and the BLM's Prineville district both have large office buildings, and payrolls. People from Central Oregon wanting to harvest juniper would get their permits in the Prineville office.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ochoco_...
Page 216 - "The Crooked River snakes through a canyon of rhyolite cliffs at Smith Rock State Park on the northwestern edge of Oregon's high desert country. ... somewhat reminiscent of red rock country in the southwest USA."
South from Prineville - "Lower Crooked River National Backcountry Byway ... this 44-mile long route, the Wild & Scenic Lower Crooked River meanders through a rugged canyon with cliffs and sheer walls up to 600 feet high. ...
"One of the most distinctive rock formations is Chimney Rock, a basalt monolith overlooking the river. A 2.6 mile round-trip hike involving a moderate climb ... From the end of the trail 500 feet above the river, there are broad views of the canyon and distant Cascade Mountains ... Rattlesnakes aren't really a problem here, but it's the kind of territory they like ...
***
page 245 features a picture of Big Indian Gorge on Steens Mountain ... awesome place. I'd like to spend time in the Steens, again, this time with camera and energy ...
Text around picture - "Several years ago I was selected to provide photos for an Oregon guidebook. The author and I met briefly with the editor, and then went our separate ways, not expecting to meet again until the book was almost complete. Three days later we ran into each other at the top of Steens Mountain--a special place in the hearts and minds of many outdoors people in the northwest, and the place that both the author and I chose as an inspirational start for our work on the book.
"Steens Mountain ... is a 30-mile long basalt fault-block mountain, the largest such formation in the northern Great Basin. Rising slowly in the west from the Blitzen River Valley, it builds to an elevation of 9,773 feet at the summit and then drops abruptly to the Alvord Desert a mile below. Glacial cirques are carved into the mountain, deep gorges accessible only by rugged trails. Wildflowers hung the rocky terrain, adapting to the strong winds commonly blowing over the exposed slopes. Kiger mustangs and other wild horses roam the western side of the Steens, a herd of bighorn sheep claim the upper slopes as home, and some of Oregon's best stands of aspen trees are found here."
... "Most of southeastern Oregon could be described as desert, but the Alvord Desert is different. The salt flats of this playa cover an area six miles wide and 11 miles long ... a popular place for land sailing and glider flying. Along its western edge, Steens Mountain rises abruptly to a peak a mile above the desert floor, creating a rain shadow that allows only 6 inches of rain a year to reach the desert. ... resembles Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley. Steens Mountain looms above the desert, and the scene is particularly beautiful at sunrise, giving you the opportunity for panoramas of the long fault-block mountain, or classic toes-to-infinity landscapes from the alkali formations and mud flats to the peak of Steens."
***
p249 - - Owyhee Uplands
"Way down in the southeast corner of Oregon, and a lot closer to Boise, Idaho than Portland, are some very interesting geological features that make good photo subjects. The area is also interesting from a cultural and historic standpoint. Many years ago a number of Basque sheepherders settled here and the cultural influence is still seen in the town of Jordan Valley, where the pelota court in the municipal park is central to the community
"One of Oregon's more unusual landmarks is the Pillars of Rome, a long, 100-foot high formation of fossil-bearing clay that reminded Oregon Trail pioneers of pictures they'd seen of ancient Roman ruins.
"The Owyhee, named for three native Hawaiian fur trappers who died in the area, is a fabled run for river rafters as it makes its run through a deep canyon in the very southeast corner Oregon. If you're not floating the river, access is very limited and involves many miles of driving bumpy, dusty roads.
Pictured in wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome,_O...
Thinking Basque, A Shepherd Watches, A Shepherd Sings is another book deserving a re-read.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
***
After becoming a library director, I liked to travel to other county libraries. Library Board allowed the trips as work time. No mileage or meal money. Visited nearly all the libraries east of Oregon's Cascades, and most on the coast. The drive to Lakeview was my favorite. It's an area of pluvial lakes and geological oddities. Nowadays, the area may be best known for the Paisley Caves, where the oldest North American human fossilized poop has been discovered.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluvial...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Rock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abert_Rim
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paisley...
June 3, 2014
As an adventure travel writer it is imperative that I take good landscape, action and nature shots while I am enjoying a fantastic outdoor holiday. I am the first to admit that I am a better writer than I am photographer. Getting good photographs takes, time, planning, know-how and the right equipment and a big slice of luck. Greg Vaughn helps make the goal of getting great shots achievable for amateurs, and pros alike, in his guide books for Oregon and Washington. In his books he not only gives photography tips, he takes you on the roads and trails to vantage points that will give you the best odds of getting that Nat. Geo. moment. He has broken the states down into regions and gives detailed information on each with stunning color images to complement the discussion. I am heading to the Columbia Gorge/Mt. Hood Region with New England Hiking Holidays, and then heading off for a week on my own on the Northern Coast of Oregon. While on the coast I will have time to take life slower and work on my photography skills. With Greg's book in my backpack, I am sure to come home a better photographer than when I arrived.Lost Angel Walkabout: One Traveler's Tales
May 28, 2013
Great review of locations to photograph in Oregon, splitting the state up into 13 areas. Nice review of best times to visit certain areas, month-by-month. I especially liked the section on Covered Bridges, since I am planning a covered bridge photo trip to central Oregon this year.
Also many great tips on equipment, best times of day, and shooting specific types of scenes, such as fall colors, wildflowers, waterfalls, sand dunes, sky, lava, and snow.
Also many great tips on equipment, best times of day, and shooting specific types of scenes, such as fall colors, wildflowers, waterfalls, sand dunes, sky, lava, and snow.
September 7, 2011
So far I have found many new spots for day trips and perhaps some overnight outings in the book - well worth the investment to explore the state. Not a book you read through from cover to cover but more of reference to locales around the state.
August 7, 2009
I learned about new spots to visit,information about timing for visits and enjoyed a majority of the images in the book. I found the book helpful and easy to read.
November 9, 2011
So far I have just used this a trip planning guide. I hope I can put it to use soon. The Photographing the Southwest series is excellent. I hope they do more in the series.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews