mel_coulter

It's late and I'm not typing or thinking well. Cape Blanco is between Port Orford and Bandon. And that's Yaquina not some other obscure name I attatched to it. sorry:(

mel

You have chosen some excellent portrait subjects. Many of the lighthouses along the Oregon coast have immediate access by road. I am familiar with several. The one at Cpe Blanco between Port Orford is striking, but difficult to photograph without a tilt and shift lens because it's hard to find a good vantage point from a distance. The lighthouse at Charleston out of Coos Bay is unique, because it lies along ajetty. I believe it is closed, but you can drive right to it and get some interesting photos.

<p>

You cannot get to Haceta Head Lighthouse north of Florence easily (perhaps not at all), but there are several vistas which are good for shooting it. It is a working lighthouse and often is lighted. There's a good turnout to the south that allows you good shooting. Forewarned, everyone stops there and you have to watch carefully when pulling back on to Highway 101.

<p>

Perhaps the most photographed Oregon lighthouse is the Yawuina near Newport. Indeed, it is operated by the BLM as a nature area. You can drive to it through an abandoned gravel quarry. There are good views of it as you drive in, but don't wander off the road into the fragile vegetation to take a photograph. It will destroy the environment and bring upon you the wrath of caretakers and naturists alike.

<p>

Perhaps the one you were referring to is the Cape Mears lighthouse near Tillamook. It no longer is in service, but volunteers staff it and a small museum located at its base. The locale is beautiful, definitely worth the drive. There are some interesting twisted tree formations lining the paved walkway.

<p>

If you have found a web site, you already have good insight to what the Oregon Coast has to offer. Washington is a little tougher. Highway 101 strays inland and there aren't a lot of easy access points, nothing like the freeway that parallels Oregon's coast. The suggestion about looking into the lighthouses along the Puget Sound is worth considering. I believe there are more located on the sound than you will find on the entire Oregon coast. My heart still is along the salty shores of Oregon. I hope you enjoy the pilgramage and have a lot of fun and rewarding stops along the way.

<p>

Mel

I have been dislocated (sometimes regretably) from my home state state for eight years and miss the annual pilgrimages to the Oregon Coast. While my favorite part of the coast continues to be the central part, basically from Florence to Lincoln City, the area around Bandon is spectacular. Great oof-coast rock formations, wonderful opportunities for striking sunsets and still relatively little crowded. Besides, one of my favorite non photo places in that area is the cheese factory at Bandon. Crater Lake is a beautiful spot and you can find a lot of different ways to photograph Wizard Island, but it's still the same lake and same island. It's worth a one-day trip, but don't pass up the coast. I'm not feeling a complete stranger in north central Idaho... there are some beautiful places here as well, and only seven hours to Glacier. Still, my favorite place to shoot is the Oregon Coast. If I see you the week of July 7, I'll wave. I will be camping farther north near Tillamook. Best of luck on your expedition, and don't spare the film.

<p>

mel