Yaquina Head Lighthouse
One of the challenging things about blogging about the workshop experience is finding the time to do it, and when I do, remembering what we did three weeks ago. Ideally, I would have kept up on the blog during the workshop, but we were so busy either out shooting all day or post-processing images late into the night. Luckily, I can look at the metadata that is attached to each image to see the date and time that it was taken. Sometimes, that will jog my memory. It also makes me wish I was back there where the picture was taken...
The Oregon Coast Photo Workshop officially kicked off on Saturday night (May 16), but Sunday was our first full day. On the itinerary for Sunday morning was a visit to the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, the location of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. A headland consisting of 100 acres, the Outstanding Natural Area was designated by Congress as such in 1980. It is located just a short drive to the north of Newport and would provide us with many photographic opportunities for the morning shoot. As our caravan arrived in the parking area, a couple of things were apparent right away. We were going to see lots of shore birds, as the many rock outcroppings were teeming with gulls and cormorants. Also, the power of the ocean was ever-present as waves crashed against the rocky shores on three sides of us.
The Yaquina Head Lighthouse, which was first lit in 1873, is the tallest of the lighthouses in Oregon. The lighthouse was automated in 1966 and is still active today, using the original Fresnel lens, which is visible 19 miles out to sea. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. It was a fantastic morning spent at the lighthouse and along the rocky beach below. Enjoy some the images from the day below.
Yaquina Head Panorama
Yaquina Head Reflections
Foggy Coast
Coastal Birds
Birds & Basalt
Pebble Beach