For me, this is a perfect image. Not perfect in the technical sense, but rather the personal. It reflects exactly what I wanted it to and captures exactly how it felt. It is a perfect physical reminder of what was an extraordinary sight. Technically there are things that could certainly be tweaked, but then again, technicals are not always everything.

Anyway, this is Proxy falls just west of Sisters. It has leaped dramatically to the #2 spot on my list of top three favorite waterfalls, with Wahclella Falls in the Gorge being my favorite and Falls Creek Falls in Washington being my number 3 by a hair. In case you are curious Ponytail Falls drops to number four, but it was in my top three for a long time.

I did not know quite what to expect from this falls and had heard it was one of the most photographed in Oregon, but regardless I did not expect to be so whisked away by it, and by everything about it. It is a magical spot on many levels. The short hike out to it ran through a few lava fields and some wonderful fall color, photos of which will be posted eventually. The initial view across the valley, eye-level with the falls is pretty impressive, and very photogenic surrounded as it is by a lush, deep green evergreen forest. But then you hike down the hill on makeshift trails (even more fun with an almost ten month old strapped to your chest, but I enjoy a challenge) and everything changes. This falls takes on a completely different character when you are standing amongst the mossy rocks at its base looking up. Amazingly different. Few falls I have been to really take on such completely different looks as Proxy Falls (Falls Creek Falls being one of them though).

As it was we spent way more time here than we had originally thought, and shot way more film. This was the last shot on a roll of Fuji Pro160C, a color film I am rapidly growing extremely fond of. I immediately reloaded with Fuji Reala, a film I have long been fond of, and made a number of other shots, but it was the 160C that most truly captured how it looked down there.

As a side note, after we were done at Proxy Falls we hiked to Upper Proxy Falls which was a unique falls itself. Upper Proxy has no outlet stream. The falls comes down the side of a hill and empties into a large pool at its base but the pool has no stream running out of it, rather the water drains into the ground to appear elsewhere. Very interesting, considering how quickly that water has to soak in with the volume pouring into it.

All in all a very good afternoon, and that is what this photo so captures for me, and makes me think of every time I look at it.

Tags:   Proxy Falls waterfalls Oregon Pacific Northwest Why rain is a good thing Pentax 67 film medium format Fuji Pro 160C landscapes my favorite waterfalls Zeb Andrews Zeb Andrews photography Blue Moon Camera

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Some more Fall color from Silver Falls State Park taken on a very wet and rainy Sunday (the same Sunday as my other recent Silver Falls post). I just love this time of year, it comes up so suddenly and then is so vivid, and before you know it, it has faded away. Plus the skies begin to cloud up and it starts to rain. I love the rainy cloudy months here in Oregon. They make everything so lush, and the cloudy days are such perfect photography weather. It is actually the clear, cloudless, blue days that fail to interest me the most. But then again I have lived in the NW my whole life and have practically grown gills. Still there is something invigorating about standing in the rain, tasting the damp, clean air, and marveling at how the soft light seems to bring out more vibrant colors than the brightest summer day.

Taken with my Pentax 67.

Tags:   Oregon Pentax 67 film waterfalls Fall color Fall Autumn state parks Pacific Northwest green leaves Zeb Andrews Zeb Andrews photography Blue Moon Camera

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I took this picture yesterday on a trip down to Silver Falls State Park in hopes of finding some Fall color. The colors are just beginning to come out there, so is the rain. After initially stopping by Upper North Falls, I was completely soaked, so by the time South Falls came along I was drenched from head to toe, with only my camera equipment remaining remotely un-soaked. It was certainly more than a bit damp, so much so that I had to lay it all out when I got home so my bag and the cameras could air out and dry a bit. That is one thing I like about shooting film cameras, I am not as worried about getting them more or less drenched, though I admit, loading film in such conditions is tricky. ;-) Anyway, I took a couple shots of this falls, hiked down and around behind it to the base not seeing anything else much that caught my eye, and made the short trip down to Lower South Falls before returning here with a single shot left on my roll. I was not sure if I had caught the blowing clouds of mist coming off the top of the falls in my earlier photos so I set everything else up once again and took this photo, which turned out to be my favorite of the bunch.

I love Fall and the colors it brings so much I think because of its fleeting nature. It is similar to waiting, and enjoying a sunset. And it passes all too quickly. Fall colors should really be coming into their prime in this park over the next few weeks so I highly encourage anyone interested to make the trip down (or out to the Gorge for that matter too). And as far as the rain goes... well those are the best Oregon days to be out shooting, no crowds and the best light you could ask for. Just bring an umbrella for the cameras. ;-)

Tags:   Silver Falls State Park Oregon Pacific Northwest waterfalls state parks Fall Autumn trees nature Pentax 67 Fuji Reala rainy days are the best Zeb Andrews Zeb Andrews photography Blue Moon Camera

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I do like Horsetail Falls, but it is one of the more elusive waterfalls for me photographically, at least considering how often I visit it. So I was pleased with this shot, I am not sure what it is exactly I like about the rock in the foreground but for me it makes the photo, which would be pretty without the rock, but has something a bit more with it. I think it is the way the rock looks like it is leaning slightly forward, and has similar "body language" to most of the human observers there this day.

Tags:   Columbia River Gorge Horsetail Falls waterfalls Oregon Pacific Northwest Hasselblad 500C 80mm 2.8 Planar water landscape square nature outdoors NaturesFinest Zeb Andrews Zeb Andrews photography Blue Moon Camera

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I figured I would get two posts in tonight as I am heading out of town for the weekend and the more I work with my photos and creating a digital archive, the more I realize I am losing ground in posting as fast as I shoot, not that is really a goal per se, but it does help me keep track of some of my favorite images before they get lost to the obscurity.

This is a shot I took a couple of years ago with my first Pentax 6x7 and Fuji Velvia 50. How times can change, I am now on my second Pentax (a 67 not a 6x7) and now the old Velvia 50 is discontinued, though it has been replaced with a new Velvia 50. So maybe things don't change as much as they seem to. ;-)

Tags:   Oregon Columbia River Gorge Wahclella Falls waterfalls Fuji Velvia slide film Pacific Northwest nature landscapes Pentax 67 Zeb Andrews Zeb Andrews photography Blue Moon Camera

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