In the early days of my nature photography pursuits, I lived about a mile from the beach in Southern California. At that time, I believed the best photos were taken during golden hour and I sought out high cloud days when I thought the sky would “blow up” with color. This led to frantically running around on the beach with wide angle lens attached to my camera and trying to find a pleasing composition before the “good light” happened. I would often come away with hundreds of photos in my attempt to create the perfect seascape image and most of the time I didn’t like the images I shot. This made coastal photography hard for me and it left me often feeling defeated. So, when I moved to Oregon, I was happy to bid farewell to coastal photography and head for the forests, rivers, and mountains.

Looking back now, I wish I could have taught my younger self the things I now know. I’d tell myself to slow down and notice what the light is doing. I also wish I’d been more interested in smaller, more intimate scenes then, too. But hey, we all have to start somewhere and I’m thankful for those character building years as I do think they taught me something.

Nowadays, and after some time away, I find more excitement returning to the coast for photography. It’s a multi-sensory experience. That first smell of the salty air ignites a bit of nostalgia for me. The vibration of the churning waves are like therapy. And visually, it helps that the Oregon coast is the most epic and diverse coastline I’ve ever seen. The raw power of the ocean is something to behold - especially during the stormy parts of the year as waves are battering the coastline. I experience a distinct flavor of awe on the coast that I can’t find anywhere else and for all these reasons, I plan to keep returning back to it.

During a week long trip camping on the Oregon coast in the fall of 2024, I took more photos than I did in the two weeks spent in Utah the previous year. Most of that had to do with photographing water but also because the days were longer and more conducive to being out all day. I’d leave camp in the dark and stay out until dark. Those days were full of exploration.

The images below are a selected set of images from my first time visiting a section of the Oregon coastline. The images are intentionally organized into rows of three to showcase a common theme. If you’re browsing on your phone the images will unfortunately be broken into rows of two. So, for a better viewing experience, it’s best to find a larger monitor.

I hope you enjoy.