Since it’s such an easy and commonly known hike, I was surprised that I was unaware of the beauty of Elowah Falls and Upper McCord Creek Falls within the Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon side.  Elowah Falls especially was quite incredible since it was so tall and majestic.  Being the end of Summer, Upper McCord Creek Falls was running very light, with only one side of the normally double waterfall flowing freely.

The hike was certainly more on the easy side, with very little elevation change, and only a short distance.  But even with such little effort, I was happy to get such a fantastic reward.  It was late afternoon by the time I began shooting the falls and details along the trail, but as a photographer, that’s when I prefer to be hiking.  The evening light is simply breathtaking within the Gorge as it cascades eastward, cutting in and out of the crevices along the cliffs.  The falls themselves were deep within one of these inlets, so the light didn’t become an asset until the entire Gorge was in view.  The low, warm light flicked over the trees highlighting their details with such subtlety and grace, adding so much depth to the scene.

I also took the opportunity to try out the technique of some more impressionistic photography.  I’ve seen this technique mastered by William Neil and have always wanted to experiment with it.  The dreamy, surreal images produced by impressionism in photography have always fascinated me and, if done right, can truly be works of art.  I definitely enjoyed trying this out, and hope to further develop my skills in this area.  So expect more updates along these lines in the future.

Below are a few excerpts from the hike, but as always there are plenty more in the full gallery.

I just got back from an excellent hike through the Columbia River Gorge. The hike started at Horsetail Falls and continued up past Pony Tail Falls. It was a beautiful Autumn day, and the trees seemed to be all shades of pale yellow and green. The dogs were great subjects for photo opportunities along the way.

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