Heceta Head Lighthouse - Oregon (5/29)

“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart, and head.”

-Henri Cartier-Bresson

It’s not every day an image you envision in your mind comes to fruition. More often than not, when the moment arises, it falls short in one aspect or another. Yesterday, however, Lady Luck aligned.

I just spent the last 3 days in the coastal town of North Bend. Perched up in a lazy harbor parking lot, I thought it was best to slow down for a couple days, regroup my course of action and research where to go next. It’s easy to blaze along, zipping across the country in search of the next image, but without moving with intention, that more often than not results in much wasted gas and little results. I sat still, did some cleaning and researched where I wanted to chase sunset. After all, the previous 2 days had been rainy or overcast. Moving would have been pointless in any aspect.

After waking up to a remarkably warm sun, I hung around the harbor for a couple hours, drinking coffee and chatting with an older vanlifer from Kentucky who had been on the road for 3 years. We discussed politics, did a little debating, but spoke mostly about our experiences and tips on places we had visited. Soon after, it was already 1pm and I needed to get moving and he needed to make lunch.

Freedom and I headed up the 101. We rode the coast for a bit, quickly stopping at a couple locations, but the ultimate goal was the Heceta Head lighthouse about an hour and a half away. As golden hour began to set in over the water, we pulled into a scenic overlook giving view to the structure. Spending about 2 hours waiting, we made dinner and chatted with a couple riding the coast from California. As the sun began to get into its setting position, it was time to really approach how I wanted to take this photograph. After visiting 4 of Oregon’s 8 lighthouses in the last couple days, I knew I wanted to get include at least 1 solid photograph into this book. I had landed a couple decent photos, but nothing that really spoke to me. A solid photograph isn’t just a photograph. It’s easy to approach a location, just snap the camera, and call it a day, but how do you take a photograph that has personality? What makes the photo different than just a snapshot?

Standing there watching, I noticed coastal birds were zipping and zinging across the coast line. Using the wind as sails, they would sling back and forth. That was my best course of action. There weren’t many clouds in the sky, so there wasn’t much in natural elements to give the image the umph it needed. I needed to capture one of these birds in mid flight, filling in the static space of the sky, to really fill out the photograph. Something without a doubt easier sounding than possible.

Somehow, however, Lady Luck was on my side, or my reflexes were in perfect alignment, because after just a few attempts, I landed the photograph I had envisioned, and with just a few moments of fleeting light to spare.

Envisioning a photograph and executing a photograph are rarely a commonality, but yesterday I got lucky and landed the moment I had seen in my head. It’s moments like this that remind me what I love so much about this art and the creativity and skill that goes into attempting to master it.

I hope you enjoy the photograph as much as I do.

Heceta Head Lighthouse - Oregon

-Ryan