361 - Cape Disappointment
*Note: This adventure also features an in-field vlog.
Cape Disappoint lives up to it's name when it's covered in a foggy abyss... Or does it?
We showed up ready to shoot hardcore fog, as the weather was similar to Rialto Beach and Ruby Beach's recent shoots.... Annnnnd it was exactly what happened.
Pure fog to the point where you couldn't see anything. Not even the main feature of the park- Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. See, the iconic photo is actually taken on Waikiki Beach, where you overlook the lighthouse from down the shoreline and get a shot of a massive wave hitting this big rock in front of the lighthouse.
Little did we know that you need to be there during a STORM for the wave to hit (usually occurring in winter), and a non-foggy day so you can see the actual lighthouse. We had neither of those conditions. So that shot was effectively ruled out.
I DID however get an interesting macro shot of a wet spider web from an overlook near the visitor center. Check this baby out:
“Ocean Dew”
Sony a7rIII + Zeiss 24-70mm f/4
ISO 160 ~ 70mm ~ f/8 ~ 1/320s
(Want a Print? Get one here.)
Funny how if that was there and the lighthouse was visible, I probably never would have even seen that web. Sometimes fog forces you to look at your surroundings a bit more closely.
Moving on, we decided to check out this place called Dead Man's Cove, but it was closed. Damn- two dead-ends (heh) already. We followed the trail to Dead Man's Cove anyway to see if it was worth sneaking into, but I decided against it upon arrival. Originally I thought the cove was still owned by the state park, but it was ACTUALLY owned by the Coast Guard- AKA the military. Not someone I want to fuck with.
I checked online to see if anyone had left Google Maps reviews or Reddit comments about successfully sneaking in. I found one person who successfully did it, and another who said they knew several people who were caught and charged with trespassing.
One sign in particular scared me- it said all property becomes property of the coast guard if caught trespassing. Which means that all of my $14,000 worth of camera gear could be taken without any promise of return. And I doubt "seizure from the US government for criminal activity" is a valid excuse to my insurance company.
We counted our losses and ended up meeting another photographer on the trail who directed us to check out the North Head Lighthouse. Even though it was foggy, apparently you could walk right up to it and get a decent shot. Dope!
It was a short drive, and the place looked spectacular. The architecture on the lighthouse was insane- white curved edges with fantastic simplicity. I snagged an overview show of the lighthouse, and stood in the frame with my red sweatshirt:
“Limbo Light”
Sony a7rIII + Zeiss 24-70mm f/4
ISO 1000 ~ 24mm ~ f/9 ~ 1/320s
(Want a Print? Get one here.)
Honestly I'm not sure if I like the fact that I was IN the shot upon editing, but I was craving an Instagram shot so I sucked it up. I got another without me in it just in case. On the way out, I saw (or should I say heard...) one more shot. This one crow was just absolutely screaming the entire time we were there, and framed itself perfectly in the brush.
The foreground and creepy branches lined up perfectly. Almost reminds me of Malificent's crow from Sleeping Beauty.
“Three of a Kind”
Sony a7rIII + Zeiss 24-70mm f/4
ISO 640 ~ 109mm ~ f/5 ~ 1/320s
(Want a Print? Get one here.)
Anyway, this was a fun, creepy shot. This lighthouse horn was echoing in the distance the entire time, making the scene even better. I'd highly recommend coming even if you're having second thoughts because the conditions aren't "perfect," there's a TON to shoot here.
One day I'll be back for that infamous wave!
I’m on a mission to explore as much as humanely possible.
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