If I had to pick one waterfall that I thought epitomized the Columbia River Gorge it would be Elowah Falls. As if created for a fairytale, the cold waters of McCord Creek spill over the basalt ledge in a sleek stream, with bright yellow lichen decorating the wall, providing eye candy on the cliff face and situated ever so perfectly in the frame to fill up the dead space. The water hits the plunge pool in a dense current, creating heavy spray that will absolutely drench you as you race across the footbridge near the base. The water cascades towards the Columbia River through a series of drops and pools, providing numerous compositional opportunities. Abundant moss and plenty of big leaf and vine maples make this falls a treat to visit any time of the year. The hike in is gentle and flanked by lush greens in the spring and colorful foliage in the fall. Yeah, I guess you could say that this is probably my favorite waterfall in the gorge and it's only a beautiful 35 minute drive from the city of Portland. In 2004 I had moved away for several years with the intent of returning to Oregon for the long haul. Having such a connection to this area of the country, I kept images of the area handy, one of which was a photo of Elowah Falls from this lower perspective. This was before I had been involved with landscape photography and I can't recall who had taken the photo, but it was a fond vision of the place that I loved and longed for. As such, I had always wanted to get a photo from this lower vantage that I was happy with. I have photographed it many times, but never felt like I captured that vision I had in my mind... the one that kept my mind on Oregon while I was away. I feel like I've finally done so with this photo. It's a pretty standard take on an oft shot location, but it means something to me. I may have grown up in another state, but Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge have my heart. I absolutely love where I live and I feel extremely grateful and lucky to live here. [+]

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  • Selected on Apr 15, 2016
  • 5 comments
  • Added to favorites 10 times
Member since:
Mar 03, 2016
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Jan 11, 2017
Jan 11, 2017
What a mood! What a comp! Wonderful image TJ !!
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Jul 11, 2015
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Aug 05, 2016
Aug 05, 2016
I wish I could capture one of those moment in Olympic park , next november
Well balance and perfect lights
Bravo
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Apr 14, 2016
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Aug 12, 2016
Aug 12, 2016
Thanks for the compliment Michel! I wish you great luck on your trip to Olympic National Park. It's a beautiful place!
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Mar 24, 2016
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Apr 25, 2016
Apr 25, 2016
Wow, just wow.
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Apr 14, 2016
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Jun 11, 2016
Jun 11, 2016
I appreciate it, Clement!
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Mar 03, 2016
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Apr 16, 2016
Apr 16, 2016
Elowah falls, fantastic !!
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Apr 14, 2016
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Jun 11, 2016
Jun 11, 2016
One of the prettiest in the gorge. Thanks for the compliment. :-)
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Jun 04, 2015
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Apr 16, 2016
Apr 16, 2016
Outstanding photograph!
Member since:
Apr 14, 2016
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Jun 11, 2016
Jun 11, 2016
Thank you sir!