Part 7 - Cape Disappointment State Park, Washington

Through Shelley and I’s travels, few places have lived up to the name. Cape Disappointment is one of the places that I feel did so. I have seen images online of the lighthouse and the surrounding area, and I know that it is photogenic, when presented with the right weather conditions. On the day that we were there, those conditions were elsewhere. Needless to say, that did not stop me from finding compositions and shooting photographs.

Weather or the lack thereof is one of the significant issues that a traveling landscape photographer is challenged by. We do not always live in the areas that we are photographing, this means that no matter how much research you do, you might get thrown a weather curveball. On this day, I still walked away with two photographs that I love and about four that I am including to show a sense of the place. I know that if I get the chance to return, I will see other compositions and hopefully weather conditions that will lend themselves to more creative photographs.

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

The photograph that is shown below was taken from behind the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. I felt that this composition showed the lighthouse at its best, even after walking all the way out to the lighthouse itself that day. Maybe it was just the weather on that disappointing day. This photograph was taken at f/11 at 3 seconds and is a single exposure.

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse from a Distance

For the next composition, Shelley and I walked back to the car and drove down to Waikiki Beach. We then walked along the jetty until I found a composition that I liked. The only downside to the photograph that I created on this day was a lack of motion in the waves. I think this photograph would also look better with fewer clouds, but you cannot change the weather.

Battery Harvey Allen – Cape Disappointment

I shot four photographs which I would consider to be “I was there and these were my family vacation photographs.” These mainly centered around the old coastal defense battery. This is a piece of American history.