Hi,
I am planning a photo trip to Oregon. Want to go between mid Nov. to early dec. is that a good time to get good light and wild waves :-). If not then what are ideal months.
What are some of the good (and hopefully non touristy) costal locations. I will be driving from Seattle and want to limit drive time to about 6-6 hours (preferably)
The best light usually is in the winter - for intense sunrises/sunsets. However, it is always a gamble, lol.
Seattle is about 160 miles from PDX. Plan on 2 1/2 hours due to traffic. So you are saying you will have several weeks?
All the coastal locations are touristy, sorry to say. You only want the coastal range, nothing else?
As far as the coast, there are the usual spots like Cannon Beach, Kiwanda (Pacific City) and the Three Meares area, Florence, Depoe Bay, Shore Acres State Park in Coos Bay. The Sand Dunes between Coos Bay and Reedsport are interesting.
Further south are some of the best beaches on the west coast. Bandon & Samuel L Boardman are superb - but that is quite a ways down south.
You do not need to worry about tourists as the coast will be pretty much empty.
Weather during late fall season is very transient but you will get some good waves for sure, along with rain and fog. Not so sure about sun. Last year I spent a week not far from Newport, saw sun only once, for 15 min.
As about locations, they are too numerous to list. There is a really good photo guide for Oregon Coast.
@Dustin.thanks for he recommendation. I am planning to spend 2-3 days only. I should find out how much is the drive to Bandon. Looks like a good place.
Definitely hit Ecola State Park at Cannon Beach at low tide if you can. (shot below was from there). You can go to Indian Beach which is by there as well.
Hug Point State Park is a spot we stopped by and was worth it.
4) Ecola State Park is not far and the forest can be interesting in the winter, but I assume you are there for the coast. There are some often photographed beaches in Ecola, nothing too special but overall decent. There is a lighthouse off the coast that sometimes gets interesting light http://groovygeek.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=24#/d2rzu1t
THere is also a natural arch that is made famous by a few Marc Adamus photos around this time of year when the sun comes in at the right angle to shine a beam through it, assuming that you get to see the sun. Ipersonally prefer a smaller beach on the side off the main parking lot, I think it is called Crescent Beach, about a 30 min walk from the parking lot and thus not too crowded. This is from that particular beach http://groovygeek.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=24#/d2ruw7y
5) Or if time is limited go south towards Oswald West state park. There are crazies who surf there in the winter. There are a couple of secluded beaches along the way, their names escape me, they are good for more intimate landscapes than a grand rugged terrain.
7) The coast after that quickly gets mundane until you get down to the afore-mentioned Coos Bay, which is a LONG drive down. I personally like Cape Perpetua and the park there http://groovygeek.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3ic2r1
9) There is a spout horn in that general area that I have never photographed, google "Thor's Well" for some rather impressive photos from it (which, BTW, are ALL blends of multiple exposures, there is no way to safely take that particular image without blending).
Bring your polarizer and NDs, there will be a lot of fog, clouds, and dreary weather, weather tailor-made for the forrest.
Bandon is like a 5 hour drive from PDX - BUT if you are driving 101, you add 2 hours to that, due to traffic and points of interest, etc. Personally, since you are relatively close to PDX, I would dip out on Cannon/Astoria/North and Central Coast and hit up Bandon and Samuel L Boardman. It is almost as good as the Olympic Peninsula. Don't be alarmed if you have the whole place to your self.
But that is just my suggestion. South Coast has different weather patterns than the north.
Two website I use are tides and NOAA. I always check that before heading out, as well as WEB CAMS
That's the book I was talking about - found it quite useful: The Photographer's Guide to the Oregon Coast: Where to Find Perfect Shots and How to Take Them by David Middleton and Rod Barbee
The "Sky cover" forecast is usually pretty accurate. If it only also included information on the altitude of the cloud cover it would be even more valuable.
