Shooting Above The Clouds - Mary's Peak, Oregon | #14
Shooting sunrise in the heart of summer is brutal, let me tell you. I've gotten myself out of bed as early as 2 in the morning to capture various locations. Don't get me wrong, I'm a morning person and relish the idea of being up while others waste their day sleeping till noon. However, there's a fine line between early mornings and the goddamn middle of the night. But, if you're after those sunrise shoots during summer, that's the price you've got to pay. This particular shoot was no exception, although it wasn't as pre-dawn as most of my others. Waking up at 3 AM, driving for over an hour, and facing the very real possibility of unfavorable conditions is quite a gamble. But hey, that’s why I am a landscape photographer… We are an odd breed.
Now, onto this morning's shoot which showcases the breathtaking views from Mary's Peak, the highest vantage point in the Oregon Coast Range. This marked my second visit to this spot, although the first time was strictly a drone flight session resulting in some epic footage. However, I was seeking redemption in terms of capturing an image. As I made my way there in the early morning hours, I tackled the winding road that ascends to the peak. Sure, there's also an actual hike that leads to the top, but on this particular morning, I opted for the more convenient yet lazy photographer's route – driving. As I ascended (in my truck), I began to spot clouds in the sky. If you weren't born yesterday you know clouds, and sunrises 90% of the time don’t mix well. So, as tempting as it was to just drive off the ledge right then and there, I conjured up some "happy thoughts" instead. I attempted to boost my morale and kept climbing, even though the odds of favorable conditions seemed slim. With each gain in elevation, fog – which, in hindsight, I realize was actually clouds – started making an appearance. At the time though, the idea of clouds hadn't even crossed my mind. I was simply annoyed that I was now driving in fog, unable to see more than a few feet ahead. Yet, I persisted and eventually the fog lifted. When I finally reached the peak, I was greeted with a spectacular sight. What unfolded before me was pure brilliance.
It turns out that Mary's Peak's summit sits at an elevation high enough to breach the cloud layer entirely. The top-down view of those billowy, textured clouds blanketing the landscape was nothing short of a treasure trove. I was a tad tardy in arriving, so the light kicking off was already in full swing. I had to rush to find a suitable spot to set up my composition. Well, I faffed around a bit too much and ended up catching only the tail end of the spectacular light. Nonetheless, I managed to snap an image I'm pretty happy with, but I wish I'd had more time to experiment with other shots: it was a one-composition kind of deal.
As the sun rapidly ascended, it casted a myriad of colors and light on the layers of clouds, illuminating the scene and creating a fantasy-like atmosphere. The composition was a no-brainer, requiring minimal thought. I compressed the scene with my 70-200 and centered the mountain – truth be told, I have no clue which mountain it actually is – smack in the middle of the frame and let the simplicity of the cloud textures and hues do the talking; a strategy that paid off pretty well.
I also played around with a couple of longer shutter speeds using an ND filter, hoping to capture the motion of the clouds and infuse some movement into the scene. Did it work out, you ask? Nope. It felt a touch too artsy and abstract for my liking. What sets these clouds apart from, say, the reflection on an ocean's surface, is their textures/fluffiness. When that element was stripped away, the image was left a bit disoriented, not quite able to dictate what you were looking at. Naturally, that kind of ruined the entire image
Final image
30 sec. shutter speed experiment
Given all that blabber, the conditions I witnessed were truly spectacular. If I would have given myself a bit more time, I reckon I could've surely captured something superior. But then again, that could be my mantra for every damn shoot—I'm always on the hunt for something better.
Thanks for reading,
Alec
