A tale of 2 Days
January 2nd and 3rd 2022
My research into the tides told me that the days January 1st through 3rd would be fantastic days for waves at Cape Disappointment. I typically need to make my schedule months in advance and that means you sometimes get what you are looking for. Didn’t guarantee results but increased my chances.
The storm that arose on the night of January 1st was very hopeful and we were not disappointed to see the storm the next morning. The challenge was lower light and increasingly difficult shooting weather. And then it not only hailed but hailed sideways right into my face. Tough shooting. I did get a number of good images including the first two in by blog here. Unfortunately we finally had to stop shooting because the conditions just got too difficult around 11am. There was a prevalent mist fogged up the resulting images requiring the use of Dehaze in Lightroom to see the beautiful waves we captured.
The morning of January 3rd was partly cloudy and provided wonderful sun breaks. Every so often the sun would break through and shine on the water resulting in the beautiful colors on the in coming waves. As the morning progressed the waves grew higher and higher with the rising tide and wind. The last 6 images are from that day. Several of these images show the beautiful sunlight we experienced. This is the kind of light I am looking for with waves.
Most of the shots you see of Cape Disppointment show the giant waves that almost engulf the cliff with the lighthouse. These were the original images that drew me there. However once you have gotten that shot and checked it off what do you do? For me the much more interesting images are those of the sea on partly sunny stormy days like January 3rd. The wonderful color shining on the waves draws me to different opportunities every time. It is very hard to stop shooting and only the cold in my hands and feet finally caused to me to call it quits.
So what did I learn?
1. Come really early to get a good spot to shoot to avoid getting the logs in your shot.
2. Use a 200 or better lens. I prefer 100-500 because it allows me to shoot a variety of parts of the experience. All the pictures in this blog were taken with my 100-500.
3. Watch the wave patterns and have your hand on the zoom or you will crop out the spray when it unexpectedly goes beyond your current crop.
4. The best day is often the day After the big storm. This has been the case all three times that I went to Cape Disappointment this year.
5. Bring lots of warm clothing including warm gloves (I am considering wool mittens next time)
6. Use a tripod, your arms are going to get tired.
7. Bring lens wipes and frequently wipe off your lens.
8. Bring snacks
9. Watch the logs (Please say you don’t get on top of them, people have died that way, and if it happens enough they will close down this view point and spoil it for everyone).
10. Don’t be the person who comes early sets up their tripod to hold their spot and then doesn't shoot for hours. Try to remember you are not the only person there. Share the space with your fellow photographers. With a little bit of consideration the site accommodates many people.
