'Midday Mist Over Heceta Head, Oregon - Limited Edition of 15 Photograph

Native Oregonian landscape photographer Ray Atkeson spent his photographic life taking wonderful, iconic landscapes of Oregon and other parts of the Northwest including neighboring Washington State. He visited many remote places using skis, snowshoes, camping and hiking as well as driving Oregon's numerous, narrow, poorly kept earth logging roads used primarily for fire control and timber harvest in the Cascade and coast ranges of rainy Western Oregon. Many of his images are timeless; some were shown in huge, iconic 'coffee table' books that featured his outdoor images in both B&W and color. Other captures adorned famous landscape calendars that each new year sprouted in abundance from walls in machine shops to those of office supply closets. I grew up marveling at the magic produced by Atkeson photos and the magic produced by his famous view camera. His views ranged from images of undulating golden wheat fields in Eastern Oregon to snow and skiers at Timberline Lodge at snowline on majestic volcanic Mt. Hood, east of Portland. That Cascade volcanic peak is covered year round by snow and glaciers, but is a most-hiked peak where calm, warm weather can turn in moments to blowing frigid snow that has claimed numerous lives of ill-prepared summer 'hikers', unaware of the dangers of high altitude climbs that can bring freezing weather in moments any day. Such sudden weather changes can cause summer hikers to literally freeze to death or make cold-addled decisions that doom their once-exhilarating 'adventure'. Sudden snow, high winds and warm weather turned freezing in minutes causes that mountain to claim lives of ill-prepared hikers unfamiliar with the dangers of climbing at altitude and snowy 'white outs' in Oregon's Cascades. In the Coast Range, shown here, experienced climbers and hkers become disoriented trying to navigate through thick vegetation that easily disorients even the experienced. Few attempt to climb these mountains except hunters in season. To venture into these coast range mountains here is quite unsafe and not for the ill prepared. Summer sun can turn into windblown frozen rain in a short time. Hiking in these mountains is discouraged, and is mostly reserved for hunters in season. This area is similar to California's iconic and scenic US 1 south of Monterey and Carmel, California in CA's rural and isolated Big Sur country. A northbound driver on Oregon's US 101 here next finds the next community and a few stores at Yachats (Yah Hots) to the north, where there are some homes on a sunny oceanside plateau mostly of rock. A strong winter storm can create spectacular surf as it pounds surf on the rocks that define the shore almost next to oceanside houses on higher perches of rock. Narrow, two-lane US 101 winds through this portion of the Oregon Coast ranging at times from sea level where coast streams empty copious rainfall into the Pacific marked by small beaches that provide small stopping places for picnicing or beach wading. The highway quickly ascends to great heights, with its curves hugging the mountainsideon one side, and next to a great potential plunge down mountainside on the other. Occasionally a vehicle plunges over the side, usually from an impaired or very inexperiended driver who makes a mistake trying to negotiate the winding highway. Drivers who are driving in relatively calm, suddenly may negotiate a winding turn and find the rocks he rounded were blocking near hurricane force winds. That wind now hits his vehicle at full force and if it hit the side of a trailer, motor home or semi-trailer can overturn it or send it down the cliff. Night driving can be fraught, and driving for the less familiar can be treacherous. Traffic however usually moves slowly, in summer frequently it backs up behind slow and uncertain drivers. Strong winds often are common on sunny summer days; in winter storms, foam from the surf may blow 1,000 feet high over tall mountains in winds of amazing strength. Huge winds that blow over the mountains can startle the most able driver and cause a life-threatening mistake. Sea Lion caves in the cliff just south house sea lions year round, more in mating and birthing seasons. These strong-swimming beasts that feed on a huge number of salmon are some of the largest mammals and are second or third in size as mammals to whales at sea. They inhabit a huge cavern in the cliff where ocean waves and swells bring adults in to rocky, dark, subterranean perches where they can bellow and rest. Visitors take an elevator from US 101 high above through the mountain rock to a secure, screened viewing area where viewers can see, hear and small, the giant beasts who seem mostly ignorant of human presence. They secure their rocky waterside perches from encroachment by others through loud warning bellows and an occasional nip to a colleague who seems too desire the owner's perch too strongly. Used year round, the cave is particularly full during mating and birthing. This image was a color capture but the vast range between bright and shadow causes it to be seen as black and white. Yachats at the route's north end is a native word prononced Yah Hots. It is a small area of homes and a few strores just north of the area shown. It has houses and a few stores. Heceta Head has almost no residents. The entire area is almost entirely green from abundant foliage and trees. Climate here is essentially Pacific Coast Rain Forest that features generous annual rainfall which fosters rapid growth of lush ferns, bushes and conifer forests that climb from beach sands and rocks over the mountain tops of this almost inaccessible mountain area. This area of the Oregon Coast is best seen by motor vehicle; it is rugged and dangerous at its highest where the highway winds around huge mountain rock formations. At times the often slow-moving highway plunges to ocean level where streams have made 'pocket beaches' where vacationers can picnic on abbreviated beaches then get into their vehicle and climb again to dizzying heights. There are some turnouts where tourists safely can take photos and enjoy the view withjout obstructing traffic Enormous, bellowing sea lions mate in protected 'sea lion caves' which are populated year round though most use is at mating season. Tourists stopped at high altitude in a huge parking lot at cliffside turnout can take an elevator down to the caves filled with water and rocky perches all viewable from a small, screened observation area. There, humans can view sea lions riding waves and swells that ricochet from rock to rock as waves and swells enter the caves. One can watch enormous sea lions jump from those swells onto rocks where they may lie for hours, bellowing to protect their area from encroaching sea lions of inferior age and/or strength. Sea Lion caves are a true natural wonder and a must sea for those willing to pay a steep fee. . There are some highway cliff side drop offs that have claimed weary or poor drivers who miss turns, oftren aided by distractions and/or near hurricane force winds. Luckily slow traffic helps retard drivers whose recklesness might otheerwise claim their lives. When a vehicle winds past rock formations that block winds, the vehicle may suddenly be struck full on at the front or side by winds often of hurricane force. Winter winds at times blow ocean foam hundreds of feet -- even over 1000 vertical feet -- over the mountain tops from storm agitated water below. This is my attempt to create my own view of what photographer Ray Atkeson lived to create in his fabulous, iconic captures. It's my own capture of a true NorthWest landscape wonder. John (John Crosley) (c) 1968-2020, all rights reserved.

Photography:Black & White on Paper

Artist Produced Limited Edition of:15

Size:40 W x 26.6 H x 0.1 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.