In this particular session, I was able to find a little known location with the help of the internet, and my buddy who had previously been there. This time was different from most of my other shoots because I was actually able to convince someone else to come along with me (I swear I have friends).
After finding this exact location on my computer, I knew right away that I would be facing east. A sunrise it is! The only problem is that it is summer time in Oregon. That means the sun rises about 5:30 in the morning…. and the location is over an hour away…. aaaand you have to get there early to set up. It’s almost not worth going to bed the night before.
To get up on the ledge that I’m standing on, it required driving on an un-maintained road, through a cattle field, and on some portions of ATV trails. After driving 40 minutes in the early morning darkness, I’m thinking this is going to be a routine photoshoot. Pulling up to the last mile of the drive, my buddy got out to swing open the barbed-wire gate. Pulling through the entrance and driving just beyond the perplexed cattle, that’s when things got interesting.
Boulder after boulder of sharp lava rock passed, and spaces got narrower and narrower. My buddy got out again and used his cell phone flashlight to spot me over the rocks and through the trees. The suspension was constantly bottoming out and suddenly a loud scrrraaaape. I soon became high-centered on a boulder and the weight of my Jeep was mainly being applied to my front differential. One little slip would lead to my oil pan being punctured. I let out a good “Oh sh*t”! Carefully putting my Jeep in reverse, I was able to descend from the rock without further damage.
Shortly after, we found ourselves at the final location. The aroma of campfire smoke coming from local forest fires hung heavy in the air. Small juniper trees scattered around the area obscured the scene at first. It only took a few steps beyond them to uncover a panoramic view that one can’t help and compare to the famous Horseshoe Bend at the Grand Canyon. The sky got lighter and lighter and then there it was…the first rays of Sun peeking up above the desert hills. I continued to work quickly and capture the scene I put so much effort in to experience.
Not long after arriving at the location, I took my photos and continued home down the same road, albeit more carefully. It was easier to see because of the daylight and I now knew which lines in the road to take, and which ones NOT to take. The rest of the drive home was very uneventful.
At the end of the day I was glad to came home with some satisfying shots and fun stories I can laugh about now. It was another one of those moments where you have to weigh risk vs reward. Getting stuck in the remote desert of Oregon, miles away from cellphone coverage, and another human being, is not an option. I’m sure we provided good entertainment for the cows, but I generally do not like putting myself in these situations. Sometimes the dangers of a shot come with the travel involved in getting to a location, and not with the location itself. But if you find yourself up for the challenge, I say go for it and capture something special!