One of my favorite places for photography these days is the eastern Columbia Gorge. It’s really the “old west.” Once you pass Hood River going east, the landscape changes from the pine-encrusted rainforest west of the Cascades to the arid grasslands, and sparse oak forests of the rainshadow.
The “Rainshadow” is dryer region of Oregon and southern Washington, and gets its name from the way the Cascade Mountains wring the moisture out of the clouds as they move eastward from the coast. Once east of the Cascades, rainfall levels rapidly diminish, and the dusty West takes over. This sometimes stark landscape grabbed my by the eyeballs a few years back, and has not let go.
My photography in the Rainshadow focuses on the Eastern Columbia Gorge, In Oregon, this includes the areas from Hood River to Arlington going east, but going as far south as Tygh Valley, and on the Washington side, its Bingen to Maryhill, and going as far north as Goldendale. I adore these places.
Technical Data:
Featured Image
Near Horsethief Lake # 3
Camera: Speed Graphic 4×5
Lens 8″ Cooke Anastigmat
Film: Kodak TXP 320 Developed in PMK Pyro.
Overlooking the Columbia Gorge and Vineyards
Camera: Super Speed Graphic 4×5.
Lens: 8″ Cooke Anastigmat.
Film: Kodak T-Max 100 developed in PMK Pyro.
From Rowena Crest, looking North, April 2011
Camera: Hasselblad 500CM.
Lens: 120mm Carl Zeiss with a yellow-green filter.
Film: Adox CHS 100 developed in Kodak Xtol
The Waldron Drug / Gitchell Building, The Dalles, Oregon
Camera: Speed Graphic 4×5.
Lens: 127mm Kodak Ektar.
Film: Ilforg HP5+ developed in Ilfotec HC.
Fencelines, Dallesport, Washington
Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 50mm Carl Zeiss.
Film: Agfa APX 400 developed in Ilfotec-HC
Memaloose Overlook, Summer 2014
Camera: Hasselblad 500CM
Lens: 50mm Carl Zeiss
Film: Kodak T-Max 400 Developed in Divided D-23.
Off Walker Farm Road, September 2011
Camera: Sinar Alpina 4×5
Lens: 150mm Fujinon with a green filter.
Film: Ilford FP4+ Developed in 510-Pyro.
Rowena Crest, Columbia Gorge, Oregon (print scan)
Camera: Deardorff 8×10.
Lens: 240mm Nikkor-W.
Film: Ilford HP5+
Printed on Ilford MGIV developed in Ansco 130
Thanks for looking!
Gary L. Quay
