“Oregon is an inspiration. Whether you come to it, or are born to it, you become entranced by our state’s beauty, the opportunity she affords, and the independent spirit of her citizens.”
Tom McCall
This summer I gave medium format film photography a go when I bought a Minolta Autocord in good condition at a local vintage camera shop. I used the Autocord to shoot on a 10-day van camping trip with my son and dog up the full length of the Oregon coast in July 2022. While I also shot in medium format color as well as with a 35mm camera, it was clear to me that these monochrome images made up a single series to capture the timelessness of the natural and man-made sides of Oregon’s 363-mile coastline. While I don’t see myself as a landscape photographer, the towering rock stacks, a dramatic shipwreck, and the old fish towns naturally drew me in. The 6×6 format of the camera forced me to see and compose images differently and in a more focused way. As I was hoping, the larger size 120 film brought a great deal of detail, tones, and textures. I hope viewers enjoy both of my journeys of learning a new photographic approach and discovering this wonderful part of the Pacific Northwest.