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“Midnight Drive”
Description:
At Rowena Crest Viewpoint in the Columbia River Gorge, the highway bends in a dramatic horseshoe far below the cliffs. By day it’s a beloved scenic stop; by night it transforms into a spectacular lookout for stargazers. On clear summer evenings, the Milky Way arches above the Gorge in breathtaking clarity.
Summary:
“Perfect,” I thought to myself while looking at the weather forecast. The new moon would occur during a stretch of cloud-free skies, but the approaching heat wave would complicate things. Changing wind patterns carrying scorching temperatures from the south would eventually bring smoke from wildfires in central California. The timing had to be just right.
So, on a Monday evening, after checking and rechecking the latest weather update, I made the two-plus-hour drive to the Rowena Crest Viewpoint. I had pre-visualized everything beforehand. I knew where to set up my camera and how many photos I needed. I was ready.
The foreground would be a blend of several images. I needed to photograph the landscape during twilight before it got too dark, but I also needed light trails from passing cars. Because of the heat and it being a Monday, there was only one car at the viewpoint. Would they be my only hope for light trails?
Turns out they weren’t. Thank goodness. Instead of visitors lighting the scene, it was locals living in nearby Mosier who painted the road in photons as they traveled to and from The Dalles. There weren’t a lot of cars, but I had enough to stitch together their light trails into the photo you see. (In total, it took 19 photographs.)
After photographing the car lights, I waited nearly 90 minutes for the Milky Way to appear where I needed it to be above the landscape.
As I waited, I sat on the railing overlooking the road and took in my surroundings. The air was incredibly warm despite the darkness. I was wearing pants, like I normally do to protect my legs, but I was practically sweating in my thin cotton T-shirt. It must have been at least 85 degrees outside.
I watched the sky shift from deep blue to inky black as the sound of speeding cars, 250 feet below on Interstate 84, zipped by — they sounded like the ocean. I saw the landscape brighten under the powerful glow of a passing train’s headlight as it paralleled the interstate. And I watched a handful of early evening stars multiply into a full tapestry of celestial bodies as the Milky Way filled the night.
-BAP
Location:
Rowena Crest Viewpoint
Mosier, Oregon
45° 40' 56.3" N, 121° 17' 57.5" W
Google Map Link
Time: 21:26–23:01 PDT
Date: July 25th, 2022
Camera & Settings:
Composite photograph
•Foreground (19 exposures):
ISO 400, 14 mm, f/11, 13 sec
• Sky (7 Exposures):
ISO 1600, 14 mm, f/2.8, 13 sec
• 57 Dark Frames:
ISO 1600, 14 mm, f/2.8, 13 sec
Nikon D810, NIKKOR 14-24 mm f/2.8G, Tripod
📥 Download FREE desktop wallpaper
🖼️ View artwork details & shipping
📸 Request a free wall preview
“Midnight Drive”
Description:
At Rowena Crest Viewpoint in the Columbia River Gorge, the highway bends in a dramatic horseshoe far below the cliffs. By day it’s a beloved scenic stop; by night it transforms into a spectacular lookout for stargazers. On clear summer evenings, the Milky Way arches above the Gorge in breathtaking clarity.
Summary:
“Perfect,” I thought to myself while looking at the weather forecast. The new moon would occur during a stretch of cloud-free skies, but the approaching heat wave would complicate things. Changing wind patterns carrying scorching temperatures from the south would eventually bring smoke from wildfires in central California. The timing had to be just right.
So, on a Monday evening, after checking and rechecking the latest weather update, I made the two-plus-hour drive to the Rowena Crest Viewpoint. I had pre-visualized everything beforehand. I knew where to set up my camera and how many photos I needed. I was ready.
The foreground would be a blend of several images. I needed to photograph the landscape during twilight before it got too dark, but I also needed light trails from passing cars. Because of the heat and it being a Monday, there was only one car at the viewpoint. Would they be my only hope for light trails?
Turns out they weren’t. Thank goodness. Instead of visitors lighting the scene, it was locals living in nearby Mosier who painted the road in photons as they traveled to and from The Dalles. There weren’t a lot of cars, but I had enough to stitch together their light trails into the photo you see. (In total, it took 19 photographs.)
After photographing the car lights, I waited nearly 90 minutes for the Milky Way to appear where I needed it to be above the landscape.
As I waited, I sat on the railing overlooking the road and took in my surroundings. The air was incredibly warm despite the darkness. I was wearing pants, like I normally do to protect my legs, but I was practically sweating in my thin cotton T-shirt. It must have been at least 85 degrees outside.
I watched the sky shift from deep blue to inky black as the sound of speeding cars, 250 feet below on Interstate 84, zipped by — they sounded like the ocean. I saw the landscape brighten under the powerful glow of a passing train’s headlight as it paralleled the interstate. And I watched a handful of early evening stars multiply into a full tapestry of celestial bodies as the Milky Way filled the night.
-BAP
Location:
Rowena Crest Viewpoint
Mosier, Oregon
45° 40' 56.3" N, 121° 17' 57.5" W
Google Map Link
Time: 21:26–23:01 PDT
Date: July 25th, 2022
Camera & Settings:
Composite photograph
•Foreground (19 exposures):
ISO 400, 14 mm, f/11, 13 sec
• Sky (7 Exposures):
ISO 1600, 14 mm, f/2.8, 13 sec
• 57 Dark Frames:
ISO 1600, 14 mm, f/2.8, 13 sec
Nikon D810, NIKKOR 14-24 mm f/2.8G, Tripod
One of the 19 photographs that was used to make the light trails.
Light pollution from the city of The Dalles was removed during post processing.
