Quote:
Originally Posted by Cernunnos
This is remarkably timely advice, as I am heading into Oregon from the 25th of July through the 3rd of August. Portland was chosen as a base of operations from which to explore the surrounding countryside, though I am also considering hotel hopping across the state for broader exposure. Yes, snowy, I am finally visiting. 
Any additional suggestions for areas with stunning photography opportunities? Hiking is also a significant bonus, and opinions on whether or not to hotel hop for greater range would also be appreciated. |
Well, to be honest, as someone who enjoys photography I feel a bit spoiled here. My future father-in-law and I have discussed this many times--our state is so beautiful that pretty much any hike you choose is going to lead you past something worth taking pictures of.
The Columbia Gorge has some beautiful places, including some fantastic waterfalls, such as Multnomah Falls (which dogzilla visited), and that is relatively close to Portland. There are several falls to hike into in that area. The Gorge itself is lovely too.
Coming from Florida (my dad's half of the family, all of whom relocated to the PacNW, are from Florida), you are likely to be impressed by our mountains, so a drive up to Mt. Hood and Timberline Lodge might be something you are interested in. Mt. St. Helens is just a bit north of Portland and looks like a little pile of marshmallow fluff, but seeing the recovery there is quite interesting, especially if you can make it to Johnston Ridge Observatory, as dogzilla did. You get a good look into the crater from there.
If you are truly interested in going further afield and seeing some awesome mountains, I wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Bend, Oregon and the Cascade Lakes area near there. My above post in this thread goes into some detail about this part of the state.
This thread has kind of become a "things people must see in Oregon" thread--my shortlist would be the Gorge, the mountains (Cascade Lakes area, preferably, but anywhere in the Central Cascades where you can see the big peaks is good), the coast (anywhere on the Coast will suffice), and Crater Lake (but I wouldn't attempt this in summer; it's better in shoulder season when it's less crowded). All of these places will provide you with ample opportunity to use your camera.