Today, we are so thrilled to feature the beautiful Oregon coast from film photographer McKenna Olson. This will definitely give you some PNW fever! Here are a few words from McKenna about her time in Florence, Oregon:
As a portrait and wedding photographer, I am a firm believer in the importance of stretching creativity with personal projects, especially during the off-season. Putting energy into projects that have a good amount of separation from my typical course of work is refreshing and inspiring!
Between Christmas and New Year’s, we were graced with a beautiful couple of days in Florence, Oregon. I feel so lucky to say I grew up in this small but tight-knit community, and it’s always exciting when we get to visit. The Oregon Coast has a bit of a bad reputation when it comes to weather, but those breaks in the rain are always worth the wait – these days were no exception!
Florence is a small town right in the middle of the Oregon Coast, at the mouth of the Siuslaw River. This quaint coastal town is famous for it’s long stretches of sand dunes, surrounding lakes, the Sea Lion Caves, an exploding whale (YouTube this now… you won’t regret it), and the Hecteta Head Lighthouse- one of the most picturesque lighthouses in the world.
Capturing photos of my hometown is something I wanted to do for a while, and I love how film gives these images a timeless feel. I’m still very much in the beginning of my film journey, so I hope to keep adding to this set of images with each visit to the coast!
Analog cameras and films used: Canon EOS 3 (Find at KEH Camera) | Kodak Portra 400 (Find on Amazon) | Developed and scanned by Photovision
Connect with McKenna: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Check out all of our film photography features here, and if you want to have your own film work featured on the blog, check out our submissions process!
Leave a Comment
Shoot It With Film on Instagram
Blog Comments
Larry Weinberger
April 5, 2018 at 11:49 am
McKenna, I love your eye for the feeling of the subject matter. Also, the places you pick really do show what Oregon is all about. I love the slight grainyness as opposed to the digital pictures we have all gotten so used to. It gives the pics a time effect.
My favorite is the lighthouse.
McKenna Olson
April 5, 2018 at 1:20 pm
Thank you so much Larry! I had so much fun with this set, and hope to continue adding to it. Film definitely has some unique timeless qualities that can’t quite be matched by digital- it’s a little bit of magic. 🙂
Jessi
May 11, 2018 at 11:20 am
So good
Paul Reeve
January 20, 2023 at 3:44 pm
I love this area, too, in addition to the Sierra, our deserts, and coastal areas from here down to the Marin Headlands in CA. The lighthouses have changed since I first started shooting them, with a couple being moved, one totally removed, and accessibility changing with changes in responsibility for the properties. This lighthouse is sometimes pretty hard to photograph because of the fog. Plan for the weather, both for your comfort and to get a good image of lighthouses. Have an array of lenses; some are accessible only from a distance, and some come into view so close that you’d want wide field, and perhaps a shift lens when you’re shooting film.