In May 2023, I joined three other photographer friends on a trip to Oregon and Washington. We spent much time on the southern and midcoast of Oregon, photographing iconic lighthouses and rocky beaches that make the Oregon Coast such a popular destination.

One of the most iconic lighthouses along the Oregon Coast is Heceta Head Light. The lighthouse is located midway up a 205-foot-tall headland. The 56-foot (17-meter) tall lighthouse was built in 1894. It shines a beam visible for 21 nautical miles (39 kilometres), making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast. It was named after Spanish explorer Bruno de Heceta, who explored the Pacific Northwest during the late 18th century.

Heceta Head Light is my favorite lighthouse along the Oregon Coast. It can be photographed from various angles, including close-ups or a distant bluff. We returned to the lighthouse for sunset on two separate occasions to capture it under different conditions. We arrived early because we expected to find other photographers or possibly photo workshops in place, but aside from the occasional passerby, we found ourselves alone at sunset.

The composition I prefer for this scene is from a hill behind the lighthouse, with the structures dominant in the foreground and the background comprising the ocean and coastline with its bluffs. A narrow path meanders over the top of the hill behind the lighthouse. However, reaching this particular vantage point involves branching off the main path onto a narrower and more precarious trail that rewards the hiker with this glorious view at tower height. I took the long exposure at dusk, which is one of my favorite images from the trip.