“Benham Falls”

Location: Bend, Oregon (2020)

The Deschutes River, the lifeblood of the region, cascades down Benham Falls on a chilly autumn morning in early October.

Timing at this location required me to arrive shortly after sunrise in order to take advantage of the shade provided by the trees. If sunlight were to spill onto the river, the shot would be ruined by the brightness that is reflected sunlight.

I had the location to myself. The power of the 25 foot waterfall drowning out any sounds of nature.

Wind generated from the crashing river chilled the air to the point that my hands began to turn numb – how I wish I had brought my gloves. I wasn’t used to the cold. Summer had been so warm and so had the autumn temperatures I had come from in the valley.