Storms and Waves Along the Oregon Coast : Michael Frye Photography

Crashing wave on a foggy morning, Oregon Coast

We just finished another edition of our Oregon Coast workshop, and once again had a great time. We had a really nice group of people, which always makes it more fun for everyone. And we encountered some wonderfully stormy weather.

The forecasts for the workshop showed a series of storms, and rain every day. But that didn’t mean nonstop rain. I knew there would be breaks, and those breaks could generate some interesting light.

Better yet, storms can create big waves. Forecasts indicated moderately-big swells, around 8-10 feet, during the first two days of the workshop. But on the third day the waves were predicted to jump to 16-18 feet, subsiding to a mere 14 feet on the fourth day, then bumping back up 15 feet on our fifth (and last) day. Those forecasts turned out to be pretty accurate, except on our last afternoon the waves pushed up to 19-20 feet, much higher than predicted.

In the end, most of the heavy rain came through during the night. We did have to dodge some showers at times, and one morning was a complete washout (which we filled by doing image reviews). But we also saw some beautiful light, with sunset colors, sunbeams, and even sun breaking through fog.

And we got to see and photograph those big waves crashing against the rocky shores the Oregon Coast is famous for. Watching and listening to those waves is an incredible experience. The immense power is hard to describe. We were perched safely atop bluffs 50 to 100 feet above the ocean, but still got wet from the spray (necessitating rain gear and camera covers), and sometimes saw waves shoot up well above our heads. The noise was deafening. Even though we observed these waves from safe places, their power was a little scary – but also awe-inspiring and exhilarating.

I made the photograph at the top of this post during one of those big-wave days. When we first arrived at this spot in the morning it was quite foggy. That weather added its own ethereal mood to the scene, but then later, briefly, the sun broke through the clouds and fog, creating wonderful backlight on the spray, with dark clouds behind, and with some of that ethereal fog still lingering. We just needed some big waves splashes to accompany that light, and luckily we got them. It’s a wonderful feeling when everything comes together like that. I think we all felt lucky to photograph this event, but even luckier just to witness such beauty and majesty.

I’ve included more photographs below from some of our big-wave days along the Oregon Coast. It was so much fun to see and photograph – an unforgettable experience. Of course we photographed many scenes that didn’t include big waves; I’ll post some of those too when I get the chance. And the forecasts for the coming week look interesting… we’ll see what happens!

— Michael Frye

Natural bridge and crashing wave, Oregon Coast

Waves and sea stacks, Oregon Coast

Waves, rocks, and gulls, Oregon Coast

Stormy morning along the Oregon Coast

Waves crashing against a rocky shoreline, Oregon Coast

Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He lives near Yosemite National Park in California, but travels extensively to photograph natural landscapes in the American West and throughout the world.

Michael uses light, weather, and design to make photographs that capture the mood of the landscape, and convey the beauty, power, and mystery of nature. His work has received numerous awards, including the North American Nature Photography Association’s 2023 award for Fine Art in Nature Photography. Michael’s photographs have appeared in publications around the world, and he’s the author and/or principal photographer of several books, including Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters, and The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite.

Michael loves to share his knowledge of photography through articles, books, workshops, online courses, and his blog. He’s taught over 200 workshops focused on landscape photography, night photography, digital image processing, and printing.