Everyday Photo Ops: Capturing Memorable Moments

Whenever we visited central Oregon,we'd pass by a nondescript group of rocks off to the right of the highway. One day we followed a sign that pointed the way to Smith Rock State Park. Since we love to camp, we were in the habit of checking out new campgrounds.

Words cannot describe the awesome sight we discovered on the opposite side of those plain gray rocks. The sun had just come up minutes before, shading part of the incline down to the river below, but this photo captures some of what pulled a gasp out of me. Turns out Smith Rock State Park attracts rock climbers from all over the world.

Lesson learned? Never judge a familiar sight from a distance. Get in close and look for the beauty.

My husband and I had taken a long drive one weekend, on a road we'd never traveled before. It was one of those outings for a breath of fresh air, as the company he worked for was in the process of moving overseas. We were facing tough days ahead, and the unknown had left us rattled.

In times like those, we're reminded of God's faithfulness. As we rounded the corner, we came upon this amazing sunrise that was directing its last orange fingers of light over the snow.

When I see this photo now, many years later, it represents Hope.

We took our granddaughter to what she called "the duck park" to feed the ducks. Standing on a bridge over the water, she methodically lined up her slices of bread as hungry quackers waited down below.

That was five years ago, but this photo still reminds me of the carefree days of childhood, and how fleeting they are. I'm so glad I captured this moment!

One summer, my husband and I decided to visit the Washington town where my parents met and married right after WWII. We spent a couple days there, and on the spur of the moment, decided to take it a step further.

Long story short: We ended up in Montana! What a spontaneous adventure we had, driving and stopping whenever we wanted to for photo ops. Our return trip took us through eastern Oregon, where we noticed lots of unpaved roads meandering across a desolate stretch for miles. A local resident told us that homesteaders' cabins from the 1930s were scattered across the area.

We turned off the beaten path and discovered a one-room sod house still intact. (*You can barely see it in the distance in this photo.) Inside the house was a bed frame, a broken oil lamp, and assorted pots and pans--evidence of someone who tried their best to eke out a living in that wind-swept, rock-hard terrain.

This photo reminds me of the fun of discovery!

When I was a kid, my family used to camp at a beautiful campground on the Oregon coast. I had not visited it in about thirty years, so my husband and I took a ride one Saturday to see it. Although it has expanded by several dozen acres, it still looks the same in many ways. White sand dunes, reflective lake...it was all there, as memories flooded back.

Pictures have a powerful way of transporting us back to poignant moments. I remember everything about this particular morning, when I was driving away from the town where I grew up. I'd lost both my parents within two years, and I'd spent the entire week in that quiet house, sifting through their belongings with my sister. Soon the family home would be sold to strangers.

I pulled out of the driveway as early ribbons of light were just beginning to paint the sky. To me, the light, color, and swirling clouds seemed a perfect visual for Goodbye.

I'd been rushing to meet a book deadline, and the last three chapters were pressing in on me. Sometimes it's good to stay put and finish, but on this particular day, I needed an escape.

My husband and I drove to one of our favorite nearby destinations, Silver Falls State Park. We'd had heavy rains that year, so South Falls was in its glory, cascading over the rock cliff in a noisy display.

We sat on a little bench in one of the viewing areas and before long, I felt energized and ready to return home to my deadline. I can't look at this photo without remembering how refreshing it was to break away and soak up all that beauty, if only for a couple of hours.

I've always loved watching birds flap their wings, then soar almost effortlessly as the breeze takes over. One morning as we wound along the coastal Highway 101, we stopped to photograph a lighthouse across the inlet.

I was busy adjusting my camera settings, when a gull crossed my line of vision. Too late!

Minutes later, I saw him circling around and heading my way again, so I waited...and waited...and there he was. This photo reminds me of the contrasts in nature--the mighty power of the sea and the carefree soaring of a lone seagull.

Even more, it turns my thoughts towards the wonder of Creation, and how God has held it all together since the beginning of time.