By Ben Lonergan
East Oregonian

PENDLETON — Eastern Oregon is full of beautiful wildlife, sprawling fields, and soaring mountains, making for a veritable photographers paradise.

An avid photographer can start the day at sunup capturing the warm glow of the sun rising above the Blue Mountains or Columbia River, spend the mid-morning discovering the variety of wildlife before venturing through the countryside, and end the day capturing the stars in the dark Eastern Oregon skies.

Rising with the sun

While sunrise starts earlier and earlier throughout the summer months it offers stunning views of the first light washing over the region. On the west end of Umatilla County and into Morrow County, sites along the Columbia River offer an excellent opportunity to capture the rising sun reflecting across the water.

While the west end of the county offers water views, the east end of the county offers the potential to capture the rising sun over the Blue Mountains.

To capture the most compelling images of the rising sun it is best to scope out a location ahead of time and arrive well before the projected sunrise. If you are not an early riser, the gentle rolling hills of Umatilla County offer a variety of opportunities to photograph the setting sun.

Taking in the wildlife

Shortly after sunrise and the waning hours of the evening provide chances to photograph the wide variety of animals throughout Umatilla County. The region is home to numerous wildlife refuges, offering the opportunity to view a wide variety of birds, deer, elk and other wild animals.

The best way to photograph wild animals is to head out in the early morning or late hours of the day when animals are most active. Use a telephoto lens to keep a safe distance from wildlife and use faster shutter speeds to keep quick moving animals in focus.

Venturing through the countryside

While Eastern Oregon animals and scenery provide for a variety of photographic opportunities, a road trip through the countryside can offer picturesque views of intriguing barns, windmills or disused farm equipment. While these items can make for beautiful, compelling photographs it is important to stick to public roads and spaces, unless you have landowner permission, when making these photographs.

When crafting photographs of still life it can improve your photographs to utilize the rule of thirds to compose your images and play with lights and shadows to set your subject apart from the background. Before pressing the shutter, try to avoid stray powerlines or branches unless they are the main focus of your picture.

Looking to the Stars

While Eastern Oregon’s scenic views and wildlife provide endless opportunities for photography, one of the most overlooked scenes occurs after the sun sets. Eastern Oregon’s clear skies and low light pollution offer incredible opportunities for stargazing and astrophotography. While the night skies provide interesting views year round, the warmer months bring about the Milky Way season when clear views of the galactic core of the Milky Way are visible in the northern hemisphere.

From roughly March through October the galactic core of the Milky Way can be seen on a clear dark night in the southern half of the night sky. While the exact timing and visibility of the galaxy varies throughout the season, it is best viewed during a new moon away from the lights of town. A variety of cell phone applications or additional research can help locate the exact location of the Milky Way at any given day or time.

Although the galactic core can be visible to the naked eye, it is even more spectacular when photographed. In order to best photograph the night sky, you will need to find a dark spot away from town. Place your camera on a tripod or other solid surface and point it toward the galaxy. Due to the dark nature of the night sky, setting your camera to manual exposure mode and using a wide aperture, slow shutter speed and high ISO help bring the galaxy to life.

One thing to be cautious of when dropping your shutter speed is the possibility of star trails. While a unique effect when intended, the rotation of the earth, paired with a slow shutter speed, can result in blurry stars and a less pronounced view of the Milky Way.