how to get lost in the Pacific Northwest •brush prairie •vancouver •multnomah •long beach, washington. •canon beach •indian beach •portland •colombia river gorge, oregon
A Photographic Memoir
ft. sawyer, my favorite pupper meggs, & some locals. w/ guest apperance from my jeep ‘lil-red’, nessy, and the troll under the bridge.
photographs taken by bridger james on a 35mm mamiya nc100s and 35mm nikon.
please be aware, there are no monsters in the gorge and nessy hasn’t been seen since. it’s probably safe.** can’t say the same for the troll however.
**i will not be held responsible if you wander on nessy and make him mad. same goes for big foot. #believe
how to get lost in the pnw
getting lost in this zine Table of Contents table of contents & checklist pg. ii-iii preface pg. iv-v
getting lost on the coast pg. vi-xi
getting lost in the woods pg. xii-xvii
getting lost up the river pg. xviii-xxiii
ii
a photographic memoir
destinations to explore The Checklist
discover nessy and big-foot
indian beach
astoria-megler bridge
long beach
canon beach
portland
brigham fish market’s fish & chips
molten creek falls
thor’s well
bridge of the gods
yaquina head lighthouse
pike place fish market
multnomah falls
mt. hood
colombia river gorge
the fruit loop
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how to get lost in the pnw
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a photographic memoir
why bother getting lost? Preface
it’s no secret that the outdoors and nature are good for the soul, body, and mind. if you’re a non-believer in that regards, go read some wiki articles. i promise, it will help. with covid-19 forcing everyone indoors, it’s more important than ever to get out, explore, and take a deep breath to remind yourself that everything will be alright! whether its in your backyard, up the hill, or a quick skip to the Pacific Northwest, you will find, as did i, that being outside is like therapy. the purpose of this zine then, is to showcase the beauty and wonder of the PNW all while teaching you ‘how to get lost’ in the outdoors. obviously getting lost directionally would be a bad thing for everyone involved. the ‘get lost’ that i am referring to is the sense of wonder and awestuckness you feel when staring up at 325 foot tall red wood trees in southern oregon. perhaps it’s the pure curiosity when looking at tiny alien-like bugs running along the tree moss. or when your looking at the absolute mind-bending power of the ocean waves crashing against the sea stacks at canon beach. or maybe it’s when your breath is taken away by the seemingly endless expanse of the colombia river gorge. my hopes in creating this zine are that you may sense to some small degree, just how stunning and striking the Pacific Northwest can be. it may be a futile attempt, and certainly, no photograph can capture the sense of wonder that the ocean, forests, and rivers of washington and oregon have in store. but regardless, this is my zine, and i sincerely hope you enjoy reading it as much as i have enjoyed creating it. this zine was created from a backlog of several years worth of photographs from the local areas of washington, and oregon. if you ever get the absolute privilege of visiting any of these areas or others around, don’t forget to get lost there.
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how to get lost in the pnw
getting lost on the Coast
VI
a photographic memoir
“the sea cures all aliments of man.” -plato
VII
how to get lost in the pnw
washington and oregon are home to some of the most incredibly contrasting coast lines. from forests that reach the shore, to the famous sea stacks and lighthouses. just looking at the architecture alone is a perfect way to get lost in the beauty of the coast.
VIII
a photographic memoir
along with the coastal features and landmarks comes the beach culture. dogs, surfers, couples, loners, and crazies alike can be found here. people-watching can be a competetive sport. getting lost on the coast is as simple as laying down on a beach towel or wrapping up in a rain coat and boots. there’s thousands of tide pools, rock coves, and trails to explore to help you get lost. there is no feeling on earth like surfing in thick fog with friends and family near by. personally, i dont think theres a better way to get directionally lost!
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how to get lost in the pnw
fig. 2c
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a photographic memoir
XI
how to get lost in the pnw
getting lost in the Woods
XII
a photographic memoir
“the clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness” -john muir
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how to get lost in the pnw
it’s no question that getting lost in the forest is a relativly easy task. gps or not, take a short hike and you’ll soon see how easy it is to lose your sense of direction as the trees, moss and bushes crowd your path. but, take a more intentional look around; at the moss on the branches, the rivers and creeks that flow in every direction, the little army of ants marching their way to their next meal and suddenly your feeling of being lost becomes curiosity & wonder.
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a photographic memoir
with so many places to explore and get lost in, where would one even begin? glad you asked friend. there are some pretty incredible locations. some more popular and some more remote. multnomah falls is an incredible view with a reletivly short hike to reach the top bridge overlooking the waterfall. usually busy with tourists, but worth every second of it.
another one of my favorite hikes includes molten falls, just outside a small town called battle ground. not as popular, and if you hike far enough theres a beautiful river with an abandoned train track that runs near by. one of my favorite coastal-forests is indian beach. located 15 min. north of the famous canon beach, it is littered with paths and trails that explore the incredible landscapes. definety a must if you are in the area.
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how to get lost in the pnw
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a photographic memoir
XVII
how to get lost in the pnw
getting lost up the River
XVIII
a photographic memoir
“you can’t be unhappy in the middle of a big, beautiful river.” -jim harrison
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how to get lost in the pnw
the colombia river gorge is an essential stop on any Pacific Northwest visit. with small shops, and quiet towns, to the bridges and popular pull outs, every second is breathtaking.
the scenic canyon drives and stunning views of the colmbia make this a drive i could happily take every day. small boutiques and locally run restaurants, are all along the gorge. when your adventure reminds you to grab a bite to eat, take a quick drive across the bridge of the gods to the oregon side of the gorge. you’ll find a small restaurant by the name of brigham fish market. with fresh fish caught right out their back door, i guarantee it will be the best fish and chips of your life. XX
a photographic memoir
fig. 3
while your getting lost in the great Pacific Northwest, never forget you are in big foots territory now. there are rumors that nessy will even come down the gorge and visit for a little while. keep your eye out while you’re in the area to spot a glimpse of these elusive creatures and try not to get too close. big foot is the all-time champion of being intentionally lost after all.
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a photographic memoir
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how to get lost in the pnw
now go and get lost.. Closing Remarks
i personally believe that washington and oregon are home to some of the most incredible views and locations in the world. with forests, coast lines, and rivers galore, there isn’t a better place in the world to get (intentionally) lost in. but, even though this zine was focused around the Pacific Northwest, it doesn’t take a roadtrip and a fat wallet to get lost. no matter where in the world you are, there are places to explore and discover for the first time. getting lost is more than just wandering into an unknown location and calling for help. geting lost requires you to get lost from the world. from media, from technology, from work and from school. it requires active participation and tacksharp focus to the small things around you. it’s all about getting lost IN THE DETAILS of your surroundings. i hope i could share some of that with you though the images and text of this zine. rarely do i feel such passion for a project as i have for this one. washington is my home, and the locations and places in this piece are a special part of me. now go and get lost! (and i mean that in the nicest way possible) thank you for reading my zine. -bridger james
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a photographic memoir
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how to get lost in the pnw
how to get lost in the Pacific Northwest
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a photographic memoir
“a single day is too long to be away from the pacific north. i need it as much as i need oxygen” -anonymous
XXVII
whats a zine? a zine is a small-circulation, self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images. usually done by an individual or small group.
thank you for your support! this project is the culmination of 100+ hours of hard work and years worth of photography. film holds a special place in my heart and i’m so glad i get to put it in the hands of people like yourself!
created by: bridger james instagram: @bridgerjamesdesign