Portland Night Photos!

Portland (PDX), Oregon has a cool skyline so, I thought it appropriate that I post a few images that I have captured from time to time. I don't live in Portland I live in Newport on the Oregon Coast.

However, I like visiting the Portland Area. I lived in the area for years, went to school there and have many fond memories.

Obviously, all the photos here have been taken at night. All the images have been converted through High Dynamic Range Photography (HDR) to bring out more detail, light and color.

All the images here were taken from the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade. All were taken with a digital Pentax camera using a tripod.

The Willamette River runs from south to north to the Columbia River through Portland. Portland has many bridges that link the east side of Portland to the west and, is affectionately called "Bridge City"!

Some of the photos have been converted to digital painting that I hope you enjoy. If you would like to explore this image, or others, please see links below!

Downtown Portland Skyline At Night (LINK) The reflections on the Willamette River really show up if the water is fairly calm, like it was this particular evening. The bright street lights are coming from the Tom McCall Waterfront Park. You are looking west, at downtown from the Vera Katz Eastbank Promenade...and, fairly close to the Morrison Bridge. The most remarkable building in the image is the KOIN Center. It is pictured as the one with the green lite top. It was built in 1984 and is 35 stories high. The tall building is the "Wells Fargo Building" is 41 stories and was built in 1972.

Morrison Bridge (LINK) What is unique about this capture are the reflections of light coming off of the Morrison Bridge. Usually, the water is not this still and it results in very little distortion of the colorful lights, red, yellow, green and blue coming off the bridge. The Morrison is a basule bridge (drawbridge). This particular capture was taken as a panorama. It picks up almost the entire bridge and part of skyline downtown. However, the focal point of the image is really the light on the water.

View From The East Bank (LINK) This is looking at downtown from an East Bank dock! It is "Blue Hour"! The Willamette River is calm and serene and, lights are reflecting off the water with no distortion.

The Hawthorne Bridge (LINK) This bridge is just one of the many cool bridges in what is known as "Bridge City". Another name for the Hawthorne may be "Bicycle Bridge" because hundreds and hundreds bike over it daily. It is a bascule bridge (drawbridge).

Morrison Bridge At The Cinco De Mayo Celebration (LINK) Cinco De Mayo is traditionally celebrated at the west end of the Morrison Bridge in the Tom McCall Waterfront Park.To the right is the colorful Ferris Wheel that is part of the celebration. The Willamette River is in the foreground! The capture was made at the end of "Blue Hour", just before total darkness. Two other Morrison bridges were built earlier. One in 1887 and, the other in 1905 giving the one built in 1887 historical significance. The 1887 bridge was the first Willamette River crossing bridge in Portland. The current Morrison Bridge is a Chicago-type bascule draw span and, has length of 760 feet. It accommodates six lanes of traffic. Clearance underneath the bridge is adequate for most river traffic. Opening the bridge is only necessary about 30 times per month.

Under The Bridge (LINK) This photograph was captured from underneath the Morrison Street Bridge in Portland, Oregon.In the background is the Willamette River, the Hawthorne Bridge and downtown. Light is reflecting off of the support structure of the bridge giving it a golden hue.

Walkway To Morrison Bridge PDX (LINK) This is the walkway to the Morrison Bridge in Portland, Oregon! The capture is from the approach to the bridge from the Eastbank Esplanade and is looking west toward downtown. The original bridge was built in 1887 and was a wooden truss swing span bridge. It was the first Willamette River bridge in Portland. And, had the distinction of the longest bridge west of the Mississippi River. The Morrison Bridge was rebuilt in the 1950's. The image was captured during blue hour.

View From The Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade (LINK) This is the view from The Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade which is a cool bike and walking path on Portland, Oregon's East Side. Bicyclist, walkers alike enjoy a magnificent area that parallels the Willamette River and the Waterfront. The Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade is one and one half miles long, starting north at the Steel Bridge, and then going south with connections to east side neighborhoods as well as across the river to Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park.  It was formally called the " Eastbank Esplanade". It was renamed for former Portland mayor Vera Katz in 2004. Her statue is featured  near the Hawthorne Bridge, which is not far from where this image was originated. The Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade features a 1,200 foot floating walkway and, is the longest of its kind in the United States. This image also features beautiful reflections of Portland's skyline, the Morrison Bridge and, street lights in the Willamette River. There is a dead calm in the water which makes the reflections even more pronounced! The Marine Fire Station is the building to the immediate right. 

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