Take pictures of all the critters

The Oregon Coast offers a wide array of environments for amateur and professional nature photographers. In Charleston, just west of Coos Bay, photographers can focus on the large Steller sea lions laying on the docks in the boat basin. Also known as the Northern sea lion, this is the largest of the sea lions. But don't get too close as they will warn you by showing you their rather large teeth.

Common egrets and great blue herons sometimes line the shores at low tide, foraging for fish, frogs and small rodents. They nest in treetop rookeries around Coos Bay. Toward the beaches at Simpson Reef, more skilled and outfitted photographers can try to capture the flukes and tails of migrating gray whales.

At low tide, people careful not to damage the marine life clinging to the exposed rocks can find dozens of species of plants and tidepool critters to photograph, including sea stars, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, chitons and sea urchins.

For the sharp-eyed, lucky photographers also might have the opportunity to snap shots of elephant seals, black oystercatchers, harbor seals, pelagic cormorants, pelicans and the more daring - surfers and kayakers riding the waves.

Point your camera at a historic structure

Photographers can focus their lenses on several historic and lesser-known bridges along the South Coast. However, people should make sure they have plenty of gas in their cars as many of these trips require some travel off U.S. Highway 101.

The Chandler Bridge, up the Coos River, is a good place to start. The drive there also will provide a good excursion around the bay to allow for several other photo opportunities without having to worry about crossing private property. Follow North Bay Drive around through Cooston to the small town of Glasgow, then continue on to McCullough Bridge. Not only is McCullough Bridge beautiful from the topside, a short hike down the stairs on the south end of the bridge will take photographers underneath for a view of the bridge's spectacular understructure.

Florence, Reedsport and Gold Beach also boast bridges popular with photographers. For those who travel state Highway 42, the covered bridge near Bridge also is a good place to have a picnic and take photos.

The Charleston Bridge also can make an interesting photo, especially if you happen to snap it while it is open to allow fishing boats to pass through. Typically fishermen are early risers and move their boats according to the tide. Photographers also can keep an eye out for boats exiting the shipyards and heading toward the marina.

Farther south, the Coquille River Bridge just north of Bandon overlooks the popular Bandon Marsh, though it's hard to get a panoramic view of the bridge.

At Gold Beach, the newly restored Patterson Memorial Bridge offers shots from afar or walk across the bridge for upclose structural shots. The bridge also is lighted at night, offering more advanced photographers a chance to challenge themselves.

Tips:

- Identify a point of interest before taking a photo, then snap the shot to emphasize that point. Don't just shoot one photo.

- Use the sun, capitalizing on shadows in structural shots.

- Try different angles. Sometimes walking a few feet in either direction will give you a different perspective.