When i first got to Oregon back in November i took a trip up to Eagle Creek to check out the waterfalls, but when i saw the spawning salmon moving up the swift-moving river my plans changed. I drove to the nearest town to buy some rubber boots, and crossed the river to the calmer side, on the lookout for what i hoped would be an interesting shot of a dead salmon that had ended up in an interesting position. I couldn’t have imagined it any better than what i found.

Minolta Maxxum 7, Minolta 17-35mm G lens, 2 sec at f/11, Velvia 50


Minolta Maxxum 7, Minolta 17-35mm G lens, 6 sec at f/13, Velvia 50

Though it appears to be screaming out for help or thrashing around, this salmon is dead. It must have died shortly before i found it and been somewhat preserved by the icy water rushing over it. Most of the other dead salmon i found had only half a head, as though the bears preferred the brain when they were too full to eat more than a little piece of each fish. I definitely think it’s one of my most striking pictures.