Terrible Tilly

[Bill_Fach]

Weekly Challenge

Reclaimed by Nature

6/28/26 - 7/4/26

Critique Style: Standard

The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.

Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive

About This Image

Terrible Tilly is the nickname for the Tillamook Rock Light off the Oregon Coast near Canon Beach. Construction of the light was authorized in 1878 and after more than 500 days of construction the light was officially lit and placed in service on January 21, 1881. The light sits close to 2 Km offshore and was often inaccessible due to weather. Many winter storms were known to have waves break over the top of the beacon housing. The original Fresnel lens was destroyed in a storm in October of 1934 when hurricane force winds and seas smashed boulders and debris against the light housing. It took several months to repair the light and the Fresnel lens was replaced by an aerobeacon and a diesel generator installed to provide power for the light.

Terrible Tilly was decommissioned in 1957 and in 1980 a group of investors purchased the light and tried to convert it to a columbarium. Only about 30 remains were ever interred there and in 1999 the Oregon Mortuary Board revoked the license and rejected a reapplication in 2005. The light is now a resting place for seals, sealions and birds.

I’ve been in love with the Oregon coast ever since I was a little boy. I grew up in Indiana but my maternal grandparents lived in Oregon. My grandfather owned and operated a number of lumber mils in the Cascades east of Eugene and because he was a large customer of the Southern Pacific railroad he would send us passes almost every summer to take the two day train trip from Chicago to Portland. He was a bit of a wildcat and made and lost a fortune or two along the way and for the last few years of his life he seemed to subsist on unfiltered Camel cigarettes and Old Grandad whiskey. The smoking killed him at age 57 but my grandmother was able to liquidate the assets of the mills and other properties and moved permanently to their small beach house in the then obscure village of Yachats for the next 30 years. The house still stands although it has been expanded and to most would be unrecognizable except for the full front picture windows looking out over Yachats Beach SP.

I have many shots of the Oregon lighthouses from the land side but before going on a coast tour in October 2023 I bought a drone, hoping to shoot all nine of the Oregon lights from the ocean side. Tilly was going to be my first and even though I had flown the drone as much as two miles away when visiting one of our sons in Southern California I had never flown it over water. On this particular morning the conditions could not have been better. The winds were light, the light was soft and the subject was more than I expected. One other thing that I appreciated was that my drone doesn’t have an olfactory sensor. With that many seals laying around I suspect part of what makes Tilly terrible might be the odor emanating from it.>=))>

Feedback Requested

Does the isolation of the lighthouse come across? I have others taken from a greater distance that show the isolation better but for this challenge I thought seeing the effects of the sea’s constant onslaught fit the bill better.

Technical Details

DJI Mini 3 Pro

ISO 110, 1/120 @ f1.7

[Glenys_Passier]

What great shots for this weeks WC! They sure show the isolation…and desolation of the lighthouse.

I like both images very much, but leaning toward the second as a favourite. I’m liking the darkness, moodiness and more abstract feel. Seals taking over the structure? How cool is that.
Flying drones over water is beyond my level of skill!

The story to go with is quite amazing Bill. Book worthy.

[GEGJr (George E Givens, Jr.)]

Hi @Bill_Fach ,

What a great background story. Thanks for sharing some context. Like @Glenys_Passier I prefer the second image. I thing POV of #2 really shows the how the sea is slowly eroding not just lighthouse (if it can be called that) but also the rock it sits on. Very nice image. For some reason it evokes my vertigo so that tells me image was made at a decent height. I don’t have a drone but maybe my grandson will let me borrow his so I can learn. BTW, I too was born and raised in Indiana (Posey County).

Well done.

[Ryan_H]

Great shots and a lovely story Bill.

I’m giving my vote to the first one. I like the slightly lower angle on the lighthouse.

I agree that it would be worth looking at the whole thing from a greater distance, and it would be interesting to see one, but these both work well.

[Bill_Fach]

Ryan: Thanks for the comment. Here’s a shot from the flight out to the light. >=))>

[Dennis_Plank]

For the challenge, the first image does work better as it shows the deterioration more clearly, Bill. Artistically, I do prefer the second, but the straight down hides much of the deterioration. Great description and background story.

[Ed_Lowe]

Hi Bill,

Using a drone certainly gives you a unique vantage point and you put it to good use with these two images. I do get the sense of the light’s lonely existence as well as it’s isolation. It certainly appears as though the seals and sea lions have over run the place and made themselves comfortable to say the least. BTW, before I forget, I loved the backstory on these images. I really love the unique overhead look of the second image as well as the wave action. Very nicely done.

[Mark_Seaver]

Bill, for “light winds” the seas around the rock and lighthouse looks pretty heavy. While the straight down view is different and almost abstract, I slightly perfer the first view as it show lots of interesting color in the breaking surf.

[JRajput]

Great story (thanks for sharing) and wonderful imagery !

I personally prefer the second image as things become more abstract and building is less visible.

Cheers !

[Ryan_H]

This also a great shot Bill. It shows the isolation of the lighthouse in the ocean so well.

I have never given much thought to drone photography but this really shows the way that can capture unique images with fantastic perspective.