Instagrammer Matthew Cohen (@matthew__cohen) spends much of his energy and passion obsessing over waterfalls. An avid adventurer who loves exploring the great outdoors of Washington and Oregan, Matthew also documents his love of the rugged landscape on his Instagram account, which has now amassed more than 23,000 followers. “I’m originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and grew up on the shore of Lake Michigan,” Matthew tells Instagram blog. “I remember appreciating nature as a young child as I explored the forested shoreline of the huge lake.”
Currently calling the Pacific Northwest home, Cohen, and his wife Tessa (@la_tigressa) spend numerous days every month trailing adventure in the mountainous states of Washington and Oregon. To the couple, getting lost in the forests chasing the rumbling sound of cascading waterfalls provides another way for the couple to connect and share a common passion. The call of the great outdoors is hard to resist and the couple is proud to admit being caught by the spell of mother nature – most especially giant majestic waterfalls. “All of my senses are triggered when visiting waterfalls,” he adds, “The air just seems cleaner and crisper near a waterfall. Once I reach the falls, I feel as if time is standing still, and I stand in awe at the story that the land and the water are telling me.”
Aside from filling his Instagram feed with stunning imagery of various waterfalls found in the Pacific Northwest, Cohen also dishes out amazing photographs of mountain landscapes, sunsets, and sunrises, as well as kayakers in action. Similar to an effective tourism brochure, viewers can easily be enticed to start packing their hiking gear and head out to the Pacific Northwest upon viewing his waterfalls series.
Mastering the art of packing light, Cohen only uses his iPhone to shoot his outdoor photographs. This gives him easier movement along rugged trails and also proves that mobile photography has found its way as a mainstream tool in the travel photography world.
Cohen describes his favorite experiences while photographing the many waterfalls found all over the Pacific Northwest area.
- “Falls Creek Falls is an enormous multi-tiered 335-foot waterfall that can be reached by following a two-mile trail through old-growth along the creek. Even in an area popular for waterfalls, this waterfall stands out for its sheer size.”
- “What makes Spirit Falls special is that it’s world famous with kayakers but rarely visited by hikers. You might be lucky enough to catch a kayaker making a run. The last time I was there I caught some very talented kayakers running the falls.”
- “McClellan Falls was confirmed to exist in 2008, but there are no path or signs to the falls. Reaching the falls requires bushwhacking down a steep river canyon and following animal trails. Once at the falls you’re delighted with a very rarely visited 143-foot (44-meter) falls surrounded by volcanic rocks and outcroppings. I’ll never forget the feeling of reaching the falls for the first time.”
- “(Panther Creek Falls is a) 136-foot waterfall in Skamania County crashes down into a moss-covered amphitheater. I’ll never forget seeing this waterfall for the first time in 2005 and thinking I’ve never seen anything like it.”
To see more of Matthew Cohen’s Pacific Northwest adventure, follow him @matthew__cohen on Instagram.
