Mystic Ravine

Ravine falls in Oroville, CA, a magical sight that attracts thousands every year. As soon as the storms come, hikers, families, and photographers flock here from all over Northern California.

My goal that day was simple: capture this waterfall in a way that I haven't seen before. I’d seen countless photos of this place, each beautiful in its own right, but I wanted something different. Something that would make people feel the magic of being there.

My friend and I reached the base of the falls, and the sheer power of it hit me—the water cascaded over the cliff with an unstoppable force, spraying mist into the air that made me feel soaked just by standing by it. We spent what felt like hours exploring the area, moving around slick rocks, trying to find the perfect angle. But nothing felt right. The waterfall was beautiful, but it wasn’t giving me the feeling I was looking for—the magic I knew was hidden here somewhere.

We decided to call it a day. As we turned to hike out, something caught my eye. There, framed by the tangled branches of the forest, was the shot I had been searching for. The waterfall, once a force of raw power, now looked ethereal, like something out of a fairytale. The trees around it formed a natural window, the branches crisscrossing in front of the falls, giving it the look of a secret place, hidden and untouched.

I snapped the shot, knowing immediately that this was it. The scene felt alive, wild, untamable. In that instant, I knew I had captured more than just the falls—I had captured a magical forest, the sense of stepping into a secret world.

We left soon after, the sound of the waterfall growing fainter as we hiked back up. But I knew the image, the feeling of being in that enchanted forest, would stay with me long after the roar of the falls had faded into memory. Sometimes in the very last moment, when we least expect it, is when everything finally comes together.