Clear Creek Falls Take 2

RxForB3 · Jun 5, 2012

Drove back up to the waterfall to try a reshoot after some of the suggestions/thoughts from you all. I have some new favorites now for sure, but I'm not sure about the processing. I apologize for posting quite so many. Any additional thoughts/critiques would be much appreciated. I intend to try again some day when the weather is more cooperative with hopefully better lighting instead of grey clouds. I still had to hand hold the camera due to an extreme wind that prevented me using my tripod (don't have a portrait bracket, so I usually would just balance the camera on the tripod). It also made me nervous. The guard rail is fairly low and a loss of balance could lead to a very long fall. Well here they are...thoughts?

1. My new favorite close-up.

IMG_8561 by RxForB3, on Flickr

2.

IMG_8562 by RxForB3, on Flickr

3.

IMG_8549 by RxForB3, on Flickr

4. I think this is my new favorite overall. It makes the landscape as a whole the subject, instead of just the waterfall...

IMG_8528 by RxForB3, on Flickr

5. Thought I'd add a foreground element to the composition.

IMG_8502 by RxForB3, on Flickr

6.

IMG_8494 by RxForB3, on Flickr

7.

IMG_8481 by RxForB3, on Flickr

I tried longer shutter speeds, but for the most part preferred the definition and feeling of the massiveness provided by the shorter shutter. This isn't a silky waterfall, after all!

Majeed Badizadegan · Jun 5, 2012

Sweet shots! It will take me a while to decide which one(s) I like best from this batch. Lovely place to shoot.

rokvi · Jun 5, 2012

Im with you RxForB3 #4 is my pick too.

Haya.H · Jun 5, 2012

such a beautiful place! i like number 3 is my favorite. the way you've captured the water made it look so much smoother than the others. But i would say crop some of the space on top. Very good job

Ernicus · Jun 5, 2012

I'm jealous. Biggest falls I seen around here is like 4 ft, and usually from a dam or drainage.

Number 4 is best imo, I think 3 could be winner with some tweaking.

yerlem · Jun 5, 2012

I love #4!
The first two I'd have liked to see a slower shutter speed.

The_Pearl_Poet · Jun 6, 2012

Is it possible to get closer to the falls or find a different vantage point?

fjrabon · Jun 6, 2012

I like them except for the lighting making everything kind of flat, but obviously nothing you could do about that. Maybe try to brighten a bit, then add some contrast? I think 4 is the best composition but 6 has the best light.

RxForB3 · Jun 6, 2012

There is a scenic viewpoint for it, but it's not nearly as great for photography as is that spot (too close). Next trip that way I'll stop and get some from there to show, but this time I had two kids with me. I'd love to find a way to the bottom, but I don't think there's any road or trail, and I'm not very good at blazing a trail...

I agree about the lighting in 6 (or even 5). I can't wait till some day that it's clear and I can catch some sunset colors!

cguron · Jun 6, 2012

3 or 4 will win my vote too. The waterfall location is very good for photography. Next time shoot with a stand with lower aperture opening, which will need a longer exposure time. In order to get a good shot, on a sunny day, use a UV filter (to avoid the haze) and a polarizer to control the directionality of sunlight. Please also use ND4 filter if necessary to get a longer exposure. A Polarizer, depending on the rotation, has a varying amount of neutral density effect, so using the ND filter and Polarizer together may or may not be advised. It will depend on the light conditions what will work best.

RxForB3 · Jun 6, 2012

I did do several with a smaller aperture (all the way to 32), but they didn't really turn out. Partly they were not as sharp (due to not having an appropriate tripod with a bracket) and partly I didn't think the silky water did the waterfall justice. Unfortunately I've already deleted them (I may be able to recover some, though), but I think I'll get myself some ND filters and try again on a day with better lighting and a better tripod. Unfortunately, that could take a while to afford...