It has been a while since I posted an image, but after reading @Ed_McGuirks wonderful article on fog I felt compelled (by the article’s author ) to post this image. Ed and I met up last fall on his home turf in New Hampshire and he was gracious enough to drag me along with him for a fantastic 2 1/2 days during the peak of fall color season . And as luck would have it, Ed also managed to bring in some fog for the weekend. This image was taken at Crystal Cascade Falls on a morning with just enough fog to add a beautiful atmosphere. As we hiked up the steep incline to the falls Ed assured me these conditions were quite extraordinary and not the norm.
I was immediately attracted to the diffused light glowing on the boulder near the top of the falls so I came up with this more intimate look at the falls.
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Single frame, F14, 90mm, ISO200, 0.4 seconds
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Alan, this is a wonderful moody image. We were fortunate to get the mist and peak color like this, they enhance an already beautiful waterfall. Crystal Cascade is my favorite waterfall in New Hampshire, and I’m glad we were able to shoot it in such nice conditions. What’s interesting to me is what is not shown here. This waterfall is about 100 feet tall, with an 80 foot fan waterfall at the top (partially shown here), a pool below, and then a second 20 foot plunge falls below the pool. The vast majority of images of this waterfall either show the entirety of both falls, or 100% of the top section. You chose to extract out only a portion of the top falls, and it made this image as much about the fog and fall color as about the falls. This is a very unusual composition of this falls and I think it works very well for you.
I like that you kept the fog cooler in white balance, it contrasts nicely against the warm autumn colors. That red maple peeking out of the fog is just wonderful. My only nitpick is about the water, I wish you had used a slightly faster shutter speed and gotten a little bit more texture in the water. I might try either burning it down a little, or if you have a darker exposure bracket of the same composition you could try blending it in for just the water. The color balance of the water looks slightly too cool to me, although the cooler WB works in the fog. I would would try reducing he blue in the water alone. Here is a rework with my comments reflected.
Ed,
Thanks for the comments. I also would have preferred more detail in the falls. The water was one of the areas that I cooled down a bit and was wondering if I had gone too far. I do like the tweeks you made in the rework.
Unfortunately I did not bracket this composition. I did bracket some of the wider shots and also used a higher ISO, that did help with the water texture.
I also really like the classic wider view of these falls, and if my memory is correct, I believe you have posted it here on NPN. It is easy to see why these falls are a favorite.
Wonderful atmosphere Alan. I like your chosen shutter speed. I do agree with you on wishing for more detail in the water especially in the mid area. @Ed_McGuirk - Crystal Cascade is my favorite waterfall in NH as well. I need to visit there more often. It is an amazing place in the winter too when a veil of ice forms. The lower falls and stream by the bridge are great places to capture ice abstracts.
Alan, I like the detail Ed has added to the water but prefer the original blue interpretation. I generally prefer that the WB be consistent throughout the image rather than have one area cool and another warm or neutral.
Thank you @Eva_McDermott and @Igor_Doncov for your comments. I do look forward to visiting this area in the winter some day. I intend to add more detail to the water as everyone has suggested.
Beautiful image with a great mood. I really like the changes @Ed_McGuirk made. I much prefer the more neutral water and the added detail. Quite a nice image.
Thank you @Harley_Goldman, it seems the majority, myself included, prefers Ed’s rework.
@David_Schoen, since you were curious to see more of the falls I included a more traditional composition of the complete upper falls for you. This may be more than you were looking for, but at least you can see the falls surrounded by the beautiful Autumn colors.
Wow. What a beautiful setting! I also prefer Ed’s post, and I love the bottom of the falls in your last post. We moved to DC last year; hopefully, we’ll be able to make it up to NH for fall.
) to post this image. Ed and I met up last fall on his home turf in New Hampshire and he was gracious enough to drag me along with him for a fantastic 2 1/2 days during the peak of fall color season . And as luck would have it, Ed also managed to bring in some fog for the weekend. This image was taken at Crystal Cascade Falls on a morning with just enough fog to add a beautiful atmosphere. As we hiked up the steep incline to the falls Ed assured me these conditions were quite extraordinary and not the norm.
