This is a view of Blackwater Falls WV taken this past weekend on a little trip my brother Mike and I made trying to catch a little snow. It is a relatively easy shot as all you have to do is make a short walk through the woods to a viewing platform. I did notice that some trees have been cut down on the right side. Not sure if it was due to a storm a few years ago or by design to give visitors a better view of the falls.
What technical feedback would you like if any?
All C&C welcome
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
All C&C welcome
Any pertinent technical details:
Nikon D800, Nikon 35-70 @ 70 mm, f 18 @ 1/6 sec, ISO 100, 2 stop ND filter, cable release & tripod
You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
Wow Ed, you couldn’t have asked for better snow than this, and the falls are not iced over either, these are the perfect conditions. I’m jealous, we have had no snow in Massachusetts in December or January so far
Exposure and contrast look spot on. I like the central placement of the falls and the framing on three sides by the trees. My only nitpick would be that I would prefer to see the falls appear a little larger in the composition. You have a lot of breathing room here to crop a little away from all 4 sides while maintaining a strong sense of tree framing. This might then make the falls appear larger and more imposing. But that is a nitpick, this is a wonderful winter waterfall image as presented.
Ed, looks like you and brother Mike set out and found the snow you were looking for…
A wonderful winter scene. Obviously the B&W works perfectly here and enhances the icy cold setting. This is a fine looking waterfall too, even in the deep winter blanket of snow. …
Ed, this really an image that is easy to enjoy. When viewed large the details are even nicer. I’m glad you presented this in B&W it inspires me to also work on that format if we ever receive an snow this winter. Well done!
A lovely scene, Ed, and I like the black and white look. For my taste, I wish you had a lower vantage point to really emphasize the falls and the wonderful icicles around it. Your shutter speed and depth of field look great to me…
Hi Ed, Looks like we will be getting 12-16" of the white stuff in the east on Sunday…
This is a wonderful shot. The b&W is done very well.
You might want to consider accentuating the center by adding vignette (Nik CEP center) Also I think you can do a bit of dodging a burning just to tweak in some further dimension. Great Image !!
You done well, Ed. Doesn’t matter how easy it was to get there. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
The falls, i guess, are the center of focus but it’s really all of the surrounding elements and how they integrate as a whole that makes this image work for me. It’s a perfect composition as originally made. I would not change anything.
Perhaps this is an iconic scene but it’s new to me and I’m just reacting at face value.
Thanks for the C&C @Harley_Goldman, @Ed_McGuirk, @Paul_Breitkreuz, @Alan_Kreyger, @Dennis_Plank, @Ed_Fritz, @Tony_Kuyper, @Michael_Lowe and @Igor_Doncov. I am glad you guys enjoyed the image. @Ed_McGuirk : Looks like the lack of snow is going to change for you this weekend. The conditions were just about perfect; low 20’s for temps and 4-6 " inches of snow. Just enough to cover everything but not hard to move around in. Here is a little crop to emphasize the falls a little more. I think that also works. @Ed_Fritz : thanks for taking the time to do a rework of your suggestion. It gives me another option.
[quote=“Ed_Lowe, post:11, topic:3457”]
Looks like the lack of snow is going to change for you this weekend. [/quote]
Ed, it has been a strange winter in Massachusetts, no snow in Dec or Jan (very unusual). And tonight 1/19, we will get 6" to 12" here, and up in VT/NH 12" to 24". Just my luck, on Tuesday I’m flying to Death Valley to take a workshop with David Kingham and Jennifer Renwick.
This might be a window for you to make a mad dash up to the Basin, the brook and waterfalls there almost never fully freeze over. And I see Bar Harbor is forecast for 7" to 12", that might actually last awhile too. I would be doing one of those things on Monday if I wasn’t going to DV.
@Ed_McGuirk : As much as I would love to I would not be able to head north due to prior commitments. We are right along the rain/snow boundary line here in MD so I will keep my fingers crossed and hopefully catch something closer. Have fun on your workshop and hope you catch some great light.
Gorgeous B&W Ed! Hard to find anything to critique or suggest. The only thing I can think of is a slight crop off the right to get the falls out of center. But then the crop I’m thinking of would put the open white patch in the LRC, which I think would be worse. So as presented works for me!
A beautiful scene to behold in person, no doubt. You definitely got some positive feedback. Ed. Congrats. Not to rain on the parade, though, but to my taste there’s too much white in the BW version so the waterfall is de-emphasized. The feeling overall is one of texture with only a subtle focal point.
