First Waterfall: C&C

Pat, this is pretty nice work for a first attempt at waterfalls. They are harder to do well than many people think. For a first try you did a good job with the shutter speed, which is usually the hardest thing to get right.

Overall, I like the composition. I like the double falls at the bottom, and the way you have framed the falls with the trees on the left and right. One of the toughest things about waterfall composition is deciding how to handle the top of the falls, do you cut it off, or do you show sky or whatever else is above the falls. This is a matter of subjective personal taste, but I often prefer to cut the top of the falls off to keep things cleaner and simpler, unless the stuff above the falls is very interesting. Gary Randall recently posted a waterfall image from the Columbia Gorge that is a good example of how cutting off the falls can work well.

I like what @dalegphoto has done in his rework, it helps to focus the viewers attention. If you are new to shooting waterfalls, then I’d suggest waiting for overcast days when the light is more even and without harsh contrast. You must have a ton of overcast days in Oregon, so plenty of chances for round 2.