The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This image of Mohawk Falls was captured on a rainy drizzly day; perfect conditions for waterfall photography; in October of 2025. I had briefly considered making my way over the slippery rocks at the base of the falls to try another angle, but it was getting late and we had to make our way back up the trail before it got too dark in the woods. I had not allowed myself enough time on another trip and it was not a fun experience finding my way out in the dark. Lesson learned! I was so glad that I always keep my headlamp and a mini maglite; plus some spare AA batteries; in my photo backpack. Fingers crossed; I am hoping to make a return trip to Ricketts Glen SP in PA when the weather conditions appear favorable. Now all I have to do is try and persuade my brother Mike to come along.
Specific Feedback
Does the log along the bottom edge or the water entering from the ULC bother you? They both probably break a few of the so called rules of photography, but I have never been one to always follow the rules. Anything else you notice please feel free to mention it.
Technical Details
Nikon Z7, Nikon Z 24-200 @ 24 mm, f 11 @ 1/4 sec, ISO 100, Kase magnetic CPL, cable release & tripod.
Hi Ed, I too don’t mind the log in the lower portion of this image. It helps give the scene more depth. I would suggest, however, possibly darkening the lower left corner just a little bit, for balance. It feels a tiny bit ‘tight’ where the water enters the frame in UL, but then I don’t know what problem you might have if you included a little more water there. Good choice of shutter speed for the velocity and focal length
Hmmmm. I wrote a whole post and made some changes and suggestions but when I finally compared side by side my rework to your original I actually made things worse. So there is no point in posting it. The only change I would make is to darken the brighter stones below the log near the center of the image. I think the log adds a lot to the image and it’s weaker without it. It acts like a frame around the water. Actually it’s more than a frame. It’s just as interesting as the water itself.
Ed, the log, with it’s scattered fallen leaves, is a good addition. The myriad steps in the falls are nicely dynamic. The early fall colors on the far side look good also. I would darken that swirl of foam against the bottom and maybe the rock. You could make the log even more of a frame with a slight crop off the bottom.
Nice one, Ed. Quite beautiful. It’s amazing how this waterfall looks from the bottom compared to the top section which is out of view. SS is perfect to show off all the cascades from the rock steps. The log doesn’t bother me, in fact I love it. The water in the ULC is a minor nit, but not a deal breaker for such a nice photo.
Thanks for the write up, Ed. Yep, we’ve all learned lessons the hard way. That way we’ll remember them when we need to.
You certainly had gorgeous Fall colors to work with and an outstanding cascading waterfall which, by the way, has just the right amount of texture in it for my tastes. I don’t mind the water coming out of the top left portion of the frame. Not at all. As for the log, I don’t love it but I also don’t hate it and I don’t see how you could have shot this scene any other way. I think it feels heavy in the scene to me and I would probably burn it down some and I would also burn the rocks under the log that are too bright. I would also burn the lower left corner. Beautiful scene and beautifully captured. Rules, what rules?
Wonderful composition. I don’t mind that the water is coming out of the corner directly, actually I think it works well given how the water fans out through the rest of the frame. Neither do I find any objection about the log at the bottom of the frame as it helps create a frame and a barrier to keep the water from visually flowing out and at the viewer. I also like how there is a smaller log on the opposite side of the falls that seems almost parallel to the FG log. Like the others already mentioned, I would burn the stone under the log a bit. What others did not mention is the black hole in the woods on the opposite side of the water. It keeps pulling my eye there. I don’t know if there is any detail in the shadows of the photo, but if you could dodge that a bit to bring in some detail and lessen the heaviness of that black hole it might help balance the photo. Great work.
Love this! It’s more than a waterfall image. Interestingly, while waterfalls by their very nature flow vertically, the scene you captured has a nice left to right flow. The log is central to the image and I love it’s inclusion. I would echo Igor’s suggestion to burn down that bottom rock, but that’s minor.
Process, colors, etc. are all excellent. The only nit/suggestion I can make has to deal with the yellow-ish cascade near the lower right edge. I get it’s likely tannins and such in the water, but from a continuity perspective with the rest of the water, you might desaturate that a tad. Again, minor.
