This was a cold and rainy day on the ice field parkway. The mist from the falls made it even wetter. I’m always looking for advice on composition and processing. I played around with slow speeds but with this much water I think it loses something when you take the fury out of the water.
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Canon 5DM4. 32 mm ISO 500. 1/200 sec. f/11
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I agree about the white water…the blur shows movement, but not how much. Images that show the force of water (being sprayed for example) can help, showing the difference in the same image (including both calm and angry water) can help. This image looks a little to me like a lake is being drained into a hole in the ground, I maybe over think. Amazing world you’re in there. TY for posting.
What a great spot to set up a camera. With your capture I can hear the thunder in the falls, I don’t think you would get that from a silky slow exposure, so good job with that. The vertical shot is right choice for the composition. Your positioning and placement is excellent, keeping all the grasses and branches out of the water fall. The cliff face, water and trees are very well balanced. I might go a bit darker on the background mountain faces. Can you bring out any darker detail in the rock section at the top of the falls? I am not so positive about smidgen of snow field in the upper quarter of the frame though. If it was to stay, I would want more of those elements visible, but that becomes a different image and a little more than the rolling thunder story you have so strongly presented. If I were to crop, it would be just above the tips of smaller smaller evergreens on the left and right side. The fog does add a nice natural remoteness to the scene. Fine image John, nice work!
Fabulous shot. I agree with seeing how darkening the rock section at the top would look. Also, I have a problem with the water level not appearing horizontal (even if it actually isn’t), so I leveled it by using PS Transform/Rotate, and then filled in the created empty space and made the distant trees appear more straight by using PS Transform/Skew.
John, I agree your shutter speed is spot on for my taste. The composition is very nice and balanced and the colors are handled well. I really like the power of this scene and the sense of place as well. My only nit is the upper left corner and the bright patch of of sky to the left of the conifer trunk. If it is acceptable to your editing ethics I would be tempted to fill it with more spruce tree and /or burn it down a bit. It is minor but this is a really nice scene and it is worth the effort IMO.
Beautiful work!
The incredible value of this group is that each and every time I submit an image for review I come away a better photographer. I suspect it works the same way with critiquing image but that feels more uncomfortable to me. Thanks Steven, Stephan, Tony, and Alan. All of your critiques sound good to me. I am able to be back on my computer today so I hope to get to work trying out your suggestions.
You’ve captured the POWER of the falls perfectly and the shutter speed choice was key here. Sure, I like silky water - but only when appropriate or fitting. Clearly when one wants to showcase the power of water (think giant crashing wave on Oregon coast…) that having a faster shutter speed works best.
Good feedback from the others and I would concur. I like Tony’s transformation leveling out the water (real or perceived…) and also addressing the bright patches in the UL. Otherwise, processing, colors, etc. all look good to me.
