kclofty
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Winner in Natural Movement of Water Photo Challenge
Winner in A Beautiful Danger On The Edge (No Nudes) Photo Challenge
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken at Little River Falls near Mentone, Alabama.Time
We'd had lots of rain the week before, so I knew the falls would be pumping lots of water. The morning was grey and it looked like more rain might be coming, but I wanted to try out my new ND filter with a real waterfall. I got there shortly before noon, and it was pretty overcast. Near the end of my shoot, the cast had cleared off.Lighting
Just as the light was improving, I noticed a guy putting his kayak into the water upstream of the falls. I knew this would be good. I put the camera into sports mode and waited to see if he'd go through with it.Equipment
Canon Rebel SL1 with a 55-225 zoom lens.Inspiration
Pure opportunity. I was there to shoot the waterfall, when an action shot fell into my lap. I swapped lens', put the camera into "sports mode" and auto shoot as fast as it could click 'em, and got the whole journey from the top to the bottom of the falls. I liked this one best. The one where he was teetering at the top about to go over had more tension, but didn't catch many eyes.Editing
Very little post processing. Cropped it in tighter, brought down the bright highlights on the water, and brought up the shadows of the rocks.In my camera bag
Canon Rebel SL1 camera, two kit lens' 18-55mm and 55-250 zoom lens, a 40mm pancake prime and a 100mm macro. ND filters, UV filters, mini tripod, extra battery and several memory cards.Feedback
Little River Falls is near the top of the mountains. If it hasn't been raining recently, it'll only be a trickle of water as it runs down rapidly. So you always have to risk more weather to get a shot of it really pumping like this. If it's just a trickle, it's just a hop skip and a jump down the road to Buck's Pocket National Park, which is gorgeous, or a little further to Dismal Canyon and Dismal Caverns. And always watch out for opportunity. I was there to shoot landscape shots, and just noticed the action shot brewing across the river.