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Falls

The lower falls at Multnomah Falls in Oregon.

The lower falls at Multnomah Falls in Oregon.
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NIKON D60

Aperture f/20.0 ISO 100 Shutter 10/60

upload_date

Jun, 2013

Views

1222

Likes

+73

Awards

Action Award

Chatter Award

Zenith Award

Top Shot Award 22

Creative Winter Award

Curator's Selection

Contest Finalist in Waterfalls Marketplace Project

Staff Favorite

Superb Composition

+30

Top Choice

+20

Peer Award

+17

Outstanding Creativity

+10

Absolute Masterpiece

Exceptional Contrast

Jaw Dropping

Magnificent Capture

All Star

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo at the lower falls of Multnomah Falls, located east of Portland, Oregon along the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. This photo is ironically both my favorite shot I've ever taken while at the falls (despite umpteenth visits) and from my very first time playing with slower shutter speeds, when I was just 16 years old.

Time

I took this photo as part of a series of images I was working on at the time for my high school photography class. I had just concluded a swim meet in the city of Hood River, Oregon and was going to be driving by Multnomah Falls on my way home with my family. I remember begging my parents to let me stop to try and get a shot of the falls to include in my project. I had just recently acquired a how-to photography book and had eagerly searched for how to take a slow moving water shot, knowing nothing previously about adjusting shutter speeds manually. My parents agreed to stop, but wanting to get home for dinner, encouraged me to be quick. Not yet owning a tripod, I crouched on the ground and carefully placed my camera between the columns of the stone fence in front of the lower falls. I held my camera as steady as I could, and for the first time played with slower shutter speeds. This photo was taken on May 15, 2010 at 6:18 pm.

Lighting

At the point in time that I took this photo, playing with lighting was not yet on my radar. Looking back, and now having taken my fair share of waterfall photographs, I'd say that the time of day and the lack of direct sunlight were hugely important, though largely a matter of luck, when capturing this image.

Equipment

This was shot with my mom's Nikon D-60 with an 18-55 mm lens. Funnily enough, at the time, I did not yet own my own DSLR! Nor did I have a tripod—just the ground and my luckily steady hands!

Inspiration

When I took this photo I had never before taken an image with a slow shutter speed. I was inspired by images of waterfalls I had seen in magazines, in which the water blurred beautifully. I was excited to try the techniques I had read about for myself and hopefully capture an image in the same style. I was working on a project of images including 'water,' and I was bound and determined to have a gorgeous waterfall shot among the midst. Little did I know, nor did I dare hope, that six years later the result would be one of my favorite photographs I have ever taken.

Editing

My knowledge of Photoshop and other editing software was incredibly limited at the time I took this image. I believe I was using Photoshop Elements in my photography class! The only post-processing done to this image was a simple crop, adjustment of brightness and contrast, and a slight increase of saturation.

In my camera bag

When this photo was taken I had no bag to speak of! I just had my mom's Nikon D-60 and its standard 18-55 mm lens. Today while chasing waterfalls I bring along my Nikon D-3100 with its 18-55 mm lens. I also like to bring a very cheap $12 Neewer wide-angle attachment along, which though incredibly cost efficient has served me quite well and can be fun to play with while taking landscape photographs. If I'm up for the additional weight in my pack, and am anticipating wildlife, I'll bring along my Tamron 70-300 mm lens as well. For trips where going IN the water is involved, my Olympus Tough TG-4 will be coming with me as well, along with its float strap. Add an extra battery, a lens cloth, and my handy Monfrotto tripod, and I'll be all set for a day of photography and adventures!

Feedback

Landscape, especially waterfall, photography can be tricky! Once you add in factors such as weather, natural lighting, and crowds, the creation of a stunning—even simply decent—image can take so much more than your vision and setting up the frame. Be patient and wait it out! My experience with most of my favorite images, and with nature photography in general, has been the longer you wait and the more shots you take, the greater the rewards. Scout out your location and plan the best time of day to visit. Often what makes or breaks my waterfall shots is the position of the sun. If there is too much direct sunlight around the falls, the image will become whitewashed with the excess light if you are attempting to lower your speed slower. If the time of day you went isn't he best and you don't have time to wait the sun out, file that information away and plan another trip around what you've learned. Don't be afraid to take risks and try new techniques. You never know, one of those experimental shots may become a spectacular photo!

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Falls

The lower falls at Multnomah Falls in Oregon.

Behind The Lens

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