Taughannock Falls in Ithaca, NY. Taken with a Hoya ND400 filter
Taughannock Falls in Ithaca, NY. Taken with a Hoya ND400 filter
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michaelblack_5181
May 15, 2016
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Behind The Lens
Location
Taughannock State Park, Ithaca NYTime
Mid afternoon in the summertime. We frequently go down towards Ithaca during the summer from our home and really love to hike the trail to the falls. Mid afternoon means the sun is high above, filtering down the canyon walls.Lighting
The lighting in the canyon tends to be harsh at midday. I really like to shoot the waterfall in black and white, because it allows for a great deal of contrast to be brought out of the walls and in the detail of the falls. If you saw this photo in color, there would be deep greens contrasting the tans of the canyon walls.Equipment
Sony A99, Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 at f11, ISO 50. I also used a Hoya ND400 filter to increase exposure timeInspiration
This is one of my favorite spots in upstate New York. The waterfall is one of the highest waterfalls east of the Mississippi river, and is very accessable. From the top, it's an inspiring view, but from the bottom, you really get a sense of the power of this waterfall. At the point of the falls, there's a tremendous amphitheater like area where the sounds resonate off the cliffs, and it's just a tranquil, peaceful areaEditing
I converted it in Lightroom to black and white, then adjusted the contrast a bit. I also played with the yellow and green levels to bring the walls out. Other than that, minimal processing!In my camera bag
My bag contains at least my Sony A99 body (if not my Sony A6000 body as well). I carry one of my long telephotos (either a Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 or my Sony 70-400mm f/4-5.6 G SSM), my 28-70mm f2.8, a Rokinon 14mm prime, and occasionally my Rokinon 8mm fisheye (depending on what I'm doing). I also carry a Vanguard tripod, a Vello Shutterboss wireless trigger, assorted neutral density filters, and of course, extra batteries!Feedback
I typically scout out places that I want to shoot (like waterfalls) ahead of time and figure out where I want to shoot them from....then it's really just making sure the day is right, and the time is right. I'm more of a spur of the moment type!