Zoo Waterfall
Long exposure photo from a waterfall at the Washington DC Zoo.
Long exposure photo from a waterfall at the Washington DC Zoo.
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May, 2014Views
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Awards
Fall Award 2020
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
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Outstanding Creativity
Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
Great Find
Superior Skill
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Behind The Lens
Location
Photo captured in the Washington DC Zoo. Free admission, expensive parking!Time
Right around noon. Admittedly a tricky time of day for photography, but fortunately there was partial cloud cover to diffuse the light.Lighting
Natural day light. As previously mentioned the cloud cover meant a world of difference for capturing a more evenly lit scene, when the tones & colours might have otherwise been washed out under a bright noon sun.Equipment
I used a Canon 5D Mark II with the "walkaround" 24-105mm lens. No flash, but I needed a tripod + neutral density filter (6-stop) for the long exposure effect and HDR compositing.Inspiration
Ironically it's what didn't inspire which drew me to this scene. Being in a zoo one might naturally be inclined to photograph animals, but after upgrading my camera body I noticed my old telephoto kit lens suffering tenfold in quality. Still it was a very hot & humid summer day and I was determined to make it count... so I tried to think outside the box and remembered how this waterfall captivated my interest from a previous visit. Only this time I had a neutral density filter and started getting comfortable with long exposure effects.Editing
Beyond standard Photoshop adjustments to add a little contrast & colour, this image was processed from 3 separate exposures for HDR compositing. Something I try to use in moderation as I'm all too familiar with the negative stereotype associated with HDR... often for good reason because it can easily be abused with exaggerated results, but I find it can still work wonders to reveal more subtle shades of tones and details that a camera simply cannot capture in one single exposure.In my camera bag
I walk around with a standard Canon backpack, which includes my camera body and 24-105mm walkaround lens as the essentials. I also carry a 100mm macro lens which I regret not using more often outdoors, but landscapes and closeups are like 2 worlds apart to me when I can otherwise spend a couple hours at one specific spot capturing dozens of angles with one lens. Secondary accessories include batteries, CF cards, various filters (UV, Polarizer, Neutral Density), dust blower, cable release, etc. Also beef jerky and water instead of eating out to squeeze in as many photos as possible, as well as sunscreen and mosquito spray depending on season & climate. Last but not least, I always carry a tripod. It's my proverbial crutch as I confess to have rather shaky hands but for that same reason, I'd like to think the extra patience required in carefully composing a scene with tripod helped me out tremendously as a photographer. Also doubles up as a walking stick when on steep hikes!Feedback
As many other photographers might tell you, it's not so much about the camera but rather skill & experience. Understanding how for example water looks silky smooth and steps you can take to recreate the effect. Then you think long exposure --> tripod --> neutral density filter if it's still fairly bright outside. In retrospect, I have my own criticisms about this photo as I captured it in the summer of 2011. Since then I have tried my best to walk the finer line of HDR, a balance of natural appearance and subtle variations of contrast. It can work wonders with streams or waterfalls because you're dealing with a very limited range of whites & greys which a single exposure might get washed out with flatter tones. When done right in HDR, I find it reveals more lustrous gradient shades and the software I use (HDR Expose) deals remarkably well with ghosting issues when it's smooth motion. On the flip side, I still encounter problematic ghosting with quick "jerky" movements like leaves rustling in the wind. You might notice that if you look at the top left corner of the photo. Save some tedious post-processing to manually clone out all the ghosted edges, the best thing I can recommend is to keep an eye out for your local weather forecast. These days it's become one of my main staples for better preparing myself; not just the temperature, but possible cloud cover where "Partially cloudy" can hint at beautiful sky textures to complement the landscape, and wind force as less wind decreases the chances of ghosting problems.
