Catarata Del Toro
The waterfall of Catarata Del Toro, Costa Rica
The waterfall of Catarata Del Toro, Costa Rica
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May, 2013Views
3635
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Awards
Runner Up in From The Top Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in From The Top Photo Contest
Featured
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
Top Choice
Jaw Dropping
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Outstanding Creativity
Exceptional Contrast
Top Class Lighting
Genius
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Emotions
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Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 2Top 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
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Platinum
Platinum
PRO+
PRO+
spiritlaughing
July 26, 2013
I get vertigo just looking at this. It's an excellent perspective and beautiful shot. Looks like a place I would love to see first hand!
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PRO+
laurenkaymyers
June 09, 2014
This is a stunning shot. It really displays the depth of the waterfall.
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PRO
RuwanFonseka
November 05, 2015
Congratulations for the winnings. Voted for another win. Great composition and lighting.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at Catarata Del Toro, a wildlife and nature preserve in Costa RicaTime
Right around 12 noonLighting
It was a partly cloudy day with the sun peeking out now and then. I waited until the clouds had moved slightly allowing the sun to illuminate the lower half of the waterfall yet having the upper part still in the shade.Equipment
Canon 5DM3, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 at 23mm 1/40th sec f/8. Feisol 3472 CF tripod with a Really Right Stuff BH55 ballhead.Inspiration
This was one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen, from bottom to to. The water falls into an old volcanic crater which really makes for some interesting rock formations. We had hiked down to the bottom of the waterfall and while it was beautiful I wanted a shot from the top that showed its majesty.Editing
I did. I blended 4 different exposures by using luminosity masks to get the tonal range I wanted then used Nik Color Efex Pro to increase the tonal contrast and add a bit more of a vignetting around the edges.In my camera bag
Oh boy...that depends on where I'm going. For this trip to Costa Rica we packed pretty heavy since we were shooting everything from landscapes to hummingbirds so for this one I had my 5DM3 and a 7D (now replaced with a 1DMIV) the Canon 500mm f/4, 70-200 f/2.8, 100mm f/2.8 Macro, 24-105 F/4, 16-35 f/2.8, and the incomparable 65mm MPE Macro and for flashes the 580 EX and the Canon 24MT-EX. I mix and match from that. I also always carry a circular polarizer for each lens and have just started with the Lee Filters. Love that Big Stopper! I also never go anywhere without a tripod.Feedback
I would make sure you've got your patience cranked up for a place like this, if you want to catch that fleeting sun spot it can take a lot of time and quite a few shots. I would also explore all of the angles that you can shoot this from and make sure you've got a neutral density filter with you to slow down the water and make it as silky as possible. I also recommend taking a whole slew of bracketed exposures, I took 9 exposures and only used 4, I have other shots of the waterfall from different perspectives and I wish I had more than 9. Waterfalls like this are very hard to capture in one exposure when the sun is out. I would also experiment with the depth of field. Make sure you have a good sturdy tripod and ballhead is an absolute requirement for shots like this because any vibration can ruin the longest exposure. And lastly make sure you have a microfiber cloth because if you are close to a waterfall your lens will get wet and you will need something to dry it with.
