Rainbow Falls, Watkins Glen State Park, NY
Rainbow Falls, Watkins Glen State Park, NY
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4778
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Beautiful Waterfalls Photo Contest
People's Choice in waterfalls Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in Majestic Cliffs Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Vol 10 Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Photographer Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 9
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Love it
Virtuoso
Genius
Top Ranks
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kellycoventry
May 17, 2015
Fantastic photo! The colours are so beautiful! Congratulations on your win!
birder2
May 19, 2015
It is nice to see great natural composition captured, since I can't get there to see it in person. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us.
RDVPhotography
August 14, 2015
Fantastic image Terry and congratulations on finalist position in Majestic Shots of Cliffs. Headed here this fall and wondering what the date was of this shot. Very nice
mihrt
September 12, 2016
I loved Watkins Glen. It was so magical for me. This POV is superb. Lovely detail and also choice of exposure re the Falls!!! It would be lovely to visit here when the fall leaves are putting on such a show as in this shot.
mihrt
September 12, 2016
Congrats also on all your Awards for this well deserved shot. Thanks also for your expert advice re shooting at Watkins Glen. I wondered how it would be there - the day I was there - so many people. Patience is a virtue in this case!
kellyannelucymoran
October 26, 2017
I was just there, love that place! It was hard to get that shot without ppl! Great photo!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image of Rainbow Falls was taken in Watkins Glen State Park, NY.Time
The image was taken around 1:00PM which is generally not the best time to shoot scenery but it was a cloudy day.Lighting
The centerpiece of the 1000-acre park is a 400-foot-deep (120 m) narrow gorge cut through rock by a stream that was left hanging when glaciers of the Ice age deepened the Seneca valley, increasing the tributary stream gradient to create rapids and waterfalls wherever there were layers of hard rock. I believe the best time to shoot the gorge is on a day with no bright sun. That way it will be easier to slow down your shutter speed to create the milky look of the falling water of the many falls and cascades.Equipment
I use a Canon 5D MkIII and for this shot a Canon EF24-05 mmL lens. I did use a tripod and a remote shutter release. F20, ISO100. Almost a half minute exposure.Inspiration
Anyone visiting Watkins Glen State Park can't help but to be inspired by the unbelievable beauty of the park. There are 19 waterfalls and over 800 steps to climb from one end of the gorge trail to the other.Editing
This is an HDR image of 3 combined files. I used Photomatix to combine the files and then used Photoshop PSCS6 to touch it up. Plug-ins I love are Nik Color Efex Pro and Neat Image along with Picto Color iCorrect Edit Lab.In my camera bag
Besides my Canon 5D MarkIII SLR camera, my lenses include the Canon EF17-40mmL, Canon EF24-105mmL, Canon EF100mmMacroL, Canon EF15mm Fisheye, Sigma 150-500mm, and the Tamron28-300mm. I carry a remote shutter release, extra batteries and an extra CF card. Also a Manfrotto tripod and Manfrotto Pistol Grip head.Feedback
I think that the best time to visit would be on a cloudy day or when the sun isn't shining into the deep gorge, earlier in the day or later as well. Be sure to use a tripod if you want to create the soft milky look to the water where you will have to slow down your shutter speed. My exposure was very long for this shot. I used an ND (neutral density) filter and a remote shutter release as well. It is difficult to get a shot without people on the bridge or climbing the stone steps, you just have to time it right or else clone them out.