Reedy River Falls
Oct, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. This beautiful waterfall is the centerpiece for the historic Falls Park at the Reedy. A nature lover's paradise in the heart of the downtown.Time
As I left the office, I saw a promising sky that I thought would give a dramatic scene so I headed quickly to the Falls Park to shoot. Luckily I work in downtown Greenville and this park is just 2 miles away. This image was taken on February 3, 2015 around 6:00pm, as the sun is about to set.Lighting
I waited for a few minutes in this spot waiting for the sunset but not to the point of getting dark. I wanted to have enough light to hit the falls and rocks but having the sky/clouds in yellow/reddish color. Waiting for that perfect light makes the image more interesting.Equipment
For this particular image, I used Canon 70D with 10-18mm lens. The camera was mounted to Dolica carbon fiber tripod.Inspiration
Greenville South Carolina is such a beautiful place. When I moved here back in 2004, I fell in love right away with this city. Where else can you see a park with a huge waterfall in the middle of downtown? Falls Park is one of Greenville's greatest treasure so I wanted to promote it through my photography.Editing
I am not good at digital blending and luminosity masking so most of my post processing are basic stuff. Dodging, burning, adjusting highlights and shadows, color correction, sharpening, noise reduction, etc. I always start with basic adjustments in Lightroom. I then edit it in Photoshop CS6. This is where I do the rest of processing including dodging and burning, sharpening, and noise reduction.In my camera bag
I always bring 2 cameras with me, the Canon 70D and my ever reliable Sony NEX-5R. I don't have much lenses but I always bring my everyday lens which is the Canon 17-55mm f/2.8. Also in my bag is the Canon 10-18mm if I want to shoot wider, Tamron 60mm f/2 for macro photography, and Canon 70-300mm in case I need to zoom in. I also bring my Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens. For the Sony, I only have two lenses, the kit lens 18-55mm and the 16mm f/2.0. Other than lenses, I also have the following filters: 3, 6, and 10 stops ND, GND, and circular polarizer. Canon 400ex flash, flash diffuser, remote trigger, and extra batteries.Feedback
Planning, timing, and patience are important. Waiting for the perfect light is the key. I can shoot the exact same spot during the day when the sun is high but it will not give me the same dramatic effect. Waiting for the right moment when the sun is low in the sky gives you a more interesting light. Take advantage of that. Also, try to find an angle where it will give you an interesting foreground. Together with a dramatic color and sky, it will create a sense of depth in your shot. And don't forget to have fun when shooting! :)
