Lower Calf Creek Falls
Incredible 120 foot falls in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
Incredible 120 foot falls in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
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Dec, 2020Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on the Calf Creek Trail in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Lower Calf Creek Falls is the highlight of the trail and definitely worth the hike.Time
The photo was taken in the late morning. The hike to the falls is about 3 miles one way.Lighting
On the day I went the sky was fairly bright when you face the falls you're looking north. If I was a morning person (which I'm not) I would have tried to photograph the falls earlier in the day. It would also be interesting to try and photograph them in the afternoon. It is a 3 mile hike each way to get the falls so it would be best to hike during cooler parts of the year as it gets really hot in the summer.Equipment
I used a Canon 6D with a Canon 28-70mm F2.8 lens. I always use a CPL when shooting in the sunlight. For this shot I also used a ND filter and tripod.Inspiration
Waterfalls are one of my favorite subjects. I especially wanted to shoot this one because it's such a large waterfall in a desert environment. The red rocks and other colors really make it stand out from waterfalls that are typically in a forested setting.Editing
The photo was well exposed except for the sky which was overexposed. In order to bring out the sky and clouds I used a mask to bring out the sky and clouds. I try not to over process my photos but I typically apply a bit of dehaze to sharpen the pictures along with a touch of texture and clarity. I also apply a lens profile to help flatten out the corners.In my camera bag
Besides the 6D and 28-70mm. I also have a Rokinon 14mm wide angle lens. This lens is also an F 2.8. It's great for landscape photography. Because I'm on a budget I was only able to get a totally manual lens. This turned out to actually be a good thing because it forces me to pay attention to all the settings and adjust to get great shots. I also have an inexpensive Canon 70-300mm zoom. I have UV, ND and CPL filters and tripod as well, along with the usual extra batteries, SD cards, lens cleaning kit, etc. I also have a few Cliff Bars too. :-) Since I frequently hike alone I also have a first aid kit, compass, knife and other survival supplies.Feedback
Because of the relatively slow shutter speeds required to get the milky water effect a tripod is a must along with CPL and ND filters. One tip I learned is to use a 2 second timer for the shutter release to prevent moving the camera. I do have a remote trigger, but for me the timer seems to work best. Take a lot of pictures with different slower shutter speeds. Be sure to watch your meter and adjust the aperture appropriately. Also move to different locations and run through various shutter speeds at each location. The water doesn't always fall the same way and sometimes a variation will make a particular shot stand out. Be patient. I must have at least 100 exposures of the falls. Time of year is also important. Since it was late winter and bit cold there was no one in the water. I'm told that during the summer when it's hot there are lots of people swimming around which for my style of shooting wouldn't work.
