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Waterfalls

Melizard

Melizard

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 4, 2011
328
70
Canada/Germany
Hi all,

It has been awhile since I've posted here, mostly because I hadn't traveled much since January. I just got home from a trip to Iceland, and thought I would share a few photos for c&c. I thought I should limit the thread to waterfalls, and invite others to share their waterfall photos for c&c as well.

These are my best photos from the trip, taken at sunrise using a D5000, 10-24 mm wide angle lens, ND8 filter, and a tripod. Unfortunately, just as the light was getting nice the wind changed direction and I couldn't keep the spray off my lens so I had to stop there.


Godafoss Waterfall by Melissa.O.Anderson, on Flickr


Godafoss Waterfall by Melissa.O.Anderson, on Flickr


Godafoss Waterfall by Melissa.O.Anderson, on Flickr


Godafoss Waterfall by Melissa.O.Anderson, on Flickr
 
Apple fanboy said:
Very nice. I like the symmetry of 2 and the lighting of 4. I'd love to be able to travel further afield for my photography.
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Ditto, especially about the light of the fourth one, there's some nice drama to it. The light in the first few is a tad off, with the highlights on the moss not quite looking right and the waterfalls lacking that punch. To my eyes, the blue tones are a tad off too, but that could be the ND filter at play. The cyan is a tad too strong and vibrant, but I've never been there, so that could actually be the correct light! :confused:

Nonetheless, you are improving really nicely, Melizard. I can definitely see the effort and thought that has gone into these. Now to go find a waterfall or two before they all dry up around here as we head into spring downunder...
 
Thank you for your comments Apple fanboy and Alexander.Of.Oz. I love this forum for allowing me to get instant feedback from people who actually know what they're doing!

I agree with both of you. Post-processing is something that still needs a lot of improvement. The water was very blue, but I probably still overdid it. Maybe I should consider getting some color calibrating software for my monitor.

I personally like the composition of #1 the best, but the lighting of #4. It was my first time working with my wide angle lens and I've found composition to be very challenging.
 
Great photos, I always wanted to learn using manual control of my new Canon Powershot SX50 HS but I don't think it is capable of capture waterfall like yours. :apple:
 
Badrottie said:
Great photos, I always wanted to learn using manual control of my new Canon Powershot SX50 HS but I don't think it is capable of capture waterfall like yours. :apple:
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Try an ND filter if they make them for your camera. If not you can make one from welding glass. I think I saw a video online somewhere.
 
I agree with Alex...the lighting in #4 is really nice with the highlight on the falling water.

Very well done Melissa. Too bad you had to stop but it looks like you came away with some prize shots.

~ Peter
 
Thank you all for the kind words.

puckhead193 said:
great shots!
What post processing (if any) did you do?
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I boosted the shadows, increased the vibrancy and saturation (particularly of the blue color), slightly increased the clarity, warmed up the white balance a bit, and sharpened it.

Here is the before and after of #4:





Looking at the side-by-side, the blue color looks overdone by a lot. Oops!
 
Apple fanboy said:
Try an ND filter if they make them for your camera. If not you can make one from welding glass. I think I saw a video online somewhere.
Click to expand...

It was my first time using an ND filter. It really saved me on the days when I had no choice but to shoot in the middle of the day and still wanted motion blur in the waterfall. For example:


Fimmvörðuháls Trail by Melissa.O.Anderson, on Flickr
 
I'll add my compliments too! Really good shots, Melizard. I like symmetry of #2, plus the blue hour has given it an ethereal vibe. If could almost be King Arthur's 'Sword In The Stone'. The lighting in #4 is beautiful as well, such a shame the weather turned as I would have loved to have seen more pictures! I'm really want to head to Iceland in the near future now!

Alex
 
Melizard said:
Thank you all for the kind words.



I boosted the shadows, increased the vibrancy and saturation (particularly of the blue color), slightly increased the clarity, warmed up the white balance a bit, and sharpened it.

Here is the before and after of #4:





Looking at the side-by-side, the blue color looks overdone by a lot. Oops!
Click to expand...

I actually quite like the subtlety to the original, with the tiny bit of light on those foreground rocks. I would have been tempted not to open the shadows quite so much across the entire image, rather treating sections of the image, particularly the bits of those foreground rocks that are already slightly lit. That could add more intrigue to that part of the image. It is entirely subjective, however, so do what makes you happy! ;)
 
Here's one of my favorites - these are some of the cascades above Abrams Falls in Bristol, VA - they are on private property, so you have to contact the owner for permission to hike in...but it's beautiful.

In fact, I submitted this photo to a contest held by the Virginia Medical Society...and I won!

Anyway...other than a crop, no post-processing at all...just a beauty right off the sensor!
 

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anewman143 said:
Here's one of my favorites - these are some of the cascades above Abrams Falls in Bristol, VA - they are on private property, so you have to contact the owner for permission to hike in...but it's beautiful.

In fact, I submitted this photo to a contest held by the Virginia Medical Society...and I won!

Anyway...other than a crop, no post-processing at all...just a beauty right off the sensor!
Click to expand...

Congrats on the win. It's a lovely image. How do you find out about a private spot like that?
 
And for an abrupt change of pace, from serene and beautiful to wild -- here are some waterfall shots from early the day after Tropical Storm Iselle whacked my island.

The wider shot of the falls is low-light and rushed (because the cops had blocked off access) and the other two, upstream, were better-lit and I could go to 1/800.

This is the Wailuku River ("Wailuku" in Hawaiian means "dangerous waters") at Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots. I live along the Wailuku and played in both spots as a boy, but not when it looked like this, obviously.

Quite the reverse of the other beauties.
 

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anewman143 said:
Here's one of my favorites - these are some of the cascades above Abrams Falls in Bristol, VA - they are on private property, so you have to contact the owner for permission to hike in...but it's beautiful.

In fact, I submitted this photo to a contest held by the Virginia Medical Society...and I won!

Anyway...other than a crop, no post-processing at all...just a beauty right off the sensor!
Click to expand...

Beautiful, serene. My only minor critique is that it might have a slightly stronger composition with a strong foreground element (some things are peeking up from the bottom that are a bit distracting).

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monokakata said:
And for an abrupt change of pace, from serene and beautiful to wild -- here are some waterfall shots from early the day after Tropical Storm Iselle whacked my island.

The wider shot of the falls is low-light and rushed (because the cops had blocked off access) and the other two, upstream, were better-lit and I could go to 1/800.

This is the Wailuku River ("Wailuku" in Hawaiian means "dangerous waters") at Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots. I live along the Wailuku and played in both spots as a boy, but not when it looked like this, obviously.

Quite the reverse of the other beauties.
Click to expand...

Crazy! I love it. I can almost hear the roaring water. I wish there was something for scale though, it's hard to imagine the size of the waterfall.
 
Waterfalls

Melizard said:
Beautiful, serene. My only minor critique is that it might have a slightly stronger composition with a strong foreground element (some things are peeking up from the bottom that are a bit distracting).



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Crazy! I love it. I can almost hear the roaring water. I wish there was something for scale though, it's hard to imagine the size of the waterfall.
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Thanks Melizard - very good point! As a total amateur (and aspiring to be more) I always take constructive criticism as just that - constructive! After all, I already know what I think...I want to hear what others think!
 
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