I've been preaching (and practicing what I preach) for many years that bright sunshine will destroy many nature photos, especially waterfall shots with their delicate softness and detail (and that you must shoot with soft light, as in overcast or shadow). But as Wayne has shown in his recent and beautiful waterfall post sometimes a bit of the 'shine can give a nice boost to everything. I'm finding that is true myself and have even looked specifically for such light as I hunt for unique waterfall images. I think it really needs to be that golden light of early and late though for the magic - mid day light is just too harsh.
But sometimes you don't have much choice, as in my recent photo of Bowers Hollow Falls above, and so you just have to take what you can get. I have found that in some cases you can make lemonaid out of the harsh lemon sunshine by adding a gaussian blur layer at just the right amount, then pick the right blending mode, reduce the opacity, and finally paint in or out a few details. Sometimes the resulting image is quite unlike anything else you could have produced, and can be rather beautiful. This image that I only posted a couple of days ago in the Cloudland Journal has garnered more e-mails than all of my waterfall photos this spring combined - and I was cussing the bright sunshine the entire time!
Oh yes, and if you happen to be in the right place at the right time (after being drenched in a downpour for hours, then to have the sun come out when you did NOT want it to), sometimes a bit of real magic can happen, and you realize that you are one lucky dog indeed...Atkins Canyon Waterfall.
This is nice, Tim. You sure had the sunlight illuminating the waterfall nicely, and the early(?) spring green color has such a luminous quality to it. And your composition with the big tree on the left arching over to the bluff frames this so beautifully! The width and tall height of this waterfall is what is so striking though - I'll have to check this one out. Very nice indeed. Now, if I just knew how much blur and the blending mode... Looks like I may be one of the first to sign-up for the new waterfall workshop. You can put me down...
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on May 13, 2007 at 10:26 PM
Tim, this is a beautiful waterfall shot, irregardless of the sunlight. For all the reasons Bill mentioned this shot would draw anyone at all interested in natue to want to witness this firsthand.
You have an incredible sense of composition and know intuitively what will captivate a viewer. Since water is a fundamental necessity of humans we are drawn to it on the most basic levels. And when it's presented in a manner that is beautiful and inspiring it's all the more appealing.
It's great that this shot has garnered so much interest and response. I must admit that it's one of my favorites of yours. I appreciate the comment, I'm glad I could shed a little "light" on the subject of waterfalls (however unintentional). Now you have an excuse to stay out even longer and play .... oh I meant work!
That "luminous" quality comes partly from the backlit fresh green, but also from the blur layer. The amount of the blur and opacity and blending mode are all a crap shoot and there are no set values. You simply have to play with it a while and see if something pops, and that is what I find happens - most of the time the effect does not work. But every once in a while all the numbers come together and it just leaps off of the monitor - no telling what image is going to work - most don't.
Wayne:
Yup, I get to stay out even longer and play - I'm headed to one of my favorite waterfalls tonight to spend a few hours shooting in the dark - nice clear night and no moon should be about right. I've been doing stream scenes and star trails for many years and have not found one that I like too well, but am hopefull this will be the one. You got a good taste of it down here with the barn. Only problem is that I'm working late tonight and have to be back in the office bright and early tomorrow AM as well so it will only be an hour or two of sleep for me, if that, but who needs sleep!
Discussion
3 repliesBut sometimes you don't have much choice, as in my recent photo of Bowers Hollow Falls above, and so you just have to take what you can get. I have found that in some cases you can make lemonaid out of the harsh lemon sunshine by adding a gaussian blur layer at just the right amount, then pick the right blending mode, reduce the opacity, and finally paint in or out a few details. Sometimes the resulting image is quite unlike anything else you could have produced, and can be rather beautiful. This image that I only posted a couple of days ago in the Cloudland Journal has garnered more e-mails than all of my waterfall photos this spring combined - and I was cussing the bright sunshine the entire time!
Oh yes, and if you happen to be in the right place at the right time (after being drenched in a downpour for hours, then to have the sun come out when you did NOT want it to), sometimes a bit of real magic can happen, and you realize that you are one lucky dog indeed...Atkins Canyon Waterfall.
You have an incredible sense of composition and know intuitively what will captivate a viewer. Since water is a fundamental necessity of humans we are drawn to it on the most basic levels. And when it's presented in a manner that is beautiful and inspiring it's all the more appealing.
It's great that this shot has garnered so much interest and response. I must admit that it's one of my favorites of yours. I appreciate the comment, I'm glad I could shed a little "light" on the subject of waterfalls (however unintentional). Now you have an excuse to stay out even longer and play .... oh I meant work!
That "luminous" quality comes partly from the backlit fresh green, but also from the blur layer. The amount of the blur and opacity and blending mode are all a crap shoot and there are no set values. You simply have to play with it a while and see if something pops, and that is what I find happens - most of the time the effect does not work. But every once in a while all the numbers come together and it just leaps off of the monitor - no telling what image is going to work - most don't.
Wayne:
Yup, I get to stay out even longer and play - I'm headed to one of my favorite waterfalls tonight to spend a few hours shooting in the dark - nice clear night and no moon should be about right. I've been doing stream scenes and star trails for many years and have not found one that I like too well, but am hopefull this will be the one. You got a good taste of it down here with the barn. Only problem is that I'm working late tonight and have to be back in the office bright and early tomorrow AM as well so it will only be an hour or two of sleep for me, if that, but who needs sleep!