Moffett Falls | April 2007

I'm struggling mightily on this one: I've cropped a bit off the top and a LOT off the bottom, due to a huge, distracting centered boulder that filled about a third of the foreground. I also struggled to pick a version where the shape of the falls, itself, isn't distracting -- this particular falls cartwheels out of a chute with an irregular churn that creates sort of a spastic form with slower shutter speeds. This version was shot at 1/2 second, and seemed the best balance between a pleasing form and completely burned through blob. Suggestions on that point would be welcome!

I also struggled with the flatness of the shadowy area on the right -- worked with it to selectively enhance saturation and contrast, but didn't want to make it day-glo..! Anyway, this is one of those "wow" spots that turned out to be rather frustrating to really capture very well. BTW, Bryan was along for this trek, and was behind the house-sized boulder to the right of the falls when this was taken.

Thanks in advance for comments and suggestions!

Tom

Olympus E-300, 11-22mm lens at 11mm, 1/2 second at f14

Looks like a lot of compositional possibilities here.. This must be way up the stream. I enjoyed that one, and may get back there again someday. Not sure if the overall comp. works for me though - the logs and trees that are downed kind mess things up.

I think this area is in recovery, Ned - I hadn't been up there in 20+ years, and the scene was radically different than what I saw on the first visit. The truck-sized boulders in front of the falls are new since then, and from the looks of the west bank, I think there was a landslide into the splash pool sometime in the past few years. The area below the falls has also been scoured, as you can see in the photo above. Here's a couple of comparisons that I posted on Portland Hikers:

Moffett Creek Falls in 1983 and 2007

Washout area downstream from Moffett Creek Falls in 1983 and 2007

Sort of a mini-version of the Tanner Creek collapse in the 70s. Just the Gorge doing its thing!

Tom

Wow, don't even seem like the same location, Tom. Most of those trees are now mossy and on their side....

Yeah, it really caught me off guard. The bushwhack up to the "giant boulder garden", just below the falls, was pretty much what I remembered. But immediately above the giant boulders, the canyon suddenly opened up and you could see the falls from close to 100 yards away, across a wide washout area. It wasn't until I got back and compared photos that I realized why it was so different than what I remembered. But it's recovering pretty quickly, and the new boulders that dropped in front of the falls sort of add to the scene... if you can find the right angles! (...not sure that I did...)

Tom

From what I shot, Tom, I'm not so sure I like that waterfall for use as a serious subject. The stream a short distance downstream of the falls, most definitely yes, but until the trees grow back more and the smaller rocks get a little more mossed over and we get some vanilla leaf growing in between, I have to say this just isn't gonna be the easiest scene to work with. I think of the shots I took I like the ones I shot from behind the big boulder right at the base of the falls the best.

The changes are incredible - ever changing..

your photography has greatly improved.....

thanks for the comparisons....

I really need to get up there soon!!!!

There was only one direction for it to go, Darren! At the time, I think my gear consisted of a camera, 50mm lens and a UV filter. I didn't even own a tripod! I literally took four slides on that particular trip -- total! This was a few weeks before I signed up for a photography class in college... my bank account would never be the same again.

Bryan, I'm inclined to agree with your assessment - I'll have to hike up there in another 24 years and see how things have recovered...

Tom