Curse of Elowah: The Saga Continues

Went up to Elowah Falls (again) last Sunday, and thought I had some very good images -- much less spray than previous trips, and only a couple of rain showers (the curse continues). But even though I was carefully drying my lens between shots, it was pretty dark down there in the canyon, and I didn't realize that there was actually quite a bit of mist from the sky and tree drip accumulating on the lens by the time I finished each bracket.

So one habit that I've been trying to break came back to haunt me - I tend to start on the light end, and bracket down, so that meant that the best exposures were last, in this case - and most affected by spray. I also bracketed a bit high, with my smallest aperture about -1.2 stops underexposed. But with my camera, at least, I need to run that down to about -1.7.

So... I will return! This is the best way to learn, after all - and I've been trying to capture this falls from this angle ever since seeing a David Muench photo years ago, taken just downstream. Next time, I'll start the brackets on the bottom end, and hopefully get some clean images! This is among the least affected, though I didn't try to clean up the water spots that are plainly visible in a couple of areas. Comments and suggestions appreciated.

Olympus E-510, 11-22mm at 11mm, 1 second, polarizer, f11

For me the dark areas are too dark. Way too dark. Maybe try to get them quite a bit brighter. I'm not a big fan of such a long exposure for water. I prefer somewhere between say 1/40th to 1/2 a second at the most. The milky look doesn't work for me. I like more texture in falling water.

What I do like is the overall composition! It fits well together and I would certainly recommend continuing to work this site if it's close to home!!!

Have you tried using an umbrella? Bring someone along to hold it for ya?

Thanks, Rick - and yes, I do have a little umbrella that mounts in my hot shoe. Keeps the camera dry in most situations, unless there's a lot of blowing spray. That seems to be the main problem with this location, whether it be from the falls or the sky. Mostly, it's that I've been there during fairly high runoff, and the falls itself is making a lot of weather in that canyon.

Tom this is a very nice image....I prefer the vertical shots more than the landscape but I feel this gives the viewer a greater sense of their surroundings!

i do like the comp, but I'm as spoiled as Rick when it comes to the dark areas. I'd like a little more revealed there.

Good luck on your next trip.

Overall very nice - I love long exposures so I have no complaints there (to each their own, I say). I have cleaned up many shots with far more water drops than this with the clone tool...... I'd whip that up and use levels to raise the black point a bit and you might have your shot.

Tom: I too like your comp, and the richness of the color. You seem to have done a good cloning job. I can understand what the others are saying about detail in the deep shadows but they're not a deal breaker; this is a very good image in my opinion.

Thanks for the comments - especially on cloning, John. I try to correct the water spots on this because of where they landed - right on top of the plant on the rock anchoring the lower right corner, and midway up the fallen tree on the right. I might give it some work, though.

I actually went up there again last night, and found the stream level to be back up (significantly), and a lot of mist. The evening light was also pretty harsh, so not nearly the warmth in color. But it was a good chance to practice some "mist management" technique, and working from the bottom up in bracketing.

Also ran into my first photo tourist of the season as I was shooting this same scene - a guy from California, apparently up to photograph the waterfalls. It's busy season again in the Gorge!

Tom