Wahclella Purple (+edit)

It's been a long time since I've been able to get out and catch anything worthwhile, but I was finally able to spend a day this weekend! Friday sunset and Saturday dawn were busts at Rowena Crest (cloudless, windy, and Grass Widows past peak), so was Hamilton Island Saturday sunset. In between though, I did a couple of hikes in the gorge; it's coming along nicely. The trilliums are out now, and there's a lot of water flowing.

These little purple flowers were blooming on the rocks at Wahclella. There pretty small, but very pretty. Unfortunately, they like the face of the rocks, and I had to hang the camera and tripod right at the edge to catch this. It was too far over to be able to safely look through the viewfinder with my awkwardness, so I had to shoot compose, shoot compose, etc. to get it all aligned.

I took 3 exposures for DOF, and one more to keep the highlights in the falls. I used the MAFIG (Marc Adamus's Flippin Ingenious Glow) technique for the first time. You've got to hand it too him, the guy's a genius.


I'll probably post this on ESS, but would love some feedback here first. Thanks!

Nikon D80
Nikon 12.0-24.0 mm f/4.0 at 12 mm
0.7 &1/6 sec at f/16.0 and ISO 100

No suggestions from me other than perhaps a slight boost in contrast. Terrific compostion and technique. Are you using Helicon?

Very nice. I think this can work both ways, a crop taking out the top falls looks good also. Yes, nice technique from Marc, you used it perfectly i think. :)

Mark, I aligned the layers using PTAssembler, but then did the blend by hand using Photoshop's difference mode.

Cliff, I hadn't thought of that crop. I'll play with it.

I'd say put in on ESS pronto! This is excellent as far as I'm concerned. The whole thing is very creative and well done. If I had to change anything, I might give this a little CW rotation. Feels like a leaner to me - though its hard to tell on these kind of shots what truly is level. That big maple and the pool below the falls seem to be what is cluing me in on a tilt.

If anyone knows what those flowers are, I'd like to know. I have some growing in my yard. Well, I did until I mowed the grass today....

Just read Cliff's crop idea. It looks real nice that way. much more focused and simplified, although you lose some of the scale and dynamics of the gorge. Either way works for me.

Now that I play with it, I think your right on the leaner Aaron. Dang. I had a level on the camera, but as noted I really couldn't hang over the edge to be truly lined up with it. I'll correct that before ESS.

Really nice use of blends, and the composition is sweet. This has a 3-d quality to it. If I could use a magic wand on this picture, I'd give it deeper greens and more vibrant flowers, but the rendition here is likely more accurate.

Is the glow technique the condensation on the lens?
Added: ok I saw it in another post in the digital imaging forum.

Another quick question-- why did you use f16 instead of a sharper aperture, like f8? I'm guessing it has something to do with obtaining a decent shutter speed for the flow of water, but you shot a separate exposure for the water. I'm probably missing something here.

Overall a really nice shot - it's not all that easy to get up on this rock

If anything, I'd do a small crop off the top - there is a dark triangle-ish overhang rock that is slightly distracting compared to the rest of the shot. It's minor but thought I'd share.....

Awesome image, John. All the elements come together in this one for a truly great shot; I think this might just be one of your best yet. The only additional critique I can offer, beyond what's been written - I detect a slight green blue color cast to the image which can be seen esp. in the whiteness of the falls.

What the heck is this MAFIG?

It's damn near perfect, John. This is probably the best Waclella shot ever. (maybe it could be a tad brighter)

Beautiful shot!!!
It feels like you could almost walk right into the image.
Very, Very nice.
Dave Bartlett USA

Jay- I used f/16 strictly for the depth of field. It took three shots to get the DOF as it was, f/8 would have made it more complex. I've tested the lense in my yard at all f-stops, and found that it holds detail very well up to f/16; the sharpness loss is minimal. After f/16 it really drops off rapidly.

John- I hadn't even thought about that. I'll trim a little and brighten what's left.

Marc- I'll take a look at the color. I may be a little off in my white balance. For MAFIG, see here.

Mark & Mark- I'll bump the contrast/brightness a tad.

Thanks all!!! It's always amazing to me how much you all help me improve.

I absolutely love this image! It almost looks like a fairyland...what great color and highlights and shadows....awesome. What is the Marc Adamus flippin glow technique?

Jack

Here's a take with the suggested corrections. Hopefully I remembered them all. I also removed the head of a photographer who was popping up behind a bolder that I hadn't noticed (hard to catch at this size). Thanks again for all the help and kind comments.

Jack- Marc posted the technique in the digital imaging forum. If you look at my post above yours, you can click on the word "here" after MAFIG and it will take you there.

John, thanks for relaying the conditions at Rowena on Saturday Morning. I almost made the drive and I would have been severely peeved if I encountered the level of skunkage you describe.

I like this shot, the MAFIG treatment works well (no doubt this post will end up being blogged about by marcadamuslies since you used the word "genius" ). The one thing that bugs me about this is the contrast of the waterfall looks like it was pulled back quite a bit too much. It looks a bit too blue and clearly the highlights have been reigned in, but I'm of the mindset that a little blown highlight isn't necessarily a bad thing because it really is that bright relative to the rest of the scene in the first place. My .02

An absolute winner now!

Glad to see you using this technique with such excellent results, John. I've seen these flowers up there in past years but not in such a prime location to compose. Outstanding work all around here. Lots going on.

WOW! I thought the first image was great but this is even better.

Thanks for the link John.

Jack

John , Both are very nice! I really liked the 1st one and the changes made it even more Wonderful.

Gorgeous John! It's like a dream!

This is just a killer shot, and the repost is a definite improvement. I keep coming back to have another look. I'm envious of you punks who live so close to the gorge!

I dig this, John... great work!

Really a superb shot! The changes in the repost make it even better if that's possible. All your hard work and determination paid off in spades. Congrats.

Aaron, now you know how we feel about you coast punks with your cool ocean shots.

I posted a final version with some water adjustments per Marc and Bryan's suggestions in ESS. Thanks again all!

John,

Wahclella is my favorite waterfalls. You have done something very fresh and have produced an excellent image.

Really beautiful John, I like the repost even better and think this has got to be one of your best!

John,

A great shot for sure. Your effort definately paid off!

I wouldn't add more contrast John, I think the softness enhances the mood. Love the way his flows. Gotta make it back to the Gorge soon!

this really is a great shot, John. Even without the purple flowers, this composition works really well....putting you in the place as you peer over this ledge. The processing to bring out the mosses and tree really worked well I think.
I wouldn't change a thing from the Repost.

An amazing image for sure, the re-edit looks amazing with the extra pop factor in the foreground..

Very, very nice, John! I'm a little jealous, I've been trying to get something like this for years... How big are those purple flowers anyways?

Have you been around the Gorge, is it all this good right now?

Kevin

I'll have to echo everyone's comment's. Excellent!

Kevin, they are very small (maybe 4"?); I was very close to them. The gorge is coming along in the couple of places I was able to explore. I wouldn't say it's all great yet, but it's looking pretty good in spots.

just outstanding work !!!

Really nice work John, the flowers in the foreground Aaron are Columbia Kittentails (Synthyris stellata). I often find them on moist rocky outcrops mid-gorge from Feb-Apr.

David M. Cobb

Thanks David!! I've really wanted to know what they are to add to the description on my website; you're the first to mention their name.