Posted by Ramamohan Pai on August 21, 2009 at 12:05 AM
Is located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the vicinity of Munising (home to Pictured Rock National Park as well). Was on a short vacation there.
Nikon D200, 12-24mm F/4 DX Lens, F/22, 1.6 Seconds (ND8 used), ISO200 and Tripod. Sadly this falls cannot be shot from the bottom and one has to shoot from those special platforms constructed for tourists. Vantage spots are hence extremely limited. This is the case with most waterfalls in UP now.
Posted by Bruce Palla on August 21, 2009 at 1:15 AM
Nice light and motion, too bad about the vantage point.
I'll be there in a couple of weeks! I'm looking forward to some cool weather, great photos and fun time with my family. It's nice to be inspired early - thanks, Ram!
Tim!
Posted by Brian Vance on August 21, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Nice shot of Miner's Falls, Ram. I've been to this location and to others in the area that have a boardwalk/path leading to an overlook. While most people stay on the path, you can go off trail and look for other shooting perspectives at your own risk. If I recall correctly, I don't remember seeing any signs that tell people to stay on the trail.
Posted by Ramamohan Pai on August 21, 2009 at 1:05 PM
I don't remember seeing any signs that tell people to stay on the trail
There was not a dictat if you will, but there were cautions all round asking folks to stay on the marked trail. Apparently this is due to the fact that several rocks have fallen in the recent past and perhaps some folks under estimate the power of the water flow.
Ram: Decided to check this out. Very nice scene and a fine capture. I like your SS choice. At first I didn't like the limbs in the URC but on further review I think they do a nice job of framing the falls. Hope you had a good respite. >=))>
I've been there also.....beautiful up there! Great photo with the trees framing the falls.
Posted by Nathan Buck on August 21, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Nice shot Ram. Thanks for pointing it out for us in flora!
Nathan
Posted by Andy Richards on August 22, 2009 at 11:16 AM
I live in Michigan and have photographed a number of our Waterfalls (all of which are in our Upper Peninsula). Several years back I was photographing and stopped into a coffee shop that happened to be owned by the wife of a local professsional photographer. He happened to be in the shop and we engaged in a conversation. I had been photographin Sable Falls that morning and encountered the boardwalk-viewing platform phenomena and even a sign at one point suggesting viewers must stay on boardwalk.
His "take" was pretty interesting. He noted that he had grown up around there and that for all the years prior there had been no boardwalks or platforms and there there was no law or jurisdiction that allowed them to forbid folks from the path.
I didn't research the law to determine if that was true or not. However, I suspect the written admonition has a number of points: (1) they are concerned that the high amount of traffic will contribute to continuing erosion, (2) they are concerned about safety, and (3) perhaps to some extent, liability.
I have (carefully) gotten off the boardwalks and platforms in order to get a better vantage point in a number of cases. Clearly you do so at your own safety risk. I also think it is important to consider the effect that our "footprint" may have. In Sable Falls, for example, there is a trail down to where it empties into Lake Superior. I do not think there would be any law against wading upstream to the Falls.
Posted by Ramamohan Pai on August 22, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Andy, True. If you see for example the area around miners castle from the viewers platform you will notice the erosion - my conclusion is that the erosion mainly happened due to humans. Two years back I was around the Presque Isle River area in the UP - specifically around the Manabezho and Manido falls area. I remember to have walked downstream where the water from the falls meets Superior. It was indeed scary for someone like me - who has not been trained well in hiking, swimming or other tricks of the trade.
I had taken this risk once in Bali where I climbed off the wall of a rock which has sea about few hundreds of feet below. No approach from the land should you fall down . The area was only about 2 feet by 2 feet or so. A Monkey climbs on my shoulder and snatches my eye glasses . Thankfully I did not lose balance and fall straight down. Since then some innate fear makes me stick to safer routes and places.
I like the shot. I looked back at my spring photos from this location and all of mine were cropped on the falls. Next time I'll have to take a wider shot.
Posted by Chuck Beatty on August 23, 2009 at 8:11 AM
Beautifully captured, Ram. I like the broader view.
Posted by Ramamohan Pai on August 23, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Thanks everyone.
Philip, Actually I looked at your portfolio many many times before going to Munising. So Thanks for providing me so much of information.
Posted by Andy Richards on August 23, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Ram: If you have followed the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore over the years, you are probably aware of the collapse of one of the iconic "turrets" of this landmark. While there were rumors of "vandalism," the official reports and comments of geologists were that it is part of the natural erosion of this rather delicate sandstone lakeshore. I do think, however, that we need to take care in how we leave our footprint. I am not above getting off the beaten path, but I think it is possible to do so carefully.
This discussion reminds me of the introductory portion of Michener's "Chesapeake," in which he so aptly depicts the ever changing earth.
Posted by Toni Lankerd on August 23, 2009 at 6:18 PM
Ram....I like the vantage point because it shows off the height of the waterfalls and the surrounding area that you captured adds to the image. Yes, a lower vantage point might work better, but this composition works very well as is.
As for the signs asking people to stay on the boardwalk....I don't think they are set in stone. At Sleeping Bear Dunes, there are also signs asking people to stay off the mother dune, but I've seen people climbing up or going down the dune regardless, even while there is a ranger watching. In some places such as that, the rules should be enforced due to human traffic eroding the dunes, but if you can safely go off the trail without causing any damage at the waterfalls, I might be tempted to try it.
Nice image--I was last at Miners Falls in early October of last year and have a somewhat similar perspective to this one as one of my shots from that excursion.
It is possible to get down to the base of the falls; I haven't done it myself (and I don't recall seeing any signs discouraging anyone from doing so) , but someone else was down there when I showed up last year. I talked to him briefly (he was absolutely soaked from the spray) after he climbed back up to the viewpoint and asked whether it was the worth the considerable trouble of climbing down there. He said "probably not," but pointed out that the only way to arrive at that conclusion was to go down and have a look for himself.
Posted by Ramamohan Pai on August 26, 2009 at 5:51 PM
He said "probably not," but pointed out that the only way to arrive at that conclusion was to go down and have a look for himself.
Great . Thanks for the additional information. I am not sure I'd last that downhill trek and the uphill climb
Posted by Steven M Kahn on August 30, 2009 at 12:45 AM
Brings back memories of a trek to thse falls a few years back with another photographer. A Brooks graduate and a bit of a dare devil. Throw up a rail and he will go over it. Did it at Miner's. With a young couple. Took a few snaps of them by the falls. Legal? Not? I was chicken. No way was I going over. I have at other's. I have had to weigh the "footprint" issue with preserving, for me at least, if not others, a view not seen from the constructed paths.
While out and about at one falls with another photographer buddy, I had the scary moment of watching him teeter-totter on a rock ledge in the middle of a stream bed before going in. Time stood still and then went into slow motion. The first thing to surface and come out of the water - the arm holding the camera. He survived. Had he fallen off a few inches either way and he might not have been so lucky. He fell into the deepest pocket. Camera did survive. So did he. Camera underwent some rigorous drying out and encased in dessicant for several months, but it did work. Lens was sent in and came back and worked. And so did the photographer. We still smile thinking back to that event, and realize that his guardian angels earned their wings on that one. Thank you for a lovely post and a stimulating dialogue. Looked at Miner's II and prefer this one.
Discussion
17 repliesNikon D200, 12-24mm F/4 DX Lens, F/22, 1.6 Seconds (ND8 used), ISO200 and Tripod. Sadly this falls cannot be shot from the bottom and one has to shoot from those special platforms constructed for tourists. Vantage spots are hence extremely limited. This is the case with most waterfalls in UP now.
Tim!
There was not a dictat if you will, but there were cautions all round asking folks to stay on the marked trail. Apparently this is due to the fact that several rocks have fallen in the recent past and perhaps some folks under estimate the power of the water flow.
Nathan
His "take" was pretty interesting. He noted that he had grown up around there and that for all the years prior there had been no boardwalks or platforms and there there was no law or jurisdiction that allowed them to forbid folks from the path.
I didn't research the law to determine if that was true or not. However, I suspect the written admonition has a number of points: (1) they are concerned that the high amount of traffic will contribute to continuing erosion, (2) they are concerned about safety, and (3) perhaps to some extent, liability.
I have (carefully) gotten off the boardwalks and platforms in order to get a better vantage point in a number of cases. Clearly you do so at your own safety risk. I also think it is important to consider the effect that our "footprint" may have. In Sable Falls, for example, there is a trail down to where it empties into Lake Superior. I do not think there would be any law against wading upstream to the Falls.
I had taken this risk once in Bali where I climbed off the wall of a rock which has sea about few hundreds of feet below. No approach from the land should you fall down
Philip, Actually I looked at your portfolio many many times before going to Munising. So Thanks for providing me so much of information.
This discussion reminds me of the introductory portion of Michener's "Chesapeake," in which he so aptly depicts the ever changing earth.
As for the signs asking people to stay on the boardwalk....I don't think they are set in stone. At Sleeping Bear Dunes, there are also signs asking people to stay off the mother dune, but I've seen people climbing up or going down the dune regardless, even while there is a ranger watching. In some places such as that, the rules should be enforced due to human traffic eroding the dunes, but if you can safely go off the trail without causing any damage at the waterfalls, I might be tempted to try it.
It is possible to get down to the base of the falls; I haven't done it myself (and I don't recall seeing any signs discouraging anyone from doing so) , but someone else was down there when I showed up last year. I talked to him briefly (he was absolutely soaked from the spray) after he climbed back up to the viewpoint and asked whether it was the worth the considerable trouble of climbing down there. He said "probably not," but pointed out that the only way to arrive at that conclusion was to go down and have a look for himself.
Great
While out and about at one falls with another photographer buddy, I had the scary moment of watching him teeter-totter on a rock ledge in the middle of a stream bed before going in. Time stood still and then went into slow motion. The first thing to surface and come out of the water - the arm holding the camera. He survived. Had he fallen off a few inches either way and he might not have been so lucky. He fell into the deepest pocket. Camera did survive. So did he. Camera underwent some rigorous drying out and encased in dessicant for several months, but it did work. Lens was sent in and came back and worked. And so did the photographer. We still smile thinking back to that event, and realize that his guardian angels earned their wings on that one. Thank you for a lovely post and a stimulating dialogue. Looked at Miner's II and prefer this one.