Waterfall - your advice appreciated.

hleggette

New member
Raper Creek Falls 14.jpg
D7100
18-105 @ 52mm
ISO 100
F22
6 secs.

I tried to make the best of the dappled lighting.

No post processing yet.

I would like your overall advice on exposure and composition.

Thanks,

Hugh
 

Byram Lass

Senior Member
My opinion which isn't worth much... I find the stack of flat rocks distracting. I'd also like to see the falls and the rocks around it be a little brighter with more contrast. Perhaps you can punch up the shadows and mid-tones.
 

Pretzel

Senior Member
Catch a time when it's all shade or all sun, perhaps... and use an ND filter to extend the exposure a bit without having to crank the aperture so tight.

Also, along with some previous thoughts, if the stack of flat rocks is the subject, I'd make it much more prominent in the foreground, with the waterfall in the background. Otherwise, I'd pull it out of there... then zoom just a touch to make the waterfall more prominent. Just my .02.
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
Also, along with some previous thoughts, if the stack of flat rocks is the subject, I'd make it much more prominent in the foreground, with the waterfall in the background. Otherwise, I'd pull it out of there... then zoom just a touch to make the waterfall more prominent. Just my .02.

This would be an interesting composition ... focus tight on the stack of flat rocks, open up the aperture (using an ND filter) and blur/bokeh the waterfall background with that 6" exposure while having the rocks crisp in focus.

The rocks do draw my attention, probably because the blurred waterfall gives them the focus. The shadow areas are pretty dark. You could either HDR to blend exposures where the shadows show more detail, use off camera lighting to put some light into those shadows to bring out the details, or catch the scene with different/balanced natural lighting as Pretzel said. There's lots of opportunity there.
 
Along with the other comments I would like to see the falls more to the right. Right now there is a big blank area there. The stacked rocks do not look right there. Very artificial in a very natural area.
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
I hope you don't mind. I got rid of the stacked rocks, and gave it some more sharpening. Gave it a tighter crop and made it a bit cooler.

Pigeon Forge,TN--2.jpg
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I'd like to see the subject more to the right, and lower, in the frame; the Rule of Thirds would work here and strengthen the shot. I also think there's too much "weight" at the bottom of the frame and too little headroom at the top.

The little cairn I like as a subordinate element, personally. I think it lends a degree of perspective to the waterfall and it's just kind of... I don't know... Humanizing in some way. It's almost cute.

Then we come to that rock at the verrry bottom left of the frame, right smack in the corner... That's "junk" (my catchy phrase for a distracting, weakening subordinate element) and needs to go. Be careful, in particular, of corners and edges of the frame and keep them as clean as possible.
.....
 
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