New York Waterfall04, a photo from New York, Northeast

Photographer's Note

This waterfall (see Workshop Photo) was my last post until I had to drop out from the Trek Earth forum for a few months due to family crises. I intended to complete this New York series many months ago, but better late than never. The WS photo was from the front view of this amazing waterfall near Ithaca, New York, the home of Cornell University. This amazing waterfall is in Robert H. Treman State Park. The locals highly recommended this waterfall over the more popular nearby Buttermilk Falls. I wanted to turn back to visit Buttermilk Falls, but I missed a turn and got caught up in the Ithaca road construction and we needed to find a motel while we still had time. This photograph was taken from the east side of the falls (on the right side of the WS photo). I used a circular polarizer and a 3X ND filter, with a tripod of course. The "Sharpening Police" will probably write me a citation for this one, but I refuse to buckle under pressure. Waterfall photos are supposed to be slightly soft. I want the water to look like water, not over-sharpened strands of spaghetti.

Bruno40, gary91, JPlumb, emjleclercq, japiey, Photo65Net, JorgeCK, Floydian, fulvio52, gunbud, jwmunro, jean11-3, zmey, plimrn, bakes888 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Bruno40 (6658) 2008-02-12 21:06

Nice Stan!
I like the slow shutter effect on the water. It created a fine and pleasant texture over the rocks.
I like it, good work
Jorge

hyasar (7775) 2008-02-12 21:39

Hi Stan,

amazing waterfall view. The fall of water can easily be felt while looking photo. nice shot.

congratulations,
hakan

gary91 (15348) 2008-02-12 22:29

Hello Stan,
To begin with, the sharpening is perfect for me and I don't care about the police :o)
The choice of the exposure is perfect, not too much to have this kind of milky effect and sufficent in order to show water flowing. The colors are impressive as well with so many tones on the rocks. This must really be a great place to visit.
Have a nice day.
Best regards, Christian

JPlumb (3159) 2008-02-12 23:03

Hi Stan, what I like most about this shot is the colour. I don't know if it's minerals leached out of the rock or if its an algae, but it helps give your falls life. I see this as a good "second" shot to your original. The bell shaped falls we see in your original is very unique. This one is a little closer perhaps and a little more personal.

I thought the rock seen in this falls was sharp enough, but the water, I thought might actually be a little softer (now I'll be in trouble with the sharpness police). In any case I went off to play a bit with it, it gave me a chance to try out some tools I've never used before, then it became a case of I did my playing, why not share it, so I've posted a workshop with a little "softer" water.

Thanks, John

[workshop] [compare] +

sevy (58) 2008-02-12 23:56

Hello Stan,

Very interesting shot by its play of colors (incredible green tones) and also the play with the water bringing an opposition between the movement of the water and the immobile stones.
Sometimes, I find the use of long time exposure for the water a little artificial, but for this shot it fits good. Indeed, the close framing produce a kind of abstract photo, like some modern paintings, even if you put a part of the "flat" water on the left corner. There is enough "reality" to secure the reader but enough "abstraction" to attrack the look and makes the reader wondering.
An original point of view, in the line with the photos of Niagara Falls you have posted previously.

Yves.

emjleclercq (15778) 2008-02-13 0:12

There is an iridescent impression (the filter?) which gives an impression of irreality and which I like very mmuch.

All the best,

Emmanuel

japiey (10163) 2008-02-13 1:18

Dear Stan,

A M A Z I N G !!
Great shot..
All the best.

jean paul

Photo65Net (43144) 2008-02-13 3:55

Stan,
Great catch !
Dynamics and colors are very pleasant, with great use of the fall geometrics.
Regards,
JB.

JorgeCK (2620) 2008-02-13 4:42

Hi Stan,
Waterfalls is another of my favorites shots. The slow shutter speed is created a wonderful effect. Beautiful colors, good details and sharp. love your note and don't buckle.. :)))
Congratulations. TFS
joRge

Floydian (30970) 2008-02-13 6:43

Hi Stan,
Indeed, close neighbors of the day ;-)
Mine is full with deep colors, but also here i see a very deep color setting which i very much like to see.
The slow shutter gave you a noce blue on the water and the perspective view is very well choosen, i like it.
Take care, Henk

fulvio52 (8314) 2008-02-13 8:20

Hi Stan,
POV and colors are top notch, and once again I do agree with you : waterfall shots should always be a little on the soft side.
Screw the Sharpening Police.
Never buckle under pressure.
Once a rebel always a rebel.
Cheers,
Fulvio.

gunbud (34066) 2008-02-13 11:40

Hi Stan,
Lovely slow exposure capture of this beautiful tri-colored falls that is seen in great clarity and details. The colors are brilliant and the sharpness is right on the money.
Regards, Tom
PS if you ever get back to NYS check out the Adirondacks and neighboring Green Mts of Vt. The autumn colors are intense.

jwmunro (286) 2008-02-13 14:41

Hello Stan -

It is not sharp enough! No, it is overly sharp! No, no, now I am confused.

My take on this image is that it is really nice, well composed, and the veiling is spot on the money. There is one thing that I see that I need to mention. It looks like the moss/grasses might be just a little over saturated. This happens sometimes when we add contrast via curves. If this is the case try changing the curves blending mode to LUMINANCE and this will soften the saturation. Otherwise, a nice image and one pleasing to look at.

Thank you for sharing.

John

[2]

jean11-3 (2799) 2008-02-13 15:22

An interesting PoV for this one Stan.
The colours,textures and lines created by the water produce a picture which is almost abstract,I like it very much.
I sometimes get a little tired of 'smooth' water but in this shot it is very effective.
Tfs, regards Jean.

marietom (34611) 2008-02-14 1:08

Hello Stan,

Superbes graphisme et couleurs !
Marie

ayansadhu (1502) 2008-02-14 7:18

Nice action impression in the canvas with wonderful colors, though not the best of composition here :)

zmey (7335) 2008-02-14 9:10

hello stan

thanks. for the wonderful sight and the trip idea. until i came to TE, i never realized new york upstate could be so beautiful... i guess, i traveled through the wrong places there before :)

the colors are wonderful. looks like the the water is falling over a wall of gold... nice lead-in into your frame too. great work!

my compliments and TFS
kristaps

[2]

plimrn (21344) 2008-02-14 18:16

Hi Stan,
Both the PP and WS photos are wonderful; I have a hard time choosing which I like best. The WS gives a better sense of this amazing warefall. This one is all flowing colors. I like Kristaps idea that it looks like the water is flowing over a wall of gold. I see nobody complains about sharpness; I agree with the CW that your shuttwer speed was perfect. I particularly like the fingers of white below the falls.

Sorry I'm slow responding... speaking of family ctrises.

HLJ, Pat

bakes888 (18499) 2008-02-17 22:37

Hi Stan. Great capture. I love the colours you have captured in this shot. Well composed also with good lead-in lines. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

baba_flies (8829) 2008-02-20 11:11

I try to comment this, and I restarted several times, and I guess exquisite is the right word, a piece of photo art, and so different from the waterfall pictures that I know of. I like how you concentrated on the fall and nothing else beside it, just how the water comes down in a constant stream. The colors are amazing and how they shine through the white. It is not easy to comment water and fall etc. but at least I tried. Excellent. Barbara.

Evolution (91) 2008-02-24 5:08

Well done. Good choice of shutter speed to create / capture the waters movement. Nice mix of green and white colors. I agree with your comments on sharpening this sort of shot. However, I prefer the front on angle shot you have in the WS. It shows a bit more the unique shape and size of the waterfall.
I have just rekindled my interest in shootings NY's waterfalls. TFS. Will you post more of this subject ?
Brian