Just for Fun No C&C will be given: Aldeyjarfoss

[Rajan Parrikar]

For more in the series, go there.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Rajan,

Fabulous scene and beautiful shot. Thanks.

As for myself, I don't really care for moving water made "creamy" by a long exposure time, as that is not the way I "see" it in nature.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Asher Kelman]

As for myself, I don't really care for moving water made "creamy" by a long exposure time, as that is not the way I "see" it in nature.

Well, Doug,

You too! I have always been puzzled why so many go for that cream when I see power and hosts of glittering lenses in the air!

But yes, this is a splendid sight, cream or crystal!

Asher

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Asher,

You too! I have always been puzzled why so many go for that cream when I see power and hosts of glittering lenses in the air!

A lovely, and apt, metaphor.

But yes, this is a splendid sight, cream or crystal!

Indeed!

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Rajan Parrikar]

I am somewhat ambivalent about photographing waterfalls because they usually make for cliched images. But I couldn't resist making images of some waterfalls in Iceland, especially in the right lighting and setting.

 

[StuartRae]

Hi Rajan,

I too am not a fan of creamy waterfalls, but your image is beautifully done and perfectly exposed. Seeing the detail both in the sky and in the shadows almost temps me to believe that you used HDR, but I don't think you did. Whatever, well done and thanks for posting.

Regards,

Stuart

===================
Later.

Aha! I've just looked at your link and see that you used an ND Grad. Explains the sky detail.
BTW, the shot of the basalt columns is wonderful, almost like an Egyptian temple.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Going from a cliché to a photograph to exhibit.

For more in the series, go there.

Rajan,

This is powerful as sight as one could hope for. To escape the cliché, consider your picture. There are a number of ways to crop this to produce a related series of pictures shown together. Try that. You will be surprised to find that what you will have will include

• a panorama at the top with just a bend in a river.
  
• a picture with almost no clouds where the falls will be thundering as we are no longer distracted
  
• a strong image ending where the rock on the left meets the waters.
  
• a large, maybe square, photograph with more aggressive creative work: the sky repaired and expanded to see whole clouds and the foreground rock on the left cloned out, so the swirling waters are the featured subject. Now the water near us will whirl as if driven by a storm.

In each, open up the shadows and refine the details and contrast most in the closest part of the rock faces.

It's far too much to expect that one can snap God's glory and not have to work very hard to reproduce the awe you experienced. To me, this is a 2-10 hour job depending on one's skill and inspiration. However, with scenes like this, here's your opportunity to really show your mastery of expression of how you felt and what your remember as opposed to what the camera recorded.

Even the smartest Japanese or German engineers have no clue as to how you felt that day! It's the artist in you, your own esthetics that will make this from a snap to a photograph.

Asher

 

[Rajan Parrikar]

Rajan,

This is powerful as sight as one could hope for. To escape the cliché, consider your picture. There are a number of ways to crop this to produce a related series of pictures. Try that. You will be surprised to find that what you will have will include a panorama at the top with just a bend in a river. There's a picture with almost no clouds where the falls will be thundering as we are no longer distracted.

Then one can do as I do, some of us are accustomed to doing, make a separate layer for each part of the image. Add more sky with the clouds made complete and each a unit. We see the whole thing and are then not distracted. Open up the shadows and refine the details of the closes part of the mountains. Do each part of the mountains on several different layers. Perhaps even crop away the foreground rock.

Now the water near us will whirl as if driven by a storm.

It's too much to expect that one can snap God's glory and not have to work very hard to reproduce the awe and sense of being there in just one attempt or with the usual post-processing. To me, this is a 2-10 hour job depending on one's skill and inspiration.

Asher

Asher,

I hear you.

As I have mentioned earlier, I consider the photos posted to my blog a 'quick, first draft.'

I included the sky in this composition (I also have one without it) because of the striking colour and cloud formations (I know, cheap applause and all that). Yes, it distracts, but in a nice way.

You are right about this being a long and careful post-processing job. Appropriately, my new monitor is arriving this afternoon, the NEC 27" -

http://diglloyd.com/articles/Recommended/displayNEC27.html

Stuart: No, it isn't a composite HDR image. It was a single exposure, The Singh-Ray Vari-ND helps saturate colours at the right clocking (since they are effectively 2 CPs, I think).

 

[Erick Fromm]

I like your photo. I think it is great! I love long exposures with water. You never know what you will get until it's done. Some of my best photos are of moving water. Good job!!!