I wonder…have I mentioned that I like to revisit places a lot? I have? 🙂
We just came out of two days of heavy rain, the second the result of Hurricane Arthur. We only got a glancing blow from the storm in my town, but the western part of the state and the Berkshire Hills got enough for some flash flooding. Seemed like a good time to visit Wahconah again.
I hadn’t seen this much water flowing over the falls since Hurricane Irene in September of 2011. There may have been too much water. 🙂 I am thinking of going back tomorrow to see if two days of overflowing brought the level down to a more photographically manageable amount…..although I am very pleased with this result.
After this, I went a bit downstream to see what else was happening. There were several possibilities, but there also always seems to be something that ruins the composition like a fallen tree or heavy collections of foam, which I do not care for. So I went in for a closeup.
The rock on the right is actually quite large and I am hoping to figure out a way to highlight it some day, but yesterday’s conditions didn’t work.
And, finally, a little something of long exposure for my Swiss correspondent. 🙂
Today was a flower and frog day and tomorrow, I think, will be another waterfall day All will depend on the morning sky.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
I like the undulating (literally) flow of the water on the left side of the second picture, along with the sinuous diagonal curves separating those mostly horizontal streaks from the whiter water below,
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In the 2nd and 3rd, the idea was the combination of flow and crash along withe the rock solid rock. I knew the flow would turn into line and the design was to move the eye around the frame.
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Nice work. I’m drawn to the first shot in particular because it asks some questions as well as answering them, mostly about the river bed. Really interesting textures. In the second one, I thick wave form is acting as a design element and drawing attention to the rock. I wonder if it still work that way if you used a wider field of view to show more of the rock. Regardless, really good work. I have to get out there some day.
James
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Thanks, James. I probably will find a way to use the large rock in a different role. I cropped this so there was just enough rock to keep the eye within the frame to put emphasis on the water’s flowing form.
If you want to go there while the water is flowing at a high rate, I’d go soon. Usually it is more like this: https://sggphoto.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/wahconah-falls-1052911-800fb2.jpg which is still pretty nice.
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Number one is excellent but I think number 2 has the most potential. My only gripe is that the watermark intrudes a little. Not sure where you could put it but maybe reduce the opacity a fraction? It is such a strong image.
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I keep using a watermark, Andrew, but have mixed feelings. I’ve not seen much evidence that any of my images have been used w/o permission but it seems wise to keep on keepin’ on. The opacity could be lowered.
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The first photo is my favorite. It “rocks.”
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🙂 Yvonne. 🙂
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Well, I like them all for different reasons. You are certainly ‘the Maestro of the moving water image’ I’m sure Heraclitus would have some gem to say on the matter but I for one find it endlessly fascinating that with photography, you can capture something as fast-flowing as a river, or waterfall and make it stand-still for a moment in time.
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Thanks, Lottie. Heraclitus, huh? Brandishing that classical education, I see. 🙂 A favorite quote “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” seems apt. 😆
That moment in time often has different durations when I am shooting water. The frozen motion can be a short exposure or a bit longer to smooth out the textures and, sometimes, one can get a combination as in the two latter images.
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I like the first one – the rock foreground is wonderful. Gotta get back to Waconah Falls, don’t know when, though!
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Thanks, Tom. Yeah, it’s a long enough drive for me so even longer for you….unless you summer in the Berkshires.
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I’m going to California for a wedding in August – probably no Berkshires for me this year.
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I’ve heard rumors that California can be very photogenic. Hope you have the time to verify that for us.
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I really like that first shot and enjoyed reading about your thot processes. I too have struggled with what to do with a rogue branch – always in the wrong spot.
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Thanks, Lyle. The first shot appears to be the winner of the bunch. Whenever possible, in the water, I try to remove the branches. But with the water running like it was there was no way I would wade into it on this occasion.
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These are all wonderful Steve !!
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Thanks, Bernie.
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Whoah – I really love that second image Steve. Very creative. I really like the flow of water against the immovable rock.
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Thanks, Mark.
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I’ll echo many of the others in saying I really like what you did in the first image. In this land of mud (I mean Lincoln!) we don’t get much in the way of waterfalls, sadly. The coolest thing I ever saw was when the Dead River at Illinois Beach State Park blew out into Lake Michigan. It is a very leisurely river, and wave action forms a sand bar across the mouth of it most of the time. I happened to be standing there one day when the pressure built up enough and the river burst free. As the water surged out into the lake, it formed a standing sine wave! Wow!
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That does sound like an awesome experience, Melissa. Nature’s forces are certainly powerful and to be respected.
I’ve photographed this waterfall several times and from a few different perspectives. This may be my favorite. Thanks!
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Fabulous images, Steve. A joy to see them!
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Thank you, DIna.
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