In the past week, Yosemite has suffered from fires caused by dry-season lightning. So here is a spring time view to recall greener times. The rainy season will not come for a few more months so let's hope the fires subside! No HDR.
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www.flickr.com/photos/patrick-smith-photography/386733837...
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Settings etc.:
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Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 17-40L @ 30
2-second exposure @F18 (pushing the limits of diffraction!)
2 hours before sunset when the light is still on the cliff face.
LEE soft ND grad (100x150mm) 0.9 + 0.75
Lee foundation kit filter holder with Lee 77mm adapter ring
No polarizer. I wanted reflections in the water
ISO 50 (for the long-ish exposure)
RAW file processed with Capture One by Phase One
TIFF file processed with Photoshop
Bridal Veil falls in Yosemite flows year-round, but in the spring it flows at its maximum rate as the high elevation snow melts. I moved around to find an opening in the trees to show as much of the falls as possible. Even though this was taken at the touristy 'Valley View' side-of-the-road pullout, you can still be creative and move around to get the best composition that you can. I've seen literally thousands of pictures taken from within 50 feet of this spot and have not seen this sort of image made. Also there were other photographers there with expensive tripods taking shots from vantage points that barely showed the waterfall at all. Did they even notice what they were shooting? They also had long lenses and were not including much if any of the water. But the water was an important part of the scene.
I waited for the last rays of the sun to light up the cliffs and waterfall. Then I made many exposures ranging from 1/4-second to 30 seconds with a dark filter to try to get the best effect in the water. I settled on this 2-second exposure because it showed the most reflectivity and still have nice texture so the viewer can visualize the water flowing by. I always try to adjust the exposure time to add realism. Sometimes the best is short and sometimes long.
The map shows exactly where this is. It is a 20-foot hike from the nearest road. lol!
See my Flickr profile for a link to my newly designed website.
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Raj Hanchanahal Photography, and 503 other people added this photo to their favorites.
View 20 more comments
crazydude713 41 months ago | reply
fantastic photo
SheldonBranford (RichGreenePhotography.com) 40 months ago | reply
Just an amazing capture -- wow. Love the color contrasts.
swankin 40 months ago | reply
I love your work, long exposures are my favorite to capture, your teaching me a lot about what i can do in my own work! thank you
smokymtnkayaker [deleted] 38 months ago | reply
Beautiful shot! Please join our group and add this wonderful image to:
** with WATER Post :1 Award :3
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travlinman43 36 months ago | reply
Nature Imagery Admin Invite
Your image tells a story... Please join us....
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a fingerprint in time......
squarequilter 35 months ago | reply
Magnificent
swampsboy 35 months ago | reply
Such a Beautiful view. Great shot!!
c e d e r 35 months ago | reply
Superb! Natural colors - very nice processing!
RogerHero 34 months ago | reply
Two thumbs up.
Bryan Salzman 33 months ago | reply
I think you and I stood at the same exact spot to take our pictures. Yours is nicely done.
PHOTOROTA 30 months ago | reply
Indeed ultimate performance. well done my dear.
Yousef Malallah 30 months ago | reply
. . . Seen in Award for Best Photograph In The Universe (♥Add 1 - Award 5♥)
KC_JAKE 29 months ago | reply
I LOVE your work....WOW!!
This is a stellar shot!!
Aziphael 29 months ago | reply
Wonderfull picture !
AncientForests 29 months ago | reply
CONGRATULATIONS: Your photograph has been nominated for our group - International Year of Forests 2011
Emotioned.com 28 months ago | reply
We are working on a monthly travel and adventure sport competition, all winning entries will be published in an online magazine. Judge panel will selected from Flickr.
There are 3 parts of the competition, 2 parts are currently under development:
A Flick group called : www.flickr.com/groups/emotioned/
G@nymed 27 months ago | reply
Amazing!!!
Jim Teske 22 months ago | reply
Simply amazing!
jeannie'spix 20 months ago | reply
Very beautiful..Thank you for sharing the filter info.
Andy_B :) 10 months ago | reply
Very Nice!