What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. - Viktor Frankl
Here we are at the first edition of my Field Notes newsletter. This is very unfamiliar for me and the learning curve at this stage is steep. Please bear with me. As the quote above suggests, I’m trying to elevate my creativity and offer something worthy of interest.
Lets step off with some background to this photo I took of Raven Cliff Falls in April, 2023
This particular waterfall is very tough to photograph. Obviously, the cascade is tucked away in the crevasse of the cliffs. What is not very apparent in the photo is the basin of water at its base, which is surrounded by a high bowl of rock on all sides but to the left. A photo from further back leaves the base of the falls and the pool completely obscured. From dry ground to the left creates an angle that blocks the waterfall. Here I had to wade into the pool up to my thighs and stand back against the far wall. My Vanguard 263CB tripod was tall enough to hold my camera out of the water and I used my wide angle 18-135mm lens, with polarizer and ND4 filter. Aperture f8 at .8 sec shutter speed.
The photo was taken at mid day with clear skies and sun. The rocks on either side were very bright, while the falls was covered in shadow. I took several versions of this shot at different exposure levels, thinking that I would have to exposure blend them in photoshop. However, this one image captured the shadow detail without blowing out any highlights on the rocks. In post-processing I was able to bring down the exposure of the rocks and bump up the whites in the water for the finished photo. I’m really happy with the results.
Here is what I wrote about this hike to the falls along the Dodd Creek-
Thanks for taking the time to read! Please share with anyone who might be interested!
This is a fabulous photo, Erik. And I like the Frankl quote too. I've never forgotten: 'Everything can be taken away from a man [sic] except the ability to be free: to choose his own way in any set of circumstances.' (I may have paraphrased; but that's the gist, from a Nazi concentration camp.)