Frozen waterfall

[Mike Buckley]

My wife and I went to Scott's Run Nature Preserve this past spring for the first time and saw this little waterfall. I was hoping it would be at least partially frozen during our spell of frigid weather and was surprised that its exterior is totally frozen with just a little water running heard but unseen underneath the snow-covered ice.

Interestingly, this beautiful little spot is less than a mile outside the Washington DC beltway.

[IzzieK]

Woweee Mike! that is just beautiful. B/W did it justice too. Did you notice the monster at the lower left side of your shot? hmmm...I am still having nightmares with Louise's ice sculpture...

[wlou]

Mike you have a great place to take photos. A place of interest in all four seasons. The ice has made some intricate patterns. Nice monster as Isabel noticed!

[NorthernFocus]

Water in all its forms makes great photos. Nice find.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks everyone!

[Loose Canon]

Mike,

I have spent the vast majority of my life in the Great Out There. I absolutely love these kinds of shots. Waterfalls are always cool but to get out there and get them in these extreme weather conditions epitomizes the challenges of hiking, camping, and generally living/working in the extremes. Even if one takes a relatively leisurely (albeit mind-numbingly cold) hike to get there it is still that most people won't.

It just adds to the mystique.

This shot rocks in my view Mike. Well done!

(Now pack in there and spend a few days camping there eating freeze dried add-boiling-water-to-the-pouch meals with reconstituted dehydrated wine powder (Kool-Aid & vodka), melting ice/snow for water (and you can actually scald water doing this- tastes horrible), sleeping with your H2O bottles in the bottom of your sleeping bag so they won't hopelessly freeze until Spring Thaw and catch it with different light? Remember to bring your long handles! )

[dabhand]

Mike - one super image and in my favourite colours ! I wonder how many pass along the beltway each day even know that such a beautiful sight is so accessible to them.

steve

[Downrigger]

Nice, Mike. Handsome image. I'm sure this is a good example of an image that was conceived for B&W from the very beginning.
My question would be: did you purposely set your exposure parameters &/or WB differently than if shooting for color knowing this would be B&W?

[Mike Buckley]

I wonder how many pass along the beltway each day even know that such a beautiful sight is so accessible to them.

You're so right. I did that for 41 years before I discovered it. I still wouldn't know about it if my wife hadn't read about the park.

[Mike Buckley]

I'm sure this is a good example of an image that was conceived for B&W from the very beginning.

To be really precise, it was conceived only as a test shot pertaining to the composition thinking that the image would be deleted. That's because I intentionally got to the waterfall when there would be no direct light on the scene and determined upon arriving there that the light was just too flat. So, I composed to include the large rock on the left to provide depth that the light itself wasn't providing, thinking that the shot would be a good test for a return in better light. It was only when I got to the computer that I realized the possibilities and that happened only when I converted to black-and-white.

My question would be: did you purposely set your exposure parameters &/or WB differently than if shooting for color knowing this would be B&W?

No.

The histogram indicated a small tonal range. I made three exposures. The histogram of the first one displayed all tones in the middle with none on the far right or left of the histogram. I took two more exposures moving those details closer to the right side of the histogram.

As for white balance, my camera's auto white balance is very effective 99% of the time. So, I didn't concern myself with that, especially knowing that I could easily change the white balance during post-processing if I had to. That wasn't necessary.

[Mike Buckley]

I have spent the vast majority of my life in the Great Out There.

I had no idea, Terry. Your wonderful studio shots would certainly not give anyone that impression.

Waterfalls are always cool but to get out there and get them in these extreme weather conditions...Even if one takes a relatively leisurely (albeit mind-numbingly cold) hike to get there it is still that most people won't.

This one is a 20-minute walk on a trail that is well maintained, too easy to be called a hike. The only difficulty is that there are two crossings of Scott's Run. One guy who had appropriate boots walked through the water. I used the series of short concrete posts as stepping stones. Though I was able to safely use them, especially with the stability provided by my hiking stick, they would have been prohibitive for my wife. That's because of the somewhat treachery of the packed snow on the posts and because they are placed a little too far apart for her short legs.

I intend to return in search of better light while the waterfall remains frozen. I do wish I had gotten to it while the water was frozen but before the snow had covered the ice. I think the possibilities are greater in that situation and look forward to eventually capturing the scene in those conditions if not for a better view at least a different view.

[Downrigger]

Thanks Mike, very helpful...

I took two more exposures moving those details closer to the right side of the histogram.

Because bringing the exposure/brightness/white point in PP incurs more image noise than dropping exposure/brightness/white point?

[Mike Buckley]

Because bringing the exposure/brightness/white point in PP incurs more image noise than dropping exposure/brightness/white point?

Though that's true, I wasn't concerned about that in this particular scene. Instead, I made the three exposures so I would have the ideal one to begin my post-processing with. In the end, I used the very first exposure.

I often write in threads discussing post-processing that the Curves tool can be used selectively, not just globally. It might be interesting to people that I selectively adjusted the curve three times in the color version and five more times after I converted to black-and-white. Those selective adjustments to the black-and-white image are what brought out the depth and interest in the scene; without them, I wouldn't have kept the image, much less posted it here.

[John 2]

.............. Even if one takes a relatively leisurely (albeit mind-numbingly cold) hike to get there it is still that most people won't.
)

Which is why forums like this go beyond just photography. Really very nice Mike and an excellent subject for mono.

[GeorgeM]

Great shot!!

[mknittle]

Cool waterfall Mike,

This image contains two of my favorite subjects. black and white plus a waterfall.

[Hui Song]

It is such a great shoot. Make me can not take it any more. I need go out shoot frozen water fall in my area before the weather getting warmer.

[JMG]

nice photo i wish we have that scenery here, the B&W add to the mood.

[Mike Buckley]

Continued thanks to everyone!

By the way, this park has an interesting history. When locals learned in the 1960s that a developer had purchased the land from its sole owner and had plans to convert it to a real estate development, there was a moderate uprising. A group of people (led I think by a high school girl) stood in front of the bulldozers. The community negotiated with the developer to purchase the land and voted in a public referendum to raise their taxes to pay for the purchase. At some point the federal government instead bought the land to preserve it and at some later point the county government took over the property but I don't know any details about that.

[Digital]

Mike, that is one beautiful image.


Bruce