Photo of the Week 2013-02-25

My weekend photo outing started with a stop for a coffee then a meet up in a local parking lot where 3 of us loaded our gear into one vehicle. Since Patrick was able to join Alan and I on this outing we had decided to show him a couple locations we always enjoy and headed for a couple of waterfalls in Ancaster, Tiffany and Sherman.

The company of friends certainly made for a different outing than I had the previous week. In place of quiet contemplation there was laughter, friendly banter and much talk of photography. We arrived, first at Tiffany Falls, geared up and proceeded up the trail. It didn't take long for the group to separate as each moved on to explore on their own. I have written and talked before about how I find the approaches to a location taken by different photographers and the varying results of their efforts to be quite interesting.

As for my approach to capturing the feel of this location, I had been thinking about some long exposure photography and wanted to try out a new Lee ND filter. The flowing waters downstream of both falls provided plenty of opportunity to do so.

Ancaster Creek 2013-02-23

In particular, I was drawn to a scene just upstream of a footbridge over Ancaster Creek at Sherman Falls. Surveying the area for the best point of view from which to capture the scene, I scrambled down the bank of the creek and worked my way into position under the bridge. With the mild weather, temperatures had risen to just above freezing, turning falling snow to a light rain. The ice was beginning to melt and the falling rain was dripping from overhead branches to mark the remaining snow with a pattern of dots. As I set up under the bridge, I managed to keep my camera gear out of the path of water dripping from overhead as well, not so for myself as I had cold water drip down the back of my neck more than once. 

When I arrived home and was able to download and view the images I made on a larger computer monitor, I was very pleased. I knew I had a winner and went to work right away processing the version above. Printed and framed, it now stands on the display easel in our entrance hallway.

 

DJE