I took this shot a couple of years ago more or less when I started taking landscape shots. It's the original edit done at the time and I wondered what you guys think of it. As an aside, I'm always reminded of Edvard Munch's The Scream when I look at this.
It'd make two good images, Ian, but they're not a perfect marriage in one frame to my eye!
A familiar problem for me, of finding suitable foreground subject matter for the waterfall, with often limited access to vantage points that aren't on a slimy rocky slope or in six feet of raging icy water.
I'd wonder about zooming out a little, to capture the whole of that jutting log and more waterfall. As it is, the strong foreground captures the eye, but then the log leads it straight out of frame. If possible, I'd also move right, to see if the end of that log could point into the frame.
I'd allow plenty of time, and take probably dozens of images at such a site. I usually find that after a while, I'm in the zone, and see many more potential images than I do at first, especially details. I'd definitely try for a good image of just the falls with as little distraction as possible, as the falling water looks unusually subtle and ethereal, easily overpowered, its subtle beauty lost. Your shutter speed is perfect for the falls, by the way - often hard to get right. Even so, varying this could yield more good images.
This one's still a "keeper", and is good for an early effort.
Thanks for the comments Chris. I take your point about the leading line of the log but for me the eye follows it only as far as the piece jutting down into the water and brings me to the falls. That said, it's a retrospective view because I know when I took the shot I wouldn't have considered where the eye would be led, just that I needed foreground interest.
That's good advice re taking more shots to get into the zone. I often struggle to find compositions (I don't have the eye yet) and am guilty of not taking enough shots at a location as a result.
Foreground interest is usually beneficial,but to me the water in this fall merits a close-up as well.
I know people lament digital shooters blasting away, but it's easier to delete than go back, and then the water, the weather and the light are never the same anyway. I often regret not taking more at the scene - which could result in refining the images, up to the point where fatigue sets in and judgment falters.
And then back at base I cull hard before saving and back up. Which is tedious.
I love it. I don't think I'd change a thing.
Thanks Phillip.