Post Your Best Nature Shots!

[conropl]

Thanks Joel. I used the EF 24-105 with a B+W 6 Stop ND filter.

I agree with Joel.

Don't you use a CPL? With wet rocks around waterfalls, the CPL gets ride of the glare to bring out more rock detail and helps metering (gets ride of the hot spots). The rock shelf in the vertical shot (mid frame, right side) shows a lot of light glare. The CPL also gives you another 1.5 - 2 stops of light reduction. However, I really like that shot... a CPL would just be a small tweak in a really nicely composed shot.

I am pretty sold on CPL's for waterfalls... is there any reason you do not (did not) use one? My problem with CPL's is when I switch to vertical, I forget to reset the filter.

[Kayaker72]

I agree with Joel.

Don't you use a CPL? With wet rocks around waterfalls, the CPL gets ride of the glare to bring out more rock detail and helps metering (gets ride of the hot spots). The rock shelf in the vertical shot (mid frame, right side) shows a lot of light glare. The CPL also gives you another 1.5 - 2 stops of light reduction. However, I really like that shot... a CPL would just be a small tweak in a really nicely composed shot.

I am pretty sold on CPL's for waterfalls... is there any reason you do not (did not) use one? My problem with CPL's is when I switch to vertical, I forget to reset the filter.

Thanks Pat.

I do sometimes use a CPL. But it is probably less than half the time. Two basic reasons, I get vignetting when I stack my ND and CPL filters from 24-~30 mm. So, if I know I will be shooting wide, I don't tend to use it. The second reason has more to do with the water. Sometimes a CPL deadens the water coming off the waterfall a little too much for my taste. That may just be me dialing it in too strongly, but I've had a couple of waterfall shots using a CPL where I thought the water coming down the waterfall ended up looking a little drab. Granted, I have shots where I think the CPL added to the image. Taking this a bit further, I've seen several shots where I would say you use the CPL well to accentuate the darker aspects of a waterfall to provide character. I shot two waterfalls yesterday, because of spring runoff there was so much spray, I was concerned there wasn't much "dark" to accentuate.

A third reason came into play yesterday. I am working on a report over this weekend and took a break yesterday to shoot the waterfalls. I only had a little bit of time. So, in addition to thinking that was likely going to shoot wide, worry about deadening the waterfall and spray, I also knew I didn't have much time to play with the CPL to dial it in on each shot. All three of those went into my selection to not use the CPL yesterday.

But it is a good reminder. I should have at least tried it on a shot or two. And I agree, the shot you mention likely would have been better had I reduced the glare on the rock.

Thanks,
Brant