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Rudi van den Heever
10-16-2013, 03:46 PM
I came across this waterfall whilst hiking with my (then) 8 month old son in a carrier on my back in Blyde River Canyon... Well, as such no opportunity for a lower angle, but pretty chuffed with te outcome none the less!

Canon EOS 7D, Focal length 22.0mm, 10.0 s at f/18.0 and ISO 100 with circular polarizer filter...

Anette Mossbacher
10-16-2013, 04:54 PM
Hi Rudi,

very nice scene and image. For me the green is a tad to saturated. May I ask why you used a Polarizer filter ?
Overall very nice done, might would lighten up LHS the "cave" a bit more. That looks very interesting too!

Have a great evening

Ciao
Anette

dankearl
10-16-2013, 07:33 PM
The water is cool looking and I like the comp.
Since so few post here, it would be nice if those that do, commented on something.
This forum is like nothing else here, people post and just don't bother.
About 25 photos posted here in the last couple of weeks, out of those about 10 people did not even
bother to comment on anything else......
Editorial over, but this forum and site will be over unless the Mods or owners reinforce the concept.
Rachel Hollander in the wildlife forum lets posters know and it seems to work.

Don Nelson
10-16-2013, 11:59 PM
Anette - While many people use ND1.8 or ND0.9 to extend the exposure time, another trick is to use polarizer for the effect of ND0.5 to ND0.6--if you don't have a ND with you. Slowing down the exposure time while setting ISO 100 (or 50 depending on the digital camera) allows you to get to the proper shutter speed to blur the water.

Rudi - Nicely done waterfall. Excellent choice of shutter speed. to blur for this height waterfall.
I'm not fond of the color of the pool. To me this color detracts from the waterfall....even though it is what you experienced. With the larger tiff resulting from the raw, you could select the pool, use that selection to desaturate the pool, then use a screen blend mode to add another color to the pool. The key in this image will be to properly mask the bamboo that extends into the pool on the left - and for that you cannot effectively use the little tiny jpgs posted in this forum (its a lot of work with refine selection, etc after making basic selection, Here's an example (and for pixel peepers - the bamboo isn't fully masked properly - as I said you'd want to do that in the large Tiff selection process, not on this tiny jpg).

Your selection of blue is made to task and you can use the blending percent to reduce further to just your color saturation on the screen blending mode layer....

For those that like the original color....well don't do this....

Rudi van den Heever
10-17-2013, 03:05 AM
Thanks for the feedback guys! Sound like a lot of work Don, but interesting! Will give it a go!

Anette, I used the polarizer mainly to reduce the glare on the water and leaves, as the image was taken at about 11H00 under an overcast sky. Secondly it helped me to achieve a slower shutter speed like Don said. I did have a 3 stop ND filter with me, but opted for the polarizer for the reasons as aforementioned!

Dan, will try to be more active on the forums, but with a full time legal practice and a 11 month old son it is not always that easy! :tinysmile_shy_t:

Anette Mossbacher
10-17-2013, 04:18 AM
Hi Don & Rudi,

thank you very much for the info about the Polarizer :bg3:
I never use it for that, I use the ND filters. I even go as low as I can with the ISO, set on camera to L, if there would be a XL, I would use that :w3

Dan - you are so right with your comment. When people do not comment in a forum it is dead. At least on the last 5 images people can comment. No big deal. Sometimes I think they are afraid to comment or just to lazy. But the non commenter do want feedback on their images? Do they? Hmmmm......

Have a great day

Ciao
Anette

Hazel Grant
10-17-2013, 07:46 AM
good info re polarizer usage. I too, though, was bothered by the water color--or at least the amount of that color. I think perhaps a bit of crop at the bottom would bring the focus off that large brown area and focus the eye on the real object, the waterfall.

Diane Miller
10-17-2013, 10:21 AM
I think a crop from the bottom would be effective, in terms of composition. Looking at the right edge, coming up from the bottom halfway to the bank removes a large fairly empty area that pulls the eye away from the lovely falls and its surroundings.

I agree it would be nice to see into the cave just a little.

Roman Kurywczak
10-17-2013, 11:57 AM
Hey Rudi,
I can see countless comps here.....a tighter vert would work for me as well. I am OK with the colors and the SS choice.....a nice one overall.

Carl Walker
10-18-2013, 03:00 PM
Super image Rudi. I think you did well here to capture the water with your ss. Love the colours and vegetation. Pretty detailed all round. Perhaps if you opened up the cave more it might add something more to the image. Very picturesque. Love it

Andrew McLachlan
10-18-2013, 06:36 PM
Hi Rudi, I love this as is, but might consider one thing if you are not opposed to cloning. I find the branch that is hanging down in front of the small cave to the left of the waterfall to be a little distracting.

LinzRiverBalmer
10-19-2013, 01:59 AM
very nice image, love the waterfall, I can't critique them..... however I like the cave and think some detail could be pulled from there and make this even more interesting.

Regarding commenting, your explanation suffices, and I for one have a hard time commenting on waterfalls because I don't know the technical aspects of shooting them. There have been many many water fall shots lately.

I love looking at them, just don't know how to critique them.

I'm new here so should keep my mouth shut, but I understand your busy life, and don't think it does anything positive for anyone to be lectured on it. This will if anything make members leave and feel unwelcome.

The mods should keep it in check or send a PM if there is an issue and I hope they read this thread, it's no way to keep members.

I for one might post a photo and then not be on for a couple of days and then come back and critique a bunch of photos.... we all have reasons, you have an infant, my eyes need a rest from the screen, people work etc.

Morkel Erasmus
10-19-2013, 06:03 AM
Thanks for your thoughts, Dan, Anette and Linz.
I agree, everyone's schedule and life is different. We would love everyone who posts to at least comment on 5 recent posts. We do communicate this via PM (and sometimes gently in a thread) to members where we feel it necessary. Let's keep from making this an issue between different members. Post photos you want critique of. Take the critique you are given, no matter how many people respond. When you have the time, drop in and leave your thoughts on an image or 5. :tinysmile_shy_t:

Morkel Erasmus
10-19-2013, 06:18 AM
Rudi, I like the composition and soft light and the water flow. I know the water is brown there, perhaps just desaturate the yellows in the water somewhat?
Like Roman said - many comps here, guess you got more than this as well :5

Cheryl Slechta
10-19-2013, 04:51 PM
Hi, Rudi, I'm late to comment and I like this as presented but would like to see you try Morkel's suggestion with the water. I also agree that evicting the branch hanging in front of the cave would be nice.:S3:

dankearl
10-19-2013, 11:09 PM
Sorry for ruffling feathers, but the lack of comments is a problem.
I personally don't feel much like posting here, a number of others who used to post often have stopped.
I have communicated privately with members who won't bother anymore, they can post elsewhere with more feedback.
The "I don't have time" is totally lame.
If you have time to post a photo, it takes about 5 minutes to post on 2 or 3 others. If the mods don't care I should not and I won't bring it up again.
This forum used to be a lot more active and the lack of participation has killed it.
OOTB is suffering the same fate and the Avian forum is down to about 10 regulars.
I like BPN, it is too bad that the membership has become so blasé about it.

Morkel Erasmus
10-19-2013, 11:37 PM
No worries Dan. We share your concerns about the Landscape section activity.
There are just ways to tackle it, and members lambasting each other isn't it IMHO :e3.
Will chat further via PM.