Can't Stop Now (Part II)

After experiencing the twists and turns of the mountain roads in West Virginia, they did straighten and level out to a degree. And after a confusing tour through one city, (which shall go nameless) we made our way to our first destination, near Salem, SC. While there, I did manage to photograph Issaqueena Falls.

Waterfalls are fun things to photograph. After scouting to find the best point of view you also have to decide if you want to portray the water as foggy and non-distinct, or sharp enough to see individual droplets. One aspect of this shot is the lighting.

If the waterfall is fully bathed in sunshine the choice can be very easy – go for the sharpness. If the sky is overcast, it is easier to go with frothy, foggy and ethereal. Of course, if you have some sophisticated filters you can do this even with full sunshine.

The photos I share today had to be taken from a distance due to dense undergrowth. This was a blessing because I stayed dry, but one drawback is that I could not do any creative gardening with the scene. You may notice in one a branch or two that haven’t quite made the trip downstream, and a few leaves that look out of place and otherwise distracting.

The next leg of our trip took us to Charleston, SC in the heart of southern plantations. Of course the city is noted for much more, but that will have to wait for the next installment.

snapshot