Getting the best angle might mean getting your feet wet !

Waterfalls along Pendelton Run, Blackwaterfalls State Park, West Virginia.

Nikon D200, 17-35mm, Singh Ray Warm Polarizer, raw capture, 15 seconds @ f16

I made this image of waterfalls along Pendleton Run last month while leading a workshop in Blackwater Falls State Park. On the last day of the workshop I lead the group down to photography waterfalls along Pendleton Run. This small stream drops hundreds of feet into Blackwater Canyon and has some really beautiful waterfalls and cascades along the way.

Climbing down a rock ledge into the stream provided me with a unique angle of this section of falls. I squatted down into the water and ran through compositions. Upon finding a perfect angle, I attached my camera to the tripod and fitted on my Singh Ray Warm Polarizer in order to reduce glare on the wet rocks thus increasing contrast and color saturation. The hardest part of making this image was keeping my lens free of water during the long 15 second exposure. I would have to get up out of the water and creep around to the front of the camera. Wipe the lens free of spray and mist, trip the shutter and keep my fingers crossed. It took me about 15 shots to get only a few without water and moisture on the lens. It was well worth the effort and frozen feet.