10/15/2022
This is the photo that was on my mind the entire 5-hour drive back from NC yesterday. I just finished an initial edit and I'm gonna sit back and let it stew for a bit before diving in again.
Storytime...
I was packing up after getting a bunch of different angles of Crabtree Falls, and I was thrilled at the entire experience, including the strenuous hike down because the scene was definitely worth it (check out my :30 'Moment of Zen' video of the falls). I slung the first backpack strap around my shoulder and as I was reaching to put my other arm through the second strap, I noticed a ray of light illuminating the base and trunk of the lone tree at the base of the falls. And ONLY that tree.
Somehow, I shaft of light burst through the canopy and provided a spotlight, teasing me as if saying "Oh... was THIS what you were waiting for? So sorry to see you go. Have a nice hike back up the valley".
Not so fast!
I quickly unpacked my gear, establishing a new speed record for setting up my tripod and camera because I had no idea how long this shaft of light would last. The entire scene around the waterfall was in shade, except for this lone tree and its' exposed roots. I suddenly felt like I was in a fairy tale.
To my eyes, it looked good. Checking the LCD screen on the back of the camera, it looked good. But I've been fooled before by an image once opened on the computer. This is why I'm taking the editing process very slow. I want to do the scene justice.
I've included a current edit of the waterfall photo next to a similarly composed image that showed the way the light on the scene looked throughout most of my time there - shadows with random dapples of light through the canopy. Nothing like what the final image on the left captured.
I'm pretty happy so far with the outcome of the image. The entire ride home I kept bouncing between two words; Patience and Persistence. If I ever publish a book on my photography exploits, I think this may be the title 🙂
