Little Scenes

Sometimes it’s the little scenes that make you the happiest. While walking towards a large waterfall in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) last week, this small cascade caught my eye.

It was a mere 20 feet in length and only a foot wide at the base. Last year, the slope was dry, and I walked right past it. But it was raining last week, and numerous little streams were running.

I stopped in my tracks and set up my camera. I enjoyed this small scene so much that I spent almost no time photographing my intended subject, Laughing Whitefish Falls, Michigan’s highest waterfall.

The Shot

One of the advantages of my 2017 trip to Iceland was learning how to take pictures in the rain. On my last 11-day trip there, it rained non-stop, only pausing long enough to mock me on the way to the airport to fly home.

So, when the week’s forecast for the UP called for rain every day, I was prepared. Thanks to my Iceland experience, I can photograph in heavy rain, medium rain, light rain, drizzle, and mist!

The rain actually helped by saturating and boosting the colors. And the overcast conditions evened out the light, making it more flattering for running water. All it took was a polarizing filter on my lens to remove the glare and the beautiful fall colors began to pop.

I experimented with several different shutter speeds to blur and simplify the water. After picking my favorite speed, I wiped the water droplets off my lens and took several pictures from different angles. This image was my favorite.

Thanks for looking,

Chuck Derus

https://cderus.zenfolio.com/