Rockstall Nature Preserve is a lesser known spot in Hocking Hills, Ohio. A quick hike leads to a beautiful hollow with two waterfalls, a large shallow pool. a creek, and steep cliffs.
Even though it had been raining on and off for days, one falls was down to a trickle and the other falls was dry on the mid July day I was there. I definitely want to return some time when the falls are really flowing. After trying several other compositions, I tried a low angle fish-eye shot with the camera setup right over a fallen branch that pointed at the waterfall. It was late morning and the sun was coming out so I took three exposures to blend together to compensate for the extreme dynamic range of light and shadows.
Because the waterfall was so thin I thought I would compose a shot that extended the line of the fallen branch to the line of the water leading the eye on a meandering path from the bottom to top. The fish-eye lens makes the scale of the waterfall difficult to judge, but the trees above it gives the viewer some clue.
ISO:100 – f/11 – 8mm – HDR
The Manfrotto tripod’s 90 degree center post let me setup the camera straddling the fallen branch.
