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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Seven: Making time count > Under the Waterfall, Lower Emerald Pool, Zion National Park, Utah, 2006
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07-FEB-2006

Under the Waterfall, Lower Emerald Pool, Zion National Park, Utah, 2006

By standing behind this waterfall at Zion's Lower Emerald Pool, I was able to portray the flow of water flying past my camera in an extended form. They appear here as a curtain of speeding droplets. I used a shutter speed of 1/125th of a second to achieve this effect. The image required more than a rain of water to make it express meaning. I include a diagonal branch for context. It makes the waterfall droplets appear to moving even faster.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
1/200s f/5.6 at 88.8mm iso80 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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Phil Douglis14-Nov-2007 00:11
The light makes the image work, as well as the dark background, Milos. Without the light and background, the droplets would not be visible. By juxtaposing the branches diagonally across the flow of the water, I've tried to make the water seem to flow even faster. The branches work well symbolically with the water as well -- they may be bare here, but come spring, this flow of moisture will have produced an explosion of green.
Milos Markovic09-Nov-2007 20:31
I love how the water droplets glitter, bathed with divine lighting, and the diagonal structure of branches makes this photo compositionally flawless.
Phil Douglis25-Jul-2006 17:28
Thanks for this comment, Jenene. The branch is just as important to this image as the water. It tells us how fast these drops are moving, and as you say, it begs for nourishment, even though there is not a leaf t be seen. The touches of light are important details as well. Plants require light and water for existence.
JSWaters25-Jul-2006 14:33
The water rains down like millions of tiny needles, straight and purposeful, in contrast to the diagonal branch gracefully reaching for the water's nourishment. The light glinting off the hard drops and branch illuminates the idea that this is just one of nature's many forms of sustenance and survival.
Jenene
Phil Douglis20-Feb-2006 16:52
I felt the mist on my face as I took this shot, and I wanted you to feel it as well. The choice of shutter speed has lengthened the drops and gives us a curtain like effect. Thanks, Dandan, for letting this image wash over you.
Guest 20-Feb-2006 12:25
Phil, you really make the water fall liks a curtain. I want to touch it, and I almost can feel the mist on my face...
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