The Falls Were Worth The Fall - Picture and Story
by Gene Walls
Title
The Falls Were Worth The Fall - Picture and Story
Artist
Gene Walls
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
This is "Big Falls" on a damp overcast morning along Heberly Run in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. This particular point of view was chosen because I liked the look of the temporary little waterfall that was spilling over the cliff in the foreground.
The thrill of chasing waterfalls was sparked within me by a glowing passion that resides deep within my soul. This odd love affair began when I was just a young boy, growing up with a waterfall not far from my bedroom window. That soothing sound had become a permanent part of my very being. The vision of "Walls Falls" will never fade in my memories.
Even when things are not exactly going the right way, the chase goes on. The first day of September started out perfectly, with a great breakfast and a very pleasant drive to meet up with my equally afflicted hiking partners. Our hike to Big Falls was a little challenging, but lots of rugged fun.
When we arrived at this beautiful spot in late morning, the first sight of the waterfall left us all practically speechless. We just stood there in amazement for a moment or two. Then the tripods were setup and cameras were quickly mated with the most appropriate lenses to catch the magical scene that was there before our eyes.
With the proper gear carefully selected, we each found a good viewing angle to begin shooting (without blocking each others field of view, of course). I snapped a few shots... and then it happened, the dreaded "Error 99" began flashing on my display. There was no getting around it, my trusty camera was broken.
Fortunately, the old Boy Scout mantra "Be Prepared" had been burned into my gray matter, since my early scouting days. I had a backup camera body in my backpack for just this type of disaster. The emergency spare was a bit light on megapixels, but it was far better than getting no pictures at all.
This is my favorite photo of the day, despite the fact that the resolution is slightly less than I would have liked and there was a light drizzle falling while I was snapping the shot. OK, all is right with the world now, at least I got the photo I really wanted.
Even if the backup camera had failed too, the adventure was still the most important thing to me anyway...
Then, out of nowhere, my feet went flying into mid air and suddenly I found myself lying there, totally stunned, on a moss covered boulder. I remained motionless while I did a methodical mental inventory from my toes to the top of my head. At least, everything seemed to be intact, with no warning signs to indicate any serious problems. Miraculously, nothing was broken (except my fragile ego). With just a few nasty bruises, scratched glasses and a couple of minor cuts, I got back up, just in time to pose for a "group shot" photo to commemorate the trip.
We continued on our planned trek to the three remaining waterfalls on Heberly Run. I was able to keep up with my friends just fine and thoroughly enjoyed the entire trip. Sometimes, the things that don't go quite as expected add an important element that makes a hike a true adventure.
The other hikers on this trip were Aaron Campbell and Tim Devine (Tim coordinated the trip and was our very capable guide).
Heberly Run flows through State Game Lands #13, which is located near the community of Jamison City in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, USA.
This photo was captured RAW in Aperture Priority mode with a Canon EOS D30 body through a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L Zoom lens. The lens was set to the 19mm focal length. The shutter speed was 0.3 seconds at f/5.6. An ND2 neutral density filter was used, with a circular polarizer stacked on front. The ISO was set to 100. A Manfrotto tripod was used with a 222 pistol grip head.
Your comments are always welcome! Constructive criticism is appreciated.
© 2011 Gene Walls
Uploaded
April 21st, 2013
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Viewed 103 Times - Last Visitor from Beverly Hills, CA on 03/17/2024 at 3:45 AM
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Comments (5)
Eti Reid
Yeah I can hear you:) Good thing you were prepared with second body! Wishing you a lovely week too,Gene!
Eti Reid
OMG! I am ready to fall even few times for this view!!! Adore it! f/v
Gene Walls replied:
Thank you so much, Eti! But honestly, one nasty slip and fall was quite enough for me. LOL Kindest wishes, Gene
Donna Kennedy
I just read your story Gene and I must say you had quite a day indeed! Maybe I need to learn from your experiences and carry a back-up camera, it never occurred to me my trusty friend could conk out on me, lol! So glad you were o.k. after the fall and able to get your shot and continue on with the group! What we photographers don't do for "The Shot"! Kudos to you my friend :) voted
Gene Walls replied:
Thank you very much, Donna! I don't always carry a backup camera, especially on a long difficult hike. My EOS had more than double the shutter actuations that it was rated for, so I knew there was a chance it could fail at any time. I was so glad I had taken that extra body along that time. Best wishes, Gene
Jordan Blackstone
Wow! to both the shot and the story!! So glad you had the back-up and that you got "back-up"!! v
Gene Walls replied:
Thanks, Jordan! I really like the word play in your kind comment! I especially appreciate the time you took to read my little story. Kindest wishes, Gene