Waterfall, Sweet Creek
Water. I love photographing water. I don’t know what it is, but I am really drawn to it. It really doesn’t matter if it is flowing or still, it is very captivating to me. I happened upon this waterfall one morning while hiking up Sweet Creek as we were on our way to Yachats, Oregon. It was a cool morning in October and the water was flowing just perfectly. I had visited this area earlier in the year and the flows were extreme, way too fast for the feel I like in my images, but this time it was perfect. The lighting was nice as well. However, just a few minutes after photographing these falls, the sun crested the mountain and the water was in the blazing sunlight and the mood was gone. The contrast was so great that it was impossible to photograph any longer. I really feel lucky to have arrived when I did and have the opportunity to create a few good images before losing the light.
This concept of light quality is everything in photography. Photo means light and graphy means to draw or write. We photographers draw with light. If we have a quality light source then we can create quality photographs. Without quality light, we create less than quality images. So many of my young students have a hard time grasping hold of this concept. When they do finally get it, though, everything seems to click. When that happens, I realize just how great it is to be a teacher. I have the best jobs in the world. Photographing and sharing. Life is good.
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