In Search Of Waterfalls

This past winter, I had found a really nice map, ‘Waterfalls of North Carolina’.  The map details locations, has descriptions, and directions on how to get to each one.  This was a weekend trip to look for, and photograph some of them.  The weather was perfect, partly cloudy, mid 70’s.  My wife and I enjoyed the search until our bodies, not used to so much hiking, told us we had found enough for this trip.  Which was basically 5 major waterfalls. 

Just off of Interstate 40 near Black Mountain, was Catawba Falls, our first waterfall.  A very popular area, the parking lot was nearly full when we arrived.  From the parking area it was a 1.3 mile hike up a steady incline to the falls.  The wide, well used trail followed the Catawba River.  There were many spots along the trail to stop and take in the scenery, but getting to the falls for pictures was the goal of this trip.

I had brought my wet-water shoes, and I set up the tripod in the water at the base of the falls.  Then I realized I forgot to bring my filters for getting the really silky water look.  These are dark filters that let you get a slower shutter speed.   So I had to settle for the basic slow shutter speeds of the camera.  (To be honest, sometimes I like that look, sometimes I don’t like it.)  Then, after reviewing the shots that night, I realized how difficult some waterfall shots can be.  The light for photography, with mid day sun, dark shadows and bright sunlit water, was not the best.  So I started bracketing with sets of 1 stop exposures for all of my photos after this waterfall. 

The great opportunity on this waterfall happened just after I had changed from wide angle to my 70-200mm lens.  It all happened so fast, I did not really get time to adjust the camera for the best settings.  My shutter speed and aperture were still set for the tripod.  So some of the shots did not stop some of the arm movements of a girl who decided to ‘dance’ on the waterfall.  You can see the two pictures I like the best. 

Dancing on the Waterfall

A note about Model Release Forms and the need for one.  This is something that most people do not ever think about, but a photographer must consider.  The way I understand it, if the work will be used commercially, a photographer must have one.  Work that is going to appear in newspapers, educational books, and consumer or trade publications does not need a model release because it is editorial use – sometimes referred to as “fair use.”  And, photos that are taken in public places– streets, fairs, parks, festivals, etc.– generally do not require model releases.  I interpret this to mean I can use this photo here, but I cannot offer it for sale or use the image on notecards, etc.  As I do not use this site for sale of my photographs or my services, then it is not commercial use in this case.  It is still a shame that she has not responded to a request for one, as the pic will have to be removed if I ever convert this site to commercial use.

Chimney Rock State Park was the next stop.  We hiked the 7 tenths of a mile trail to Hickory Nut Falls, as seen in the movie, ‘Last Of The Mohicans’.  Once again, a popular spot, and framing out the tourists limited the possibility of getting in the entire falls.  The sun was high, and just behind the crest of the falls.  So once again a photography challenge of exposing the shot for shade and bright sunlit water.  But now I was bracketing 3 shots of each picture.  In the gallery that follows, most of the pictures are processed HDR pics.

After Chimney Rock, we headed off to find a couple of more.  Shunkawauken Falls was the next one, which was right beside to a small mountain road near Columbus, N.C.  I had to set up the tripod in the middle of the road for the one picture, but traffic was not a problem on that back road.  We only saw one truck come by the whole time we were there and a car pulled up to see the falls as we were leaving.

Bradley Falls was the next stop.  A 3 mile drive off of I26, then almost a mile hike from the parking at the edge of the road.  But as it turned out, the views of the falls were very limited.  Reports were, that to get to the falls itself, you had to scurry down a very steep and slippery path, and then rappel a small section down to the falls.  Maybe 20 or 30 years ago, not today.  I found some other side paths that led to the edge of an overlook, looking down at the falls.  My wife did not look too excited about me shuffling down a steep section, to lean against a tree near the edge of a steep cliff, just so I could set up the tripod.  But I got some interesting pictures. 

By this time we were pretty much wore out, and it was time to find some food and call it a day.

The Waterfall Pictures

Hover over the picture for its name.  Use the slider at the bottom to scroll through the pics.  And click on the pic for an expanded view.

The last day we were headed home.  But…… I found a waterfall that was on the way home.  It was part of a park, and the falls were right next to the parking lot.  No hiking steep grades required to see it.  So the last waterfall was at McGalliard Mill Park near Valdese, North Carolina.  Not as dramatic as the others, but still very nice.  And it had the benefits of a mill and a water wheel, even if the wheel was not operational.  I’ll end this post with a picture of the mill.

Thanks for the visit.

By The Way – The map has over 300 waterfalls detailed, and we only covered five on this trip.  

  Check back for……  In Search Of Waterfalls #2