Ephemeral Splendor
This shot was taken at Falls Creek Falls, Washington
The power and beauty of nature was something to behold at this location. However, capturing the essence of the moment proved to be truly challenging and this is probably one of the most difficult shots I have taken. The hike to the falls itself is not that difficult. However, getting to this location involved slithering down a 100ft wet steep slope, negotiating through fallen tree trunks, balancing on wet slippery rocks and then finally standing in freezing water with the tripod balanced over an unstable tree trunk. The wind and the mist from the fall made it very difficult to keep the front of the lens dry for more than a second. Imagine wiping the front of the lens constantly, removing the cloth and then instantly trying to press the shutter before mist hit the lens. After about a 100 or more attempts, multiple lens cloths soaked, body completely numb from the cold, and the lens finally fogging up it was time to quit. It was a miracle that the equipment and I survived and a couple of shots came out decent enough to be usable.
This will remain a memorable event in my mind as I had dropped a Nikon D810/14-24mm lens in Proxy Falls a few days earlier, felt pretty gun shy and deflated but was still fool hardy enough to make this attempt with my backup camera. I am glad I did!
