During a recent trip to Ellijay, Georgia, I stopped at Amicalola Falls State Park and hiked the Amicalola Falls Trail. The temperatures were already quite warm by late morning, so I traveled light, carrying only my camera??”no filters or tripod. With clouds moving in and out, the light on the main falls was inconsistent, creating distracting hot spots so I focused on smaller cascading sections along the trail on the way up. Even without a tripod, I was able to stabilize my camera on a flat rock, wait for passing cloud cover, and capture smoother water movement. My compositions were limited since I had to rely on specific rocks for both positioning and stability. Canon R5, EF24-105 @40mm, 1/6 sec at f/16, and ISO125. I don’t remember if I used a 2 sec delay or not.
13 comments posted
Michael Jack
Great choice of camera settings. I like the portrait composition. The shutter speed was enough to smooth the water but still give texture. The image is sharp throughout, and complementary colors add interest. Posted: 07/05/2026 16:16:37
Barbara Gore
Thanks so much Michael. Posted: 07/06/2026 18:38:56
Larry Treadwell
Hi Barb
vertical cascades don't seem to be shown very often so I think this is a bit refreshing, You seem to have done just fine without your tripod. I like the multiple textures from the foliage, rocks and water.. I thought the water at the bottom felt a bit muddy, so I played with dehaze, and the black point and got a bit detail and drama as a result. It is up to you if you like it or not. Posted: 07/05/2026 17:48:47
Barbara Gore
Many thanks Larry. I didn't see the re-edited version of the photo. Posted: 07/06/2026 18:41:43
Tracy Kaminer
Wow, Barbara. Impressive that you could get that with no filter and no tripod. I'll have to remember that. It looks really clear to me. And I, too, like the texture of the water. I have a pang of nostalgia reading about Ellijay. We had a cabin there when we were living in Atlanta and sold it when we moved to Virginia. I've spent so much time at Amicalola State Park! I like the smaller waterfall landscapes, and this is a nice one. Posted: 07/07/2026 20:04:39
Barbara Gore
Thanks Tracy. When we go to Ellijay we always rent a cabin in the woods - wonderful place. Glad you had the chance to spend so much time in Amicalola State Park. Posted: 07/07/2026 22:40:23
Bill Peake
This is a really good mixture of textures and colors. Kudos on smoothing out the water without a tripod! To me this has an almost intimate feel, perhaps because of the scale and lighting. Posted: 07/08/2026 18:39:41
Barbara Gore
Many thanks, Bill. Posted: 07/13/2026 13:00:14
Adi Ben-Senior
Lovely picture B,
The composition and execution is flawless.
I love the multiple diagonal lines.
Posted: 07/11/2026 20:06:47
Barbara Gore
Thanks Adi. Posted: 07/13/2026 13:00:30
Grace Cohen
Barbara - you got an A for composition as well as execution here!
The weather was working in your favor with the cloud cover - and lack of wind too.
I can almost hear the water flowing over the rocks. Extra nice job! Posted: 07/11/2026 20:41:44
Barbara Gore
Thanks Grace and yes, the intermittent clouds coverage was a big help. Posted: 07/13/2026 13:01:57
Larry Treadwell
Just realized I didn't attach my edits. So here you go. I just worked on getting detail in the water highlights. It looks different in Lightroom hope it show up here in a smaller version. Posted: 07/13/2026 14:29:59
