These upper falls are in the Pisgah National Forest along the Catawba River, which originates in the Blue Ridge mountains. This area was
significantly affected by hurricane Helene, and reminders of the storm's impact are still visible throughout the forest. The was a 3.6 miles round-trip trail follows the river, passing several waterfalls and cascades along the way. I did not take my tripod, but with the help of the railing along the observation deck and a little careful timing with my breathing I was able to slow the shutter speed enough to capture the silky movement of the water.
For the final image, I made some minor adjustments to the exposure, shadows and whites and increased the luminescence of the green moss to bring out the mood and details of the scene.
Nikon Z8: Nikkor 24-70mm @ 66mm, 4/5s, f/18, ISO 64
4 comments posted
Gwen Callas-Miller
Gorgeous composition. You perfectly froze the water without losing movement and the enhancement of the moss adds interest without distracting. Posted: 10/02/2026 18:13:11
Sherry Icardi
I love this image....it is beautiful....you've captured a great amount of detail , and the brilliance of the green helps show off the beautiful water. I also really like the "harsh lines" of the rocks add texture and the ones on the left drag your eye into the whole image. And finally the green moss adds vibrance to the image. Nicely done especially handheld! Posted: 10/02/2026 20:07:51
John Stumbos
Very nice, Sarita. We've all seen silky waterfalls with long exposures, but yours adds a wonderful new dimension with the almost thread-like lines of white throughout the image. I've never seen a photo quite like it. Crisp focus throughout. Excellent detail. I like the way you added luminescence to the greens in the image. Made the image pop just the right amount. And kudos on your resourcefulness for finding a way to steady your camera. Lovely image! Posted: 10/02/2026 22:34:51
Peter Dominowski
Wow...such a unique look for a waterfall photo!
I agree with John's excellent description.
Great eye and imagination to take and process a photo like this!
Plus, green is my favorite color! Posted: 10/06/2026 02:20:27
