This weekend I decided to take one last trip up to Tumalo Falls before the road is closed for the winter. It is only about 20 miles from my home but the last three miles are over a dirt road.
In the spring the dirt road is graded and fresh sand is put down, but by fall, all the rocks and potholes are back. It was a slow and painful three miles, and at times I feared for my little car . . . at the very least I feared for flat tires. But I was able to avoid the worst of the boulders and potholes and made it there safely.
It was an overcast day and the lighting was perfect for the falls. Everyone has their own opinion about whether they like the water “crisp” or “soft.” I took photos both ways. For these photos, my personal preference is the “soft” look, but that’s the nice thing about photography and art. Nobody is right or wrong . . . it’s just a personal preference.
That’s my two cents for the day.
Maralee
Through My Lens 
This is some majestic photos, Maralee …. So difficult to take get good photos on running water or fountains – excellent job and that waterfall is majestic too.
Thanks so much, Viveka. I love waterfalls, but they can be very difficult to photograph at times.
Mrs Tootlepedal and I both go for the harder version. Sometimes that soft effect tickles my fancy but often only for a few seconds when I first see a picture. As soft focus goes though, I think that first picture is a stunning image.
Thank you very much.
Great shots . . . would love to go see these falls (I guess there’s something to photograph inland after all).
There’s another waterfalls about 50 miles from here that I’d like to photograph before winter sets in. . . they close the road to that falls in the winter, too.
Both are like the cascade of hair. Soft as straight and crips as curly. Great shots. Thanks. 🙂
Thank you very much.
Cripes I meant crisp. :-))
🙂
Soft and silky is nice, but I prefer the more real looking crisp. Both versions are lovely, though.
Thank you. I love the sharpness of waves at the ocean where you can see each drop of sea spray, but for some reason, I really like the softness of waterfalls.
To me, with higher volumes of water going over the falls, sharper photos look better. Smaller falls, and those with lower volumes of water, look better soft.
Thank you. I love the sharpness of waves at the ocean where you can see each drop of sea spray, but for some reason, I really like the softness of waterfalls.
There is another waterfalls nearby that I’m going to try photograph before winter sets in.
Well I just love both soft and crisp… I normally do both when it comes to running water and the soft is my personal preference, but both of yours styles are beautiful..
Soft or crisp, the falls are absolutely stunning and your photography is too!
I like’em both. Glad your car was able to make the trip. Lovely shots!
Wonderful images. I thoroughly enjoyed my hike and photo shoot up there this September. You live in a beautiful part of the world!
I like all of the images in this post. But I love the 1st and the 3rd image. Guess I am a softy :-).
I typically don’t like an overuse of soft focus on water, but the top one especially is really nicely accented with the treatment. Lovely spot.
I was just at the Tumalo Falls in early September while on vacation to Bend. I remember thinking how I wished I could be an expert photographer and capture the waterfall “softly” just as you did here. This is beautiful.
… when we drove up there, they just received a hail storm that coated the dirt road. I’m glad you arrived safely.