[MCaver]

I spent yet another day at MRNP trying to catch good photos of the wildflowers, and today I had much better luck. I was fortunate to have overcast weather this weekend, so I had a full day of shooting ahead of me! I started out with a nice hike around the Sunrise Rim Trail. The flowers are still out on the lower elevation trails, but they are starting to look a little worse for wear. Farther downslope, the late season flowers we out in mass, but I couldn't find any photos worth taking. On the way back down to the Eastside Road, I stopped by my favorite unnamed creek of the area and grabbed the first photos of the day, spending almost an hour there and getting a few decent shots. Rocks on an unnamed creek on Sunrise Road

It was already getting late in the day and I knew I'd run out of light before I could get nearly enough shooting done, so I rushed around the park to Paradise to see if I could get some good shots there. With the weather that's predicted this week, this may be my last shot to photograph the flowers before they're gone. I got almost all the way there before the rain started, but by the time I got to the Paradise parking lot, it was pouring. There was no way I was going to Edith Creek like I'd planned. Since the late season flowers were out here too, I decided to drive around Paradise Valley Road and check out Paradise Creek -- and am I glad I did! The photos were fantastic, and I got absolutely drenched taking them, but what fun I had! Waterfall on Paradise Valley Road

Rocks on Paradise Creek

Cascade on Paradise Creek

Flowers on Paradise Creek

Pool on Paradise Creek

*Note: Editing was very rushed and may not be the actual finsished photo! I hope this wasn't my last chance at wildflower photos at Rainier for the year, but I'm afraid the weather might do them in. Despite all the photos I took, there were still more I passed up because I was just too tired and too wet. But there is one glimmer of hope. Maybe it was my imagination, but the vine maples looked like they were starting to light up a bit. Fall is just around the corner!

[Larry]

The last shot, "Pool on Paradise Creek", is beautifully balanced and a really, really nice exposure. Well done, man.

[MooseAndSquirrel]

Very nice, Paradise Valley Rd waterfall especially. What equip. are you using?

[MCaver]

[MCaver]

I just realized from the photos I posted that you can't tell how awesome the flowers were in that area.

[Lagerman]

How long of exposure does it take to get that mist affect with the waterfalls? My crappy camera only has like a 2 second exposure, and if I could get a camera that can do those shots, I would be happy.

[MCaver]

Two seconds should be fine for most situations. I don't think any of those posted were over 2 seconds. Occasionally I'll use 3 or even 4 seconds, but only if the situation warrants it, i.e. extremely low light. Most of my water shots are around 1 second exposures. This does include having a polarizer on the camera, though, which removes somewhere around 1-1.5 stops of light.

[MCaver]

I'm the same, gary. I love landscape photography of all types, but for some reason I have an affinity for moving water -- rivers, creeks and especially waterfalls. Sore Feet's website is the best! I also recommend this book: A Waterfall Lover's Guide to the Pacific Northwest

[Sore Feet]

Love that 4th shot. We should get together and go down there when the fall colors are out. I wanna try to get that Christine Fancher shot of Martha Falls with the red plants in the foreground.

[MCaver]

You and me both! I think I've figured out where that photo was taken from, and it will require a hefty scramble down to the end of a talus slope off Stevens Canyon Road. I'm not very sure-footed and couldn't get up the nerve to try it by myself last year. I'd probably be more likely to give it a shot if I had someone else with me. I'm planning to spend a good part of fall at Rainer as well (it's my Year of Rainier), so we can definitely give it a go. Word of warning, they are doing some major road clearing at that part of the Stevens Canyon Road, and it looks like they are pushing more rocks down the slope, so I can't tell what that scramble is like now.

[Backpacker Joe]

Way to go Mac. Nice shots to be sure. TB

[Sore Feet]

You think she dropped below the road? I always assumed it was a long telephoto from one of the many turnouts in the area. I think i found a way to get to the bottom of the falls too.

[MCaver]

[Andrew]

I love your crisp and vibrant images, Mr. Caver. That's one thing I failed to adequately capture when I visited Paradise a few weeks ago. Suppose it was the great flower show stealing my attention...

[Sore Feet]