Garwin Falls redux

When some local photographers wanted to get together for a meetup at Garwin Falls, I was all over it. Garwin is one of my favorite spots and I’d never met any of the folks who were going. An old friend and new friends; how could I say no? The organizer had scouted the falls a day or two beforehand and warned us the flow was wicked low, but still had potential. After a little while there, I totally agreed. While not as dramatic as when the falls are in full roar, the limited flow let me and the others get to spots normally unreachable due to the torrents of water. Like this big section of ledge where I could look down at the lowest part of the cascade. It’s kind of a strange perspective, but I like it.

Basically from the same position, I was directly in front of the middle section of the falls. It’s a little messy, but I’ve never seen it like this before so I think it works from a documentary angle. Weird perspective was the trend of the day.

But maybe the grandest image of all was one I shot from a tiny outcrop of roots and rock just at the base of the falls. Normally the water runs over this little spit of land and you can’t get to it. It’s also one of those places where you leave your tripod on the bank, lower yourself down to the little spit, then reach back for the tripod. Not that there’s room for it and you, so most of it goes in the water. Worth it though. Who doesn’t like the sound of low flow?

The sun was just reaching into the upper section of the image, but when I saw that whirlpool from above, I knew I’d have to get down there before the sun did.

Farther up the stream, above the nearly empty reservoir, there are a series of cascades that are so photogenic that I have to shoot them every time I’m there. This time though, the low flow helped me out again by getting me into a position that was impossible before. I straddled the tripod across the water onto rocks normally inundated with water for this one and it really works.

Even though I wish I’d had the presence of mind to hit another section of the falls, a good time was had by all and I’m happy with the images I got. And it’s not like the falls are going anywhere.