Yesterday, the last day of 2023, I shared my “Winter People Watching” series, captured through the lens of one of my first cameras, the Sony F828, a foray into the world of candid street photography. My endeavors are now complemented by the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR camera, acquired January 2020, its capabilities enhanced by a Canon 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens and a graduated 0.6 Neutral Density filter. These tools of my trade were neatly packed in a new camera bag, slung over my shoulder, while my other shoulder bore the weight of a Manfrotto BeFree GT carbon fiber tripod – a steadfast for my photographic journeys.

Let’s reminisce about an early outing with this new gear back in February 2020, on the brink of the pandemic. It was a time of learning and experimentation. In my inexperience, I overlooked the raw format setting leaving the work of that day in jpeg format. Navigating the variable lighting conditions within the gorge posed its challenges; whether it was the sparse light when the sun dipped below the rim, the stark contrast between lit and shaded areas, or the harshness of an almost overhead sun.

These challenges were partly mitigated by the graduated neutral density filter, especially at Taughannock Falls. Standing at 215 feet, it’s the highest single-drop waterfall east of the Rockies. Facing south, the falls are often backlit in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter, making for tricky shooting conditions, especially in the late afternoon when the sun dips below the western cliff rim, leaving a stark gradient between the bright sky and the shadowed falls and gorge.

My journey took me along the Gorge Trail, culminating at the falls themselves. From my vantage point on a bridge over the creek, the path to the right leads to an observation platform. Using the f/22 f-stop atop the tripod in low light conditions necessitated a longer exposure. The resulting image captured the serene yet powerful presence of the falls in the winter light.

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The observation platform offers a unique experience, where visitors are enveloped in a fine mist propelled by the force of the water. This mist clings to and freezes upon the gorge walls, creating a winter spectacle. On this day, standing on the bridge, we were spared the mist’s embrace. I redirected my lens towards Taughannock Creek flowing beneath the bridge for a second, elongated exposure. Here, the graduated ND filter proved less than ideal. Being circular, I rotated it to position the shading to the left – a stark contrast to its use for the waterfall shot where the shading was oriented towards the upper sky portion.

Amidst this technical exploration, it’s worth delving into the early human history of Taughannock Waterfall. This area was once inhabited by the Cayuga nation, one of the six nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy. The name ‘Taughannock’ itself originates from the Iroquois and is believed to mean “great fall in the woods.” The falls and surrounding areas have been a site of human activity for thousands of years, with the Cayuga people utilizing the rich natural resources of the region. The gorge would have been a significant landmark for these early inhabitants, serving both as a source of sustenance and a spiritual symbol. The falls have witnessed the ebb and flow of history, from the times of the Cayuga nation’s stewardship of the land to its status today as a cherished state park.

As I captured these moments, the blend of historical reverence and technical precision coalesced, each photograph not just a freeze-frame of nature’s grandeur but also a testament to the enduring legacy of those who first revered these lands.

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills