Empress falls is the first real set of falls you find when making the trek down into the valley of the waters, its also one of the most spectacular and (if there could not be any more 🙂 ) its a great spot for canyoning/abseiling.

This particular spot is on the stone steps that pass over the creek and probably the most popular spot where everyone stops to grab a shot. What I really like about this spot is that nature has arranged everything quite nicely for the panoramic shot 😉 log in the centre, angled so nicely too, boulder off to the left to bookend the frame, a little glimpse of foggy foggy forest (you need to read kids book to get that joke 🙂 ) off to the left and the ferns on the right hiding that sneaky little path back out of the falls. For those familiar with the spot, you will note that I have omitted something from the frame 🙂 any guesses ? 🙂

This image was taken a month or so ago, but never processed however I heard in the news recently that a young lady lost her life at the falls just below these (Sylvia Falls), hence came back to have a look, as such, this image is for those who have not made it out of the valley. RIP.

Its a 5 shot panorama, uploaded full res.
D750 coupled with Nikkor 16-35mm f4 @ 16mm Aperture: f14
Shutter Speed: 20s
ISO 100
Out front – Hoya CPL.

So I had this mad composition in my head which would be taken from this little knoll off to one side of the Empress Falls, I had walked down here a few times over the years so I kind knew where I wanted to be (or so I thought!). After walking down the path i spied the spot I thought would be perfect, a small amount of bushbashing (gently as always to minimise my impact) and i was there, on my knoll… now i was there the view turned out to be rubbish, could not see Empress falls and i was balancing on some slippery moss cover rock which felt like it wanted to catapult me done the valley.

Not to be deterred and after spending a painful amount of time to get to this spot i was determined to take a shot from here, so i turned around and looked the other way, which was into a nice little glen with what looks like a set of falls which only runs during some heavy rain.

In the end the shot worked out ok and I did not end up sliding down into the Valley of the Waters 🙂

9 images (portrait mode) stitched together
D750 coupled with Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 @ 24mm Aperture: f11 and Shutter Speed: 30 seconds
ISO 100
Out front – Hoya CPL.

let me help ya here.. the stairs are hard work 🙁

8 images (landscape mode) stitched together
D750 coupled with Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 @ 29mm Aperture: f14 and Shutter Speed: 30 seconds
ISO 100
Out front – Hoya CPL.