I keep a bit of a list of potential landscape photography locations.  Sometimes I take the opportunity to check one off the list.  Recently, I took such an opportunity.  Thing’s didn’t go as I planned them to, but sometimes that’s a good thing.  Sometimes my plans fall short of what I can capture.  Such was the case for this photo shoot full of etherealness.

Back in June, I decided to try out the Tropic ditch waterfall again.  It felt like a solid choice with a short drive.  However, I ran into problems.  Thanks to the California and Oregon fires, smoke poured into the area and mucked up the skies.  While smoky skies sometimes yield bold and colorful sunsets/sunrises, I was not so fortunate then.  The skies were dull and boring.  I didn’t even find the color I hoped.  Still, I took a couple shots I liked but not enough.  The foliage was green but not vibrant or verdant.  You could tell that there was a drought going on even right next to the stream.  Clearly, I wanted another shot.  I got my second shot recently.

Thanks to a very wet 2-part monsoon season, with daily flash floods, things changed dramatically.  The fire danger dropped and the smoke cleared out of the atmosphere.  The foliage took on that verdant green I wanted.  Also, several rocks and other debris were washed downstream.  Flash floods really move sizable and heavy rocks.  I found the stream bed clear of many rocks creating interest the first time around.  There were new meanders cut into the stream bed which weren’t there before.  I almost didn’t recognize the photos when side-by-side.  While I didn’t stand in exactly the same places as in June, I stood close enough for comparison.  That’s how dramatic the flash flood changes were.

I started off with the view of some prominent hoodoos from the stream bed.  This view was perfect before so I wanted my second chance with it.  I waited for some tourists to cross the bridge and walk out of frame again.  Tourists love that hike.  I felt that stream needed that silky water effect to add some etherealness to the picture.  So, I set up on a large rock jutting out into water and got to work.  This was the easy shot.

Then I hiked upstream for the waterfall closeup shot.  Here’s where I ran into a problem.  I found other tourists there which is fine by itself.  However, some of the tourists were wading barefoot in the water and climbing all over the waterfall area.  They seemed to like getting into my shot and posing for another’s camera.  I found that group quite annoying and rude.  The other group there were behaving themselves properly.

In between those rude tourists, I managed to get some photos in.  I found the pool of water, present in June, receded to some channels cut into the river rocks by the current.  Still, I found I liked the circular pattern which the water took at the base of the falls.  All I needed to do was add the ethereal feel of silky water and I had my shot.

On my way out, one member of the well-behaved group asked me about my photos.  I had a pleasant quick conversation with him.  I learned his mother is also a photographer.  What a coincidence.  I’m glad I stopped for a chat.  I’m also glad I captured these landscape photos full of etherealness.