Earlier this week I made a quick trip to Letchworth State Park and I spent a few hours taking photographs. The autumn colours will soon disappear for another season so I was very happy to squeeze in this visit.
Letchworth State Park is situated about 60 miles (approx. 97 km) southeast of Buffalo New York. It is an expansive park covering 14,350 acres (58 square km), measuring almost 17 miles (27.4 km) in length. The Genesee River flows through the park and there are three major waterfalls which draw numerous photographers to the area.
The park has been called “The Grand Canyon of the East” because of the deep gorge that has been cut by the river. In places it rises over 500 feet (152.4 m) above the river. There are good hiking trails to explore and visitors should stay on these designated trails as venturing off them can be extremely hazardous. Early this month a teenager fell to his death after dropping over 200 feet (61 m) when he lost his footing in an ‘off limits’ area next to the river gorge. It was the second fatality at the park this year.
NIKON 1 V2 + 10.0-30.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ ISO 160, 1/200, f/5.0[/caption]
There is a modern, paved road for the entire length of the park which follows the west side of the river gorge. It has a number of well-marked, scenic lookouts. Letchworth State Park is one of the top campgrounds in the United States and has well equipped facilities for travelers. There are some restaurants within the park’s grounds with the Glen Iris Inn providing the best quality meals, and at reasonable prices.
NIKON 1 V2 + 10.0-30.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ ISO 160, 1/40, f/5.0[/caption]
The park is named after the industrialist William Pryor Letchworth who bought much of the original land now occupied by the park. He bequeathed the estate to the state of New York in 1906, which later further developed the land into its present form.
NIKON 1 V2 + 10.0-100.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ ISO 160, 1/160, f/5.6[/caption]
The three major waterfalls in the park are called Upper, Middle and Lower Falls and all are situated in the southern section of the park. They are all readily accessible on foot but visitors should be aware that the lower falls can only be reached by using a series of stone stairways totally 127 stairs.
NIKON 1 V2 + 10.0-30.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ ISO 160, 1/8, f/5.6[/caption]
Here are some perspectives of the Lower Falls.
NIKON 1 V2 + 30.0-110.0 mm f/3.8-5.6 @ ISO 160, 3/1, f/5.6[/caption]
NIKON 1 V2 + 10.0-30.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ ISO 160, 13/10, f/5.6[/caption]
NIKON 1 V2 + 10.0-30.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ ISO 160, 8/10, f/5.6[/caption]
A storm front was moving in and it was very windy during our visit. This made taking images of the Middle Falls difficult since it was a challenge to frame photographs without the plants in the foreground moving to a distracting level. Never-the-less here is a couple of images of the Middle Falls.
NIKON 1 V2 + 6.7-13.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ ISO 160, 1/2, f/5.6[/caption]
NIKON 1 V2 + 10.0-30.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ ISO 160, 1/2, f/5.6[/caption]
And, finally here are a couple of views of the Upper Falls.
NIKON 1 V2 + 30.0-110.0 mm f/3.8-5.6 @ ISO 160, 1/2, f/5.6[/caption]
NIKON 1 V2 + 30.0-110.0 mm f/3.8-5.6 @ ISO 160, 8/10, f/5.6[/caption]
The park is open all year round with winter visitors enjoying snowmobiling, snow tubing and cross country skiing. There is a Conference Centre located in the southwest section of the park and it is used for organizational retreats, as well as for educational and training programs.
If you are looking for an interesting place to visit and capture some images of waterfalls I would certainly recommend Letchworth State Park.
For those readers interested in some of the technical aspects of these images, they were all taken using a Nikon 1 V2. I used an assortment of 1 Nikon lenses including 6.7-13mm f/3.5-5.6, 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 (non-PD zoom version), 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6, and the 10-100 f/4.5-5.6 PD zoom. All RAW files were processed using DxO OpticsPro 9, with additional adjustments made in CS6 and Nik Suite. Perspective adjustments were made using DxO ViewPoint 2. Water effects were achieved using Vivitar 40.5mm, and Hoya 52mm variable neutral density filters, Vello remote control, Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 tripod and Manfrotto 327RC2 pistol grip.
Article and all images are Copyright Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved, no use, reproduction or duplication including electronic is allowed without written consent.
Great images, Tom, thanks for sharing.
After reading this article I’ve realized that some comprehensive tutorial on ND filters would be very handy.
Hi Ilia,
Thanks for the positive comment…I’m glad you liked the images. The use of various filters can add new dimensions to our images and tutorials are always helpful.
Tom
Ilia,
You should give ND filters a try. They are not as difficult to manage as you might expect.
Those are really nice. I felt like I was there. It took me back to an earlier time in my life, when I lived near a place somewhat like that.
Hi jd7000,
Thanks for the positive comment…I’m glad the photos allowed you to reconnect with some good memories.
Tom
Seriously, the photographer here is nothing more than a technical expert in manipulation. Every single shot has been pushed over the top into the realm of ‘oh my what a wonderful photo’ when viewed by laypersons. For the rest of us, they are all ‘processed’ too far into the software. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. The tech part detracts from the scene. That’s the state of the art i guess but i’m not fooled. I’ll stay with the textures of reality, you can all go for a swim in the pixels you choose to fix yourselves on because you can’t see anything beyond them. You fail to appreciate nature after you have manipulated it.
I am grateful that I took art courses in secondary and post secondary school. Sometimes images should be technically and factually a pure reproduction of the reality- in the early 1900s European scholars used a phase sitz im leben, meaning (without going into great detail) to express something in the setting of real life. It was a tool employed to interpret and critique scriptures, to get at the raw facts of the matter. Scripture is sometimes poetry, sometimes mythology and sometimes raw historical facts. Regardless of the technical detail (or lack of) it is a form of media that conveys a message. That is what it is supposed to do.
When I look at the images Mr. Stirr produced I know as soon as I look at them that some post production work may have occurred, and I know that any post processing that occurred was to allow Mr. Stirr to express through his images what he experienced, what he felt as he viewed the scenes around him that he captured in his camera. The scenes spoke to him and I assume that Mr. Stirr wanted to convey to those of us who viewed the images what it was that those scenes expressed to him. Yes, there may have been some software manipulation, but I don’t think that is the point of the images.
Pablo Picasso would see something or have someone pose for a painting, what came out in his painting was what he saw but as famous and as loved as his images are I appreciate them but I don’t enjoy them. However with Mr. Stirr’s images – I think I could hear what Mr. Stirr heard, and that was appreciated and enjoyed.
cheers
Ron
Hi Ron,
Thanks for your posting and reinforcing the idea that visual expression is subjective.
Tom
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for your posting and presenting an alternative point of view.
Tom
Noise is not present in nature. Vignetting and color aberrations -and some other things- also are not present in nature. It is the duty of a capable photographer to eliminate those things from a photo. Ah ! ….and jealousy is not good for the liver.
Jorge,
Or the heart!
Geoff,
You are correct, these things are not present in nature, therefore the technical expertise of the photographer takes them out to so he/she/they can represent what they saw and wanted to show the rest of the viewing public.
From your statement I would think you are more of a journalist than art photographer, not matter what retort you might come back with from my comment. I too am a journalist learning the art of photography and from Thomas Stirr, I have learned a lot just by looking at what he offers in his articles.
Having been a professional photographer for a good part of my life, I know I’m still learning. You sir, must have achieved a level of expertise and perfection that I and some others here can only strive to attain. Since we are all laypersons, I’m wondering where you fit into the scheme of things as you may consider yourself to be. I once, during my college years studding photography, had the opportunity to work in Joseph Karsh’s studio for two weeks. While I was praising a portrait session he did, he said to me, “Son, I am now where near ripe. Since when your are ripe you rot, when you are green you grow”. I think that was great advice I have never forgotten. I want to stay green so I will always continue to grow. Perhaps one day I will be as great as you sir. Then I will elevate myself from layperson to expert. Of course when that happens I might become ripe and rot.
I thank you also for providing an alternate point of view.
Please excuse my typing errors.
wish there was a way to post pictures instead of links.
Here is a Photo of Mabry’s Mill in Blue Ridge Parkway in Virgina.
www.flickr.com/photo…379393137/
Hi Phillip,
I’ve been on the Blue Ridge Parkway before but I haven’t seen this location before. Where along the parkway is it? My wife would like to visit Biltmore Estates again and it looks like this would be a great location to add into our next visit.
Tom
Look for a Map of Blue Ridge State Park in Virginia and look for Rock Knob Picnic area and Overlook and west of that location. If you get on US %8 just as you crossover into Floyd County you will see the park way exit it will have Maybry’s Mill and Rocky Knob Overlook sign posted.at the exit. On to the Parkway in Google Maps type in Maybry’s Mill, Va
This picture was taken about a week later than now in 2010 I was using a D3000 camera and 55-200mm lens at time. It actually took better photo’s than either of my D3200 because the viewfinder was so much brighter and the Focus point were so much easier to read.
Thanks Phillip!
Hi Parthipan,
Thanks for your positive comment…I’m glad you enjoyed the images.
Tom
this is absolutely stunning! cant express the beauty lie in words…
Fantastic images, Tom. Been chasing a few autumn colours myself, but our colours aren’t as good as yours this year :)
alphawhiskey.slickpic.com/photo…ningToFall
Hi Sharif,
Always great to hear from you! Glad you enjoyed the images and thanks very much for sharing some of your work with us!
Tom
Wonderful! I liked your photos. Could I with a D300 get shots like these?
Hi Jose,
Yup! You could absolutely create images like these with your D300 with the right filters and technique.
Tom
Thanks for the tips!
Wow, these photographs are beyond breathtaking! Just beautiful; thank you so much for sharing, Your photographs fill me with such joy!
Thank you very much for your most generous words Diane! Knowing that the images created some joy brought a smile to my face!
Tom