Behind the Shot

Returning For a Different View

I posted about this same waterfall a little while back. Talking about how I had pre-visualized the scene after I visited it a few times. When I was finally able to reach the falls AND there was actually water running I had my medium format gear with me. I knew the shot I wanted and that kit was exactly what I needed to get that shot.

Once I knew I had what I wanted I took another look around to see what other compositions there might be. Of course there were several others, but I didn’t have a longish lens that I needed for the Mamiya. That meant I would be back with a 35mm kit to get the next shot I saw in my head.

The set, up at a higher vantage point with a longer lens.

If I scrambled up the incline to the other side of the falls I could get just a peak of the stream that was coming down the ravine before it hit the drop. The scene also had a nice background of foliage that was a different value and uncluttered for a nice fall off up the ravine. To get this composition I needed just a little reach to frame it up, without a bunch of distractions in the frame.

This is where the longer lens came into play. I made the trek back to the waterfalls a few days after my first success with the medium format, but this time I had my Nikon 35mm and a couple of longer lenses. I hefted my gear back up the rise just off to the left of the falls and set up.

Composition through the viewfinder makes me think I should revisit with some color next time.

The composition worked just as I had hoped using the longer lens. It was a hot humid afternoon and the mosquitos were hungry. Thank goodness for bug spray. Even so, setting up with the bugs buzzing was not fun. Once I got it set up and into the zone it was a lot of fun just watching the water and the breeze flow and having this spot all to myself for an hour of restoration, regardless of the little buggers.

“Fall” Final image, Nikon N90s, Nikkor 35-135 f3.5, Kodak Tri-X, Rodinal 1:50

I am happy with the final photograph. It is pretty close to what I had envisioned in my mind. I might try another with a different developer. I used Rodinal on this roll and think it might be a little “crunchy” for this scene. I am still not decided because I have not printed the image yet. I always hold off on my final verdict until I can hold the photograph in my hands. So many times I think the image on screen is amazing, only be be underwhelmed when printed. Also, an image that is ho-hum on screen can really be beautiful on paper.

The funny thing is that now that I look at my phone snaps of the set up I am wondering if I need to explore this in color? My go to is usually black and white but lately I have been trying to develop an eye for good color photographs. I think in this case, the whole area is mostly brown sandstone and it overwhelmed my eye. But looking at the composition, with the compressed view of the long lens, now I see the nice color contrast and the warm light falling softly through the trees.

Another note in my log to return to this in the spring. Fingers crossed it’s not flooded or totally dry…

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Creativity

Being a better photographer gets harder the better you get

Lately I have been frustrating myself with my work and it’s made me think about how I have grown in skill and my creative path forward. Sitting down and thinking about why my work wasn’t meeting my expectations was an interesting exercise.

The question to myself was, why am I not having the same enjoyment when I photograph as I used too? It seemed that often, I would go out to make some photographs and come back more frustrated than refreshed. Up until recently I would take my camera for a shoot, planned or impromptu, and would come back excited, refreshed and clear minded. This wasn’t happening lately.

under a bridge on ramp
On Ramp. Pentax ME Super, 28mm f11, 125th sec. Ilford HP5+, Rodinal 1:50

At first I thought it was my tools. Did I need a new lens to get the mojo back? What is wrong with my film process, do I need to change to a different film or developer? Maybe a new camera will help…

These are the obvious things many photographers look at to improve their work. In my opinion it’s a fools errand. When I thought about it more I realized all of my best work was made with the exact same cameras, lenses and process that I still use today. The tools haven’t just fallen apart, it was how I was using them. More importantly how I was seeing.

The biggest realization I have had after digging deep on why I was feeling frustrated about my work was that, as I have improved with my photography my expectations for results has increased. When I first started to take photography seriously as a form of expression I would get a photograph I was happy with one out of maybe fifty exposures. Looking back at them today the keepers are not up to my standards now. So I didn’t have much consistency when I began.

Holes in the Water. Pentax ME super, 50mm f8, 500th sec. Kodak TriX400, Rodinal 1:50

Now that my consistency has improved and I can make photographs that I see in my head before pushing the shutter, my expectations for results are much higher. I found myself taking less photographs because the scene before me wasn’t perfect. I would make excuses for the bad light or cluttered scene etc. I lost my spontaneity when looking at the world around me. I unintentionally put myself in a creative box.

What I have learned after spending some time thinking, looking back and examining how I work today is that I need to :

  • Have no expectations, stop swinging for the fence every time
  • Embrace creative failure, it leads to success in the long run
  • Shoot more, put in the reps to keep my creative eye in shape
  • Stay open to photographs I wasn’t looking for, take the shot just in case it works
  • Boring today doesn’t mean boring tomorrow
  • Really good photographs take a lot of time and energy, it’s not easy and never will be
Short Hose. Pentax ME super, 50mm f8, 500th sec. Kodak TriX400, Rodinal 1:50

After realizing that I need to change my approach and the way I see I needed to start putting it into practice. Over the last few weeks I have carved out some regular time to just go out and shoot. Good light, bad light no matter the situation, no excuses.

Since I have changed my mindset and approach I can say that I have been having a lot more fun and getting photographs I am pretty happy with. Some may not amount to much but some I am really pleased with. The thing is, it is leading me in new directions and focuses on what I want to create in the coming weeks and months. I am back on track, today anyway.

Bottoms Up. Pentax ME super, 50mm f8, 500th sec. Kodak TriX400, Rodinal 1:50

If you are a photographer or creative that is facing a stalemate in your creative practice I would recommend taking some time to re evaluate, meditate or take a close look at your motives, past work, goals etc. It’s easy for someone to tell you to be more spontaneous but it really sinks in when you come to that realization yourself through the work of self reflection.

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Behind the Shot

Vision, persistence and putting them together in photography

When I moved to where I live now five years ago, I started scouting areas to see what interesting places I could find in my area that would be good to explore for some black and white photographs. Many day trips to small towns, restaurants, museums and hikes in the woods. So far, I have found some great communities, not as many great places to eat and a few hidden spots in the woods.

One particular spot isn’t far from my home. It’s only 11 miles away so it was one of the first places I discovered that I wanted to photograph. It is a waterfall tucked back into a bluff feeding into the Saint Croix River. I am a sucker for a good black and white waterfall photograph.

However, it was late summer when I came across the location. The water of the spring fed stream was low and barely flowing at a trickle. It had potential but wasn’t what it could be if it were early summer or spring. I made a note of it and thought I would return the next season.

The next season I returned in spring, but the area was experiencing drought conditions. I returned a few times that spring and early summer, but I struck out getting the photograph I had hoped to. “Next year”, I said.

The following spring there was more than average snow melt and rain. I thought “all right! this should be a great year for the water flow” I packed up my gear with great expectations. When I arrived at the trail head, which was along a larger riverbank, the whole trail was under feet of water. Strike two.

“Flow” Mamiya 645, 80mm lens, Kentmere 100 © 2025 Derek Lofgreen, All Rights Reserved

This year, I was more determined than excited to try and get this shot. I was expecting it to be low flow again, but I had to see for sure. I had an hour to spare in between some commitments, and I was in the area. I had packed my camera with hopes I could take a quick look and maybe get a grab shot and return if it was looking good.

It is a 15-minute hike to these falls from the trail head. That meant I only had 30 minutes on location to find a composition and take my shot. As I started to round the bend to the falls, I could hear something but didn’t know if it was traffic on a nearby road or the water over the falls. When I arrived at the location, low and behold, the water was flowing beautifully.

The scene below the falls was a lot more chaotic than I remembered from the last time I was there. Holding a lot of debris that had gathered after coming over the fall from the winter thaw. This presented another obstacle to my preconceived vision of the shot. Scrambling over deadfall trees, logs and forest chowder, I scouted around for a composition and set up my shot. I only had time for one set up and I wanted it to count.

I could have let the obstacles stop me from executing on my creative vision. The conditions not being right over and over, the limited time I had when I found the right conditions and the challenge of finding a composition when the location looked different than I expected. Many times, I find myself pushing through to overcome disappointment or challenge to get my final vision manifested in a photograph.

I will return to this spot because now that I have this image, I am more intrigued with the location and want to see what other compositions I can find that will convey the calmness of the flowing water.

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Black and white is the first step to abstraction