I previously posted an image of this splendid place of mist, cliffside plants, and sparkling water using the vintage Yashica Mat camera (https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-597399-1.html).

UTMike indicated he would like to see an image from the Fuji GX680 that I also lowered down to the ledge about 2/3 of the way down the side of the streaming waterfall.

So, here is one I scanned that came out decent. This was with the GX680 and 125/5.6 lens. I think the exposure was about 2 seconds at f:32. Even at that, I probably should have stopped down a couple of stops to f:64 or so, because of the narrow depth of field attributable to the medium format lens, in order to get the extreme foreground into the sharpest focus possible.

There's no real 'leeway' with Velvia film for finding the exposure that will provide for shadow detail and yet not blow out the highlights. I elected to shoot for the highlights, of course. I could probably further process the shadows in a proper image editor, but I will let this stand, as it brought up the greens of the lush plants against the dark rock. But I think it works okay, especially for Velvia in a high contrast situation.

GX680
Fujinon 125/5.6 GX-M lens
Fuji Velvia 50

(Download)

RBorud, I've been roaming the Olympic Mountains since my first hikes off-trail with my wonderful grandfather in 1955. There's no limit to the beauty, and a lot of diversity, in the Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park. I am approaching 71 now, and I AM slowing down. However, things are still working, including my legs, so I'll just keep going until my body stops me. :-) Thanks for the nice remarks.

yssirk123, Thank you!

UTMike: I'll scan the big 6x8 chromes later, and see if anything looks decent. Of course, will be similar to this shot, although I think I have some shots with the big 250mm lens I brought along for the GX680, as well as with the 125mm and 80mm...so, some different focal length and perspectives.

Thank you, photophile!

Thank you, UTMike!

The day was beautiful and the air was fresh. This was in August. Temps in the 70s, light breeze full of pure air from the north.

Kept a base camp here for a couple of nights, and wandered the network of meadows, lakes, and peaks for three days of bliss. No people, many mammals, plants, and other life all around.

Pentax 645
Pentax-A 55/2.8
Provia 100F

Linda, breathe in that wonderful, cool, moist air and your breath WILL get taken away. Always great to hear from you, my friend in Maine. :-)

It was a pretty cool place (yeah, temperature was cool too, even on the hot weather we had that day). Thank you for commenting.

Dave, thanks for showing this in your 3D programs. It looks like I can reach out and touch the rock in the 3D crossed-eyes mode.

This falls and cliff system, coming off the Quaternary benchland glacial cuts about 300 feet off the river bottom, is about 150 feet in total. This image is taken about 2/3 of the way down from the top of the cliff band, on a good ledge.

My objective was to get to the top, and rappel down - with jumars for ascending the rope if needed - until I found the ledge.

So, I started about 1/4 mile away from this cliff band, and then took a diagonal shot up the steep hillside to approach the top. I saw the ledge below, and it was a clear shot, so I felt good about it. The key on this is to always triple-check, and then check again, your harness and rope system. Give a good long stare to the bends in the rope and the overall system. At that point it's as safe as anything else.

This was the only possible place to set up the cameras safely, and I could only shoot right at this ledge in this star-struck misty environment.

I brought the old Yashica Mat camera, along with a larger setup (Fuji GX680), and I'll take a look at what I have from that camera as well.

The sound was surprising. I expected a roar, but it was really only a strong hissing sound, punctuated by random splashes of larger gobs of water.

Watched a mature Water Ouzel and her two babies - wings tucked and diving at high speed into the void - twice, during the six hours I hung around on the ledge.

Yashica Mat camera
Velvia 50 film

(Download)

The brown sand, with orange crystalline minerals, which include minuscule crystals of garnet, caught the angled near-sunset light nicely.

Sometimes the sand minerals catch the sun just right, and turn fiery red, especially in morning overcast conditions with the sun shining through the clouds behind this camera position. Thus, the name: Ruby Beach.

Pentax 645
Pentax-A 55/2.8
Velvia 50

(Download)

Yes, I couldn't climb higher, I was at the apex of the spiny ridge. I also couldn't move much laterally because of the terrain. So, I just went with the small aperture and depth of field to at least include the trees in the foreground as being in focus. It was another hour before I could exit off the ridge, and by then the light was not as good.

From the end of the trail in the valley below, sweated my way up for several hours through open timber, and finally encountered the first open meadows. The view was nice of the massif to the north, across the valley.

After taking this picture, I rose another 2800 feet in elevation on steep meadowed terrain to the top of a ridge, and then dropped down for about half a mile on the other side to a sapphire blue unnamed lake.

Fuji GX680
65mm lens
Provia

(Download)

Thanks to ALL of you.