new york state (niagara falls) Rainbow over Niagara Falls

I've had these images from Niagara Falls in the queue for a while now, just haven't gotten to them. The I saw Sachin Patke's Niagara Falls folder, and was inspired to dig these up. I grew up a half hour from The Falls (in Buffalo, NY), so I've been there a gazillion times (yes, that is a mathematical term!) But I've never been there with my "real" camera equipment. So, when I had a conference there in March, I used my free time slots here and there to wander and shoot.

One of my colleagues at the conference with me asked why they named the bridge from the US to Canada in Niagara Falls "The Rainbow Bridge", and all I had to do was point ... she got it. :-)

This is the American Falls, taken from Goat Island. I find myself wondering that if I were to take an ND filter (I don't have one yet) and try this same sort of shot again, would it soften the water? Would it destroy the rainbow? What effect would a polarizing filter have on a rainbow? Any thoughts you have are always appreciated! :-D

Any comments or ratings are appreciated! :-)

I was out to Niagara Falls the first week of August and took lots of shots with my new "real" camera also and I definitely would recommend a polarizing filter as you'll be able to obtain a much more saturated rainbow. I don't think the ND would help as you're not trying to decrease contrast (like between sky and earth) to balance exposure. With the rainbows it's more a question of shooting from the right angle to get the most light (reflection) off the mist. I'll see if I can dig up a shot to show what I got later tonight. But... I had only had the camera for a week so there were a lot of mistakes! My sensor had dust, the lenses had mist, a great learning experience ;o)

Well, I am not thinking about a graduated ND filter, but an ND that is consistent all the way throughout so that you can overexpose by a couple of stops and get a smoother flow to the water. Do I have that concept confused?

My wife and I vacationed here a little over a year ago and haven't stopped talking about it since. Don't get me wrong Lou Ann, I'm pretty patriotic, but I have to say that the Canadian side was soooo much more beautiful than the NY side. Everything was so green and lush. Altough I took a few pics when I was there, unfortunately it was with a point and shoot. Another great place to visit is Niagara on the Lake.

Yes on both comments!! Most New Yorkers would agree that the Canadian side is better ... they take MUCH better care of their park in Niagara Falls and they keep the tacky touristy stuff farther from the scenery. AND ... Niagara on the Lake is a fabulous spot ... I usually recommend it to friends from here who want to go to Niagara Falls for a few days (which really ... it's kind of a waste of time ... a half-day in the city of Niagara Falls is about all you need.....)

Hi, Lou Ann,

 

I've got a couple of pictures of the Falls in my portfolio, as well. I've only been there once, which is a little surprising I guess, since I grew up in New England. But in our travels, we usually don't go that far West in New York.

 

We didn't have time to go to the Canadian side, but I guess you need passports to do that now, huh? I have one, but I need to get one for the wife, so we'll be ready next time. Gonna need one next year to get to Campobello Island in Maine, too. It's getting hard to travel.

 

Best Regards,

 

Barry

You'll need a passport to go to a place in MAINE??? Hmmm... No - you don't need a passport to cross the border at any of the Western New York crossings (there are about 3), or at least you didn't the last time I went over. A birth certificate was the best alternative.

Another place on my list. I like the close view of the line of the falls and the degree of blur is good too. I think an ND grad might help here. If you placed it with the darkened area above the line it would have roughly the effect shown. On the other hand you lose the softening effect of the mist to some extent. I usually take a lot of shots with filters, without filters, adjust exposure this way and that...hurrah for digital!

I've added a shot of Niagara Falls (Canadian side) in my portfolio that I shot with the 30D, 18-55 and a polarizing filter. As mentionned, I had just gotten my camera and after a week and a half of misuse(!), it was pretty dirty all around. I've cleaned up the picture as best I could to remove all the spots so nevermind the quality of the picture, I think you will see what I mean for the rainbow. Clicky.

 

I'll post a few of the better shots later this week, this one is really ordinary.

Okay - as a tribute to everything I DON'T know about ND filters ... it never occurred to me that a graduated ND filter could be put in diagonally. (DOH!) :-D Anyway ... that makes a LOT of sense, Colin. Here is the part of the shot that really bothers me.... circled in red.....

Philippe - you and I were commenting at about the same time. :-) Thank you for posting that shot in your portfolio! Everyone else needs to go take a look at THAT one! :-) Like he said ... CLICKY!! :-D

After 9 pm is photography editing time for many of us, you put the spouse to bed and play on the computer ;) I've responded to your comment on my picture...

Lou Ann,

 

You probably know this, but softening that area only takes one stroke of the soften brush. Is something like this what you had in mind?

Right now, to get into Canada, you need a birth certificate and picture ID. Apparently, in 2007, you WILL need a passport. Actually, I think you can get IN to Canada with whatever ID, but to get BACK into the US, you will need a passport next year. Not sure how I will get around that, since I am Canadian, living in the US, with a permanent resident card. Somehow, I will have to get a Canadian passport, I guess.

Ewww!! No way!! How wild! I can't imagine carrying a passport to get back from Niagara Falls!! I am so used to border crossings being so easy. Did you do that often when you were growing up, Kim? My father has stories about his family taking Sunday drives when he was a kid during WWII ... and his grandmother, who was straight off the boat from Germany ... telling the US Border Patrol that she was "un zitizen off zee Younited States offf America!" They've always laughed about that story. I wonder now.....

So many comments....so little time....I can't answer your filter questions, I seldom use them although I need a graduated ND filter for better exposure of my landscapes. Did you try boosting the color in PS to bring out the colors of the rainbow (forgive me if someone else suggested this, I didn't read everyones comments), I never can decide if I like the water to be soft or detailed. I do like your composition though.

I can remember crossing the border into Washington State only one time when I was little; we also lived in Sitka, Alaska for about a year from age 4-5. After that, I stayed put in British Columbia, with occasional treks to Alberta and that was it. Now that I live in Texas, I've seen far more country than the first 39 years of my life!

I like the zoom on the falls but the rainbow is hardly visible.

Lou Ann, I was there years ago, on both sides, the Canadian side looks better, I think that you have succeeded in taking the rondness of form,and the blurd water, but the rainbow is not seen.

I grew up in Maine about 60 miles from Canada. You just drive across the bridge in Lubec to get there. Campobello Island, vacation spot for FDR, is there. You can tour the grounds. Also, many people drive over there for day trips, or even to spend a week at Prince Edward Island. It'll be a big hassle to use passports.

 

Kim is right, from what I've been told. Canada doesn't give you any problem getting in, but you're not going to be able to get back into the US without a passport. Tough times we live in.

 

Barry

Oh! that bit! how about a bit of 'motion blur' on the offending area? Select the area for treatment , flter > blur > motion blur then adjust to taste. Personally that bit looks fine to me. The water is not blurred there as it is just beginning to goooooo..........

Niagara Falls - in 97... You faired better then I did here. I like this shot... the hint of rainbow

 

John

Thanks, John, for all of your comments. :-) I grew up about 15 minutes from Niagara Falls, so this is old stomping grounds. I was actually at a conference for work with a bunch of colleagues from DC ... one of my colleagues asked me why they call one of the bridges there the "Rainbow Bridge" ... this is what I pointed her to. :-)