# Waterfalls of the Blue Mountains



## emydura (Jan 22, 2011)

While I now live in Canberra, I'm actually from the Blue Mountains (just west of Sydney).As much as I love Canberra the Blue Mountains is where my heart belongs and I try and get home as much as I can. It would have to be one of the worlds most beautiful places and was declared a World Heriatge Area in 2000. It is popular with bushwalkers, abseilers, canyoners, nature lovers, landscape photographers etc. A definate must see if visiting Australia. It is most famous for its amazing sandstone gorges and incredible vistas. The first two photos are examples of these. 

But today I'm mainly going to show you some photos of the many lovely waterfalls you can see in the region. This is especially for Jeanlux who I know loves the sight of flowing water in a photo (as I do ). Most of these photos are taken from a walk from the region called "Valley of the Waters" (Wentworth Falls region). There are many beautiful cascading waterfalls on this walk and it is well worth the effort. 

David 


Grose Valley (from Mount Hay)











Empress Falls


























Sylvia Falls


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## emydura (Jan 22, 2011)

Wentworth Falls






Terrace Falls


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## Dido (Jan 22, 2011)

Nice pictures many thanks for this.


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## lindafrog (Jan 22, 2011)

What fantastic scenery thanks, I feel warmer just looking at them .It is nice to see what the beautiful green earth looks like. We've had nothing but gray sky and snow for the last six weeks here in Northern lower Michigan.


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## cnycharles (Jan 22, 2011)

wow! i've been editing/uploading dry area images all afternoon, nice to see some green/moist landscapes. it would be nice to curl my toes in some wet, green moss (in a warm place) right about now; very nice pictures, thanks!

...I was looking for some flowering phrag besseas there, but didn't see any


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## hchan (Jan 22, 2011)

Thank you so much for these David, great pics! That's how I want my photos to turn out, but they never quite do... I think I need to invest in a tripod.

Being a Sydney-sider I love the Blue Mountains too, but I'm rather boring with my choice of walks. I usually doing something around Leura, Katoomba and up around the Ruined Castle. There are some waterfalls around Leura, but I'll have to check out Valley of the Waters!


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## Shiva (Jan 22, 2011)

Looks like paradise.


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## Yoyo_Jo (Jan 22, 2011)

Fabulous photos!! I saw the Blue Mountains in 1998 on a lame tourist bus trip, but we didn't get to see any of those falls.


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## emydura (Jan 22, 2011)

hchan said:


> Thank you so much for these David, great pics! That's how I want my photos to turn out, but they never quite do... I think I need to invest in a tripod.
> 
> Being a Sydney-sider I love the Blue Mountains too, but I'm rather boring with my choice of walks. I usually doing something around Leura, Katoomba and up around the Ruined Castle. There are some waterfalls around Leura, but I'll have to check out Valley of the Waters!



Thanks Hubert

The Valley of the Waters walk starts at the Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls. It is a popular tourist walk and it is as long or short a walk as you want it to be. You can do a 5 or 6 hour walk and do a loop around Wentworth Falls. If you just want to shoot Empress Falls and a few others, you can be up and back in an hour or so. Steep climb back up.

For what it is worth, here are a few waterfall photographing tips -

* Use a tripod - long shutter speeds mean you can't hand hold a camera

* use a polariser filter - removes reflections from leaves and water. Saturates colours. Essential.

* best to shoot waterfalls after recent rain to get the best effects.

* Shoot only when the waterfall is in shade not in sunlight. This means either photographing early or late in the day or photographing on cloudy days. Most of the photos here were taken at around 6 to 7 AM.

* Shooting in shade means you will get will get slower shutter speeds which will give you the blurry water effect. Shooting at small apertures (eg f16 or higher) will reduce the shutter speed as well as give you greater depth of field. The polariser filter will also slow the shutter speed by 2 stops. 

* If you can't get the shutter speed slow enough you can use a ND filter which reduces light to the camera. I sorta think if you need this you are shooting at the wrong time of day. But I guess there are times when you have no alternative.

* You don't want to overdo the slow shutter speed though. I think the shutter speed of the 2nd photo of the 2nd post was too slow. The water is just a bit too blurry. The water was roaring over those falls and hence a quicker shutter speed would have been better.

* I generally think waterfall photos look best where the top of the waterfall is at the top of the photo. The waterfall draws you into the photo. Also look for something in the foreground to draw you into the photo. For example the log in the third waterfall photo.

* Photos of waterfalls tend to work better from the base looking up than above looking down. I find it often best not to have the sky in a waterfall photo. The bright light of the sky tends to blow out in contrast to the heavily shaded waterfall, providing too big a distraction. A dense canopy above the waterfall is ideal.

* Often closeups within waterfalls look better than trying to photograph the whole waterfall. I quite like this photo of a closeup of Gibraltar Falls in the ACT -





Uploaded with ImageShack.us


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## Erythrone (Jan 22, 2011)

Fantastic!


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## Clark (Jan 22, 2011)

Great shots!

I counted 3 sapiens.


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## NYEric (Jan 22, 2011)

Clark said:


> I counted 3 sapiens.


Assuming! 
thanx for sharing these great photos!


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## Ernie (Jan 22, 2011)

NICE! Shoot, if I lived there, I'd just walk around for a couple weeks too.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 22, 2011)

Absolutely beautiful photos, David! Great job with shutter speeds. You should publish these somewhere (besides Slippertalk).


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## paphioboy (Jan 23, 2011)

Beautiful...  I'm glad the flood did not affect you...


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## wojtek (Jan 23, 2011)

Great photos !!!


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## hchan (Jan 23, 2011)

Shiva said:


> Looks like paradise.



Haha we're pretty lucky, with our Sydney Harbour, Blue Moutains to the west, wineries to the north and the endless beaches we can't complain :rollhappy:


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## Hera (Jan 23, 2011)

I so look forward to your photos. Its like we have our own private National Geographic photographer in the house. Thanks.


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## W. Beetus (Jan 23, 2011)

Those pictures are spectacular! Beautiful scenery!


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## emydura (Jan 23, 2011)

lindafrog said:


> What fantastic scenery thanks, I feel warmer just looking at them .It is nice to see what the beautiful green earth looks like. We've had nothing but gray sky and snow for the last six weeks here in Northern lower Michigan.



We've had a fair amount of grey sky here too lately. It does snow in the Blue Mountains occassionally (altitude of 1000m) although it doesn't last long. 



Yoyo_Jo said:


> Fabulous photos!! I saw the Blue Mountains in 1998 on a lame tourist bus trip, but we didn't get to see any of those falls.



I assume you went around the various lookouts which is a full day in itself. To see all the jewels in the Blue Mountains requires a fair amount of time and physical exercise. 



Clark said:


> Great shots!
> 
> I counted 3 sapiens.



Three is correct. All photographers.



Ernie said:


> NICE! Shoot, if I lived there, I'd just walk around for a couple weeks too.



It is a great place for bushwalking. You can do short walks of an hour or so (such as where these waterfalls are) or extended walks of a week or more. I've walked nearly all of it. A beautiful walk is the Blue Gum Forest walk in the Grose Valley (3 or 4 days) which is in the heart of the valley of that first photo. You can walk through the whole valley. The Blue Gums are the most magnificant gigantic eucalypt trees. To think they wanted to develop all that area. Some rich bushwalkers got there money together and bought the land and gave it back to the people as a National Park. We are forever grateful for there generosity. I remember walking through there once and came across a wild herd of cattle, leftovers from a previous era. Hopefully they have been removed now.



SlipperFan said:


> Absolutely beautiful photos, David! Great job with shutter speeds. You should publish these somewhere (besides Slippertalk).



Thanks Dot. Maybe when I get enough together. Sometimes I post in a photography forum, but I haven't posted these yet. You are the first to see them.  

David


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## SlipperFan (Jan 23, 2011)

emydura said:


> Thanks Dot. Maybe when I get enough together. Sometimes I post in a photography forum, but I haven't posted these yet. You are the first to see them.
> 
> David


I'm thinking wider audience -- a book, maybe? Galen Rowell, Elliot Porter...


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## goldenrose (Jan 24, 2011)

:drool::drool::drool:Thanks for sharing!!!


cnycharles said:


> .... nice to see some green/moist landscapes. it would be nice to curl my toes in some wet, green moss (in a warm place) right about now ...


me too!



Hera said:


> I so look forward to your photos. Its like we have our own private National Geographic photographer in the house. Thanks.


:clap::clap:


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## JeanLux (Jan 24, 2011)

Sorry to be somewhat late with my reply David, but nevertheless I spent quite some time now dreaming about your beautiful shots !!!!! 
Whereas the landscape panorama is absolutely terrifying, your waterflow pictures are extreme, even the one last one where you show a very quiet water (with just some flow in the background)!!!! Bravo, and thanks for showing us!!!! Jean


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## emydura (Jan 24, 2011)

SlipperFan said:


> I'm thinking wider audience -- a book, maybe? Galen Rowell, Elliot Porter...



Crikey Dot. Galen Rowell. I've got a bit to go before I reach those lofty heights, if indeed I ever could. Maybe a book one day but I need to get out there and take a lot more photos before I can think of that. I can go a long time between shootings. Off to the coast next week, so hopefully will take some nice ocean photos. 

There are so many great photographers now. The advent of the digital camera has enabled any keen amatuer to get out there and take awesome photos. I wouldn't want to be making a living out of it. But there are some people making big money as you can see from this link -

http://blog.peterlik.com/bid/58038/PETER-LIK-PHOTOGRAPH-ONE-SELLS-FOR-1-MILLION 

David


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## gore42 (Jan 24, 2011)

Beautiful photos, David... the waterfalls, and the wider landscapes  I love the light in that first shot.

- Matthew Gore


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## Brian Monk (Jan 24, 2011)

Very beautiful. Great tutorial as well. Just fantastic.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 24, 2011)

emydura said:


> Crikey Dot. Galen Rowell. I've got a bit to go before I reach those lofty heights, if indeed I ever could. Maybe a book one day but I need to get out there and take a lot more photos before I can think of that. I can go a long time between shootings. Off to the coast next week, so hopefully will take some nice ocean photos.
> 
> There are so many great photographers now. The advent of the digital camera has enabled any keen amatuer to get out there and take awesome photos. I wouldn't want to be making a living out of it. But there are some people making big money as you can see from this link -
> 
> ...


David, I used to teach photography technology and art, and had many a talented student. From what I can see, you have both an excellent eye for composition and a mastery of the technical aspects of photography. If you work hard at it, you may not make a million dollars on a photo, but you should "make your mark" in the field.


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## emydura (Jan 25, 2011)

SlipperFan said:


> David, I used to teach photography technology and art, and had many a talented student. From what I can see, you have both an excellent eye for composition and a mastery of the technical aspects of photography. If you work hard at it, you may not make a million dollars on a photo, but you should "make your mark" in the field.



Thanks Dot for your kind words and encouragement. It is much appreciated.

David


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## emydura (Jan 8, 2013)

I had a chance to take some more Blue Mountain waterfall photos after Christmas. It had been pretty dry there until Christmas day where it rained quite steadily all day. Apart from the last two these are all taken from Leura Cascades which is a lovely short stroll along a fern filled creek with many pretty waterfalls. It was quite foggy the morning I took these. 

The last two photos are of Wentworth Falls which is a pretty famous falls and even the name of a Blue Mountains town. 








































Wentworth Falls


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## JeanLux (Jan 8, 2013)

:drool: Wow; but you know that I like your water pics  !!!! :clap: Jean


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## Dido (Jan 8, 2013)

Great pics again thanks for sharing. 

here it is going to freeze again. 

Can you find orchids there.


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## emydura (Jan 8, 2013)

Dido said:


> Can you find orchids there.



There are plenty of orchids in the Blue Mountains. They include Dendrobium speciosum, two species of Cymbidium, Sarchochilus, Liparis and lots of different terrestrial orchids.


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## monocotman (Jan 8, 2013)

Just beautiful,
David


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## NYEric (Jan 8, 2013)

Thanks for sharing.


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## Paul Mc (Jan 8, 2013)

Amazing places and pics! Thanks!!


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## Ruth (Jan 8, 2013)

Just beautiful!!!!!!!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jan 8, 2013)

Now that's what I like - a picture that's better than reality! :clap:


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## Hera (Jan 8, 2013)

The pictures are so intimate that I feel like I need to go dry off. Spectacular technique and thank you.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 8, 2013)

David, did you ever publish these?

I read that Australia is experiencing another record heat wave. I hope it breaks soon.


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## emydura (Jan 9, 2013)

SlipperFan said:


> David, did you ever publish these?
> 
> I read that Australia is experiencing another record heat wave. I hope it breaks soon.



No, not yet Dot.

Yes, record heat waves hitting Australia at the moment. Last Monday was the hottest day recorded across Australia. There was an average temperature of 40.3oC. I can't sort of get my head around that figure. The average of 700-800 weather stations right across Australia was greater than 40oC. Well that record will only last one day as yesterday was even hotter and will certainly beat it. 

Another record was broken - 6 consecutive days where the average temperature across Australia was greater than 39oC. The previous record was 4. This record will certainly increase to 7, possibly 8. Another very hot week ahead is predicted.

The effect of climate change on Australia is pretty frightening. Australia is already a very hot and dry country. Climate change will tip it over the edge. A lot of it will become uninhabitable.


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## quietaustralian (Jan 9, 2013)

Stunning pics!!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jan 9, 2013)

emydura said:


> No, not yet Dot.



You should, they are indeed stunning.



emydura said:


> Yes, record heat waves hitting Australia at the moment. Last Monday was the hottest day recorded across Australia. There was an average temperature of 40.3oC. I can't sort of get my head around that figure. The average of 700-800 weather stations right across Australia was greater than 40oC. Well that record will only last one day as yesterday was even hotter and will certainly beat it.
> 
> Another record was broken - 6 consecutive days where the average temperature across Australia was greater than 39oC. The previous record was 4. This record will certainly increase to 7, possibly 8. Another very hot week ahead is predicted.
> 
> The effect of climate change on Australia is pretty frightening. Australia is already a very hot and dry country. Climate change will tip it over the edge. A lot of it will become uninhabitable.



Agreed. Regardless of what you have to say about GW, things are heating up in ways that put all of us in danger. Japan had its hottest year on record back in 2010 - locally that year we had the hottest summer recorded (a 120 year record) with August coming in at an average of 30.3 C, which is similar to parts of Equatorial Africa. What saves us from higher temps is all the water that surrounds Japan. 

Continental climates are going to get hit the hardest. It looks like Africa and Australia will be the first to really get whacked. Dunno where "safe" is anymore - New Zealand? Patagonia? Hawaii? Antarctica...


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## Leo Schordje (Jan 9, 2013)

Beautiful photos David. Thanks for posting. 

For those US members who don't think in C, 40.3 C is roughly 105 F, hot by any measure. 

The US has logged 2012 as the hottest year on record for the USA too. If it gets much warmer I'm thinking it won't be long and I can have an outdoor palm tree nursery, right here at the Wisconsin border. 

Our winter has been so far, quite mild. Chicago-Milwaukee area is having a winter more like a moderate winter in Memphis. January 9 and we haven' had any temperatures below 10 F, nothing below - 12 C. This is quite warm for us. No snow cover either, and way behind on precipitation. Very mild indeed. 
I don't mind not having to cope with the snow, but this is so unusual it is a little scary.


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## The Orchid Boy (Jan 9, 2013)

Just viewed the thread now, sad I didn't do it sooner. GREAT photography!


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## SlipperFan (Jan 9, 2013)

I agree with Leo, although we've had a little snow. But most of it will be gone by the weekend. I don't mind the "warmer than normal" but I don't like that the country has also been much drier than normal.

I'm feeling sad for the Aussies and their heat wave and fires.


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## Ozpaph (Jan 11, 2013)

David, masterful photos and thanks for sharing those great tips!


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## Brabantia (Jan 11, 2013)

Fantastic photos, thank you for sharing these. No orchids in this country?


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## emydura (Jan 11, 2013)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Continental climates are going to get hit the hardest. It looks like Africa and Australia will be the first to really get whacked.



I recently saw some predictions of what the temperatures in various places in Australia will be ib the future. Darwin currently has on average 11 days a year over 35oC. That is predicted to increase to 308 days a year. 

Another intersting statistic I read today was that of the hottest 20 days (average temp) in the last 100 years in Australia, 8 have occurred this year. This year is only 11 days old. 



Leo Schordje said:


> Beautiful photos David. Thanks for posting.
> 
> For those US members who don't think in C, 40.3 C is roughly 105 F, hot by any measure.
> .



Particularly when you consider that is just an average over 800 weather stations. Assuming a normal distribution, roughly half the country was hotter with many places way hotter. Australia is a big country with many different climates, so it is incredible that you can average 105F. No end to it either. Today is an absolute scorcher.



Brabantia said:


> Fantastic photos, thank you for sharing these. No orchids in this country?



There are plenty of orchids in the Blue Mountains. They include Dendrobium speciosum, two species of Cymbidium, Sarchochilus, Liparis and lots of different terrestrial orchids. These are cool temperate orchids. The winters can get quite cool in this area.


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## Clark (Jan 12, 2013)

Great images David.
You are very fortunate to have a place like this, where one can have the time to set up and shoot, without somebody walking into the view.


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## biothanasis (Jan 12, 2013)

Wonderful pictures!!!!! Bravo David :clap:


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## emydura (Jan 12, 2013)

Clark said:


> Great images David.
> You are very fortunate to have a place like this, where one can have the time to set up and shoot, without somebody walking into the view.



Thanks Clark. Most people were still in bed when I took these photos. I got up there at about 6 am. I like to photograph in good even shaded light, so a early start is best which also means you can photograph without lots of people getting in the way.


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## Clark (Jan 12, 2013)

Wife and I do what you do.
In car many times at 4 am., to get to a spot at sunrise.
So many times, at arrival, we look at each other and say- omg, look how many people are here already.
It is what it is.


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## emydura (Jan 12, 2013)

Clark said:


> Wife and I do what you do.
> In car many times at 4 am., to get to a spot at sunrise.
> So many times, at arrival, we look at each other and say- omg, look how many people are here already.
> It is what it is.



Not many places in Australia where that would happen. The Twelve Apostles would be one. I'm generally on my own when I photograph which I like. In these last lot of photos a couple of photographers turned up as I was finishing.


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## ericst11 (Jan 12, 2013)

Wow amazing


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jan 13, 2013)

Hey Clark and David, try photography in Japan! Man, you ain't never alone near any scenic attraction, not even in the pouring rain. That's what happens when you have 130 million people living in an area the size of California I guess.


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