Hi Reader

I'm excited to bring you the very first edition of Trail Sharp! This week's issue is a longer one. Don't worry, others will be shorter. Use the Snapshot to quickly decide what to read.

I recently spent most of the day hiking various trails in Ohio's Hocking Hills region. Late winter rains have brought about higher groundwater tables, leading to a variety of developments including extra soggy trails. If you venture out expect to get your feet wet. On a positive note, even the smallest tributary streams were flowing which led me to this week's theme, spring waterfalls! Let's dive in.

Snapshot

Outdoors: Seasonal and ephemeral waterfalls are flowing again!
​Science: Bedrock breeds waterfalls but tiny cascades abound.
​Photography: Get close to tiny falls; long shutter speeds create dreamy flow.

Outdoors

You know those seasonal waterfalls you visited last summer that were reduced to a trickle - or perhaps completely dry? They're flowing now!
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With elevated groundwater tables, even small ephemeral streams are active and the larger falls may be roaring. Ephemeral streams typically only flow after rain events but chances are pretty good they'll have some base flow this time of year especially if we've gotten some rain recently.

While a quick web search (or asking your favorite AI companion) can point you to popular waterfalls, they tend to be crowded at mid-day on weekends. If you’re heading out, get up early to beat the crowds, or seek out unadvertised falls and tiny cascades that make for great exploring and photography (more on that below).

And one more thing: if you're hiking at the top of the waterfall, don't get too close to the edge. Wet rocks are slippery and we don't want you to be in a headline.

Science

What is a waterfall? It's a vertical drop - or series of drops - in a streambed or riverbed. Waterfalls often form when a resistant bedrock layer overlays softer rock. The stream erodes the softer layer, carving a plunge pool and eventually undermining the upper ledge, which eventually collapses and the falls slowly migrates upstream and grows in height. Here's a visual (scroll down to the graphic entitled "Formation of a Waterfall").

When hunting waterfalls look for exposed bedrock. Sometimes bedrock exposure is obvious but in many places it is only visible in the stream beds. Find waterfall-rich areas online but keep in mind there are probably more waterfalls than what is shown on the map. Many ephemeral and seasonal falls show up this time of year. Locations with cliffs, bluffs, ledges, overlooks, and similar features are great candidates. If you're comfortable with topographic maps, look for places where the contours pile up along a watercourse.

Explore a range of perspectives. Even modest streams in natural, hilly settings have little drops and ample opportunity for exploration and photography - where you're allowed to explore off-trail. They also support a variety of aquatic life - from insects to stream salamanders.

Photography

The best waterfall photos often come from a distance or from below where you get the full effect. Even tiny vertical drops can yield amazing shots if you get really close and really low. Just be careful...electronics and water don't mix well. It might make sense to Invest in a waterproof case if you're going to be photographing in or near water a lot. With a waterproof case, you can even partially submerge your phone for an above-and-below-water perspective.

So how do you get those smooth, dreamy-looking waterfall photos? They key is shutter speed - how long the camera's shutter is open. Your camera's automatic settings favor fast speeds for sharp photos, but slower shutter speeds create the motion blur that gives waterfalls that ethereal quality.

Ensure your camera is completely still. You can prop it up on a rock or whatever's handy. Or get a portable tripod for your smart phone - there are inexpensive options out there.

Switch your phone into "Pro Mode" and make sure your ISO is as low as it goes. Start with a shutter speed slower (greater) than 1/30th of a second. Experiment until you get the desired effect and proper brightness. Reducing shutter speed lets in more light and may produce photos that are too bright (blown out). To avoid this shoot in low light (near sunrise or sunset). You can also invest in an ND filter for your phone which goes over your lens and reduces light. They come in various strengths for different conditions.
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Some phones and camera apps can take several shots in short succession and merge them resulting in effects similar to motion blur. I'm not going to explore these in any detail here but it is an option for those that want to avoid gear and technical aspects described above. The results might be hit and miss currently but technology will improve with time. You'll still need a perfectly stable phone to avoid having blur in the still portions of your photo.

If you have any suggestions for content just reply to this email (or a future one) and let me know! I'm always looking for ideas.

That's it for this week. Happy exploring!

Chad Kettlewell
Photographer & Ecologist
​chadkphotography.com​

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