The Scary Side of Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is one of the most enjoyable things in my life, but anyway - sometimes it can get scary. Take the landscape in, but watch out, that the landscape doesn't take you...

#1 The Unexpected

I always prefer to think about my options in front, to be prepared for them. My original plan was to photograph a frozen giant waterfall at -15°C. I waited for these conditions already the whole winter.

But as I arrived on that day, I realized that there is another option, just 50 meters from there where I parked my car. I knew that spot and I was looking forward to take a photograph there, but through totally different situaton. I just saw, how mist rose from the lake and that amazing alpenglow at the mountain.

I knew, that there was no time for building up a composition - so there was just time for a rough one. But I'm anyway happy with this one.

The sun was already too high, so I got this second light spot at the leftern mountain, what I'm not 100% happy about and the land right beside the rock in the foreground stings like a needle into the rock. I had need a few more minutes at least :)

This was definitely unexpected for me, but not scary. But then I went up to the frozen waterfall, I was original going to photograph.

#2 The Frozen Waterfall

It is amazing what mother nature is able to conjure for us on a cold, frosty day at a waterfall.

This waterfall is around 35 meters high, if not higher. I was totally impressed from all these ice structures, combined with these grey rocks. I was building up a composition straight at the waterfall, as I suddenly heard a dull crack. I looked up to the waterfall and ...

... this is how it looks, when a snow slide starts to come down from a hight of around 35 meters or more - straight beside me.

It looks after more distance because of the ultrawide lens of my vlogging camera, which was exactly at the position where the slide came down. But it came down just around 1 meter and a half beside me. You can believe me, I was shocked to the bone :)

#3 Too Dangerous?

It was too dangerous to go again as close too the waterfall as I did before. But for getting depth into the photograph, I needed to go close to it. A longer lens with more distance was no option. I tried to go to the leftern side of the waterfall, where it looked at least a tiny bit safer. I found a composition there of a more intimate scene and got this shot.

I'm happy with this composition. These ice structures in the foreground, with this subtle snow on it, are just amazing. Also the lines back to these vertical iceicles.

What I didn't mention in the video is, that I fell down on a root with my knee, what ended up in a little unjury. Not at the waterfall, already on the way through the forest. Fingers crossed, that this will go away as fast as possible, that I can go for more landscape photography adventures soon.

Check out my gear, which I use for my landscape photography:

My Landscape Photography Gear

Nice greetings,

Christian