Abstract close ups of waterfalls: Seerenbach Falls, Switzerland

Photographing waterfalls can be very fun and they are probably one of the most popular subjects, especially for long exposure. But it can also be challenging. Finding a unique composition is not always easy. On my recent visit to one of the highest waterfalls in Europe I decided to play with my telephoto lens and try to find some abstract close ups of different parts of the waterfall focusing on the water flow.

To achieve this, all the photos were taken handheld and I used a very fast shutter speeds to capture the details in the flowing water and the spray. It wasn’t easy to keep the lens dry so I had to constantly wipe it in between the shots.

Overall the results are very interesting. The best part of these images is that they are all unique and can’t be repeated:

These images were captured on a Fuji X-T3 + XF70-300mm @ f8 and shutter speeds between 1/800 – 1/1250

It’s hard to predict how the water will flow but after watching it for some time it’s possible to get an idea of what to expect. After roughly getting the composition I shot multiple frames and chose the best ones in Lightroom.

It can be fun to review the frames and try to find shapes or even faces formed by the flowing water.

As for post processing, the main focus was to bring back the contrast with the contrast, dehaze and clarity sliders in Lightroom. I also desaturated some colors that were distracting, like some yellow rocks or green patches of grass.

I’m already looking forward to another visit to this place, maybe in better light conditions.