Tiny Waterfall
Sweet Creek near Mapleton, Oregon
A portion of Sweet Creek flows through a small gap in the rocks and drops down to the next level. I exposed for the white of the water, which meant that the rest of the water in the creek would be rendered nearly black -- film and sensors just can't "see" the wide range of light that our eyes can see. I used a long exposure to that the falling water, and the faster-moving water at the base of the drop would be rendered as a blur. I was struck by the radiating pattern of the white water in the midst of the blackness, and this has become one of my favorite photographs. Photo © copyright by Stephen Penland.