One of the things I enjoy most about living in the Pacific Northwest is the easy access to several magnificent national parks, including Olympic National Park, Crater Lake National Park, North Cascades National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park. I have visited and photographed each of these parks, and I am continually amazed by the diversity and beauty they offer.
During my recent three-day visit to Mount Rainier National Park, I explored the area around Paradise, where I was staying. My primary focus was on the mountain and the stunning fields of wildflowers adorning its slopes. However, before leaving, I really wanted to visit Christine Falls. Although not particularly large, with a drop of only 37 feet at its lower level, the falls are intimate and beautifully framed by a stone bridge along the “Road to Paradise.”
The overlook for the falls is easily accessible via a short walk from the road. While the trail was manageable, I had to navigate around a large fallen tree to set up my tripod in the desired position. Once I was properly situated, it was relatively straightforward to frame the shot, check the focus, and adjust my exposure.
The most challenging aspect was deciding how to compose the shot with respect to the bridge. Should I include a glimpse of the walls of the upper chasm above the bridge? Should I position the top of the frame right at the edge of the bridge wall? Or should I focus tightly on just the waterfall itself?
After experimenting with each of these options, I ultimately chose the first one, which required keeping the camera level to avoid any lens distortion at a 39mm focal length. Feeling satisfied that I had captured the image I envisioned, I headed home.
