Ball’s Falls on Twenty Mile Creek
A couple of weeks ago I had some spare time and the weather conditions were favorable for photographing waterfalls, so I headed off to a few additional falls that I had hoped to shoot this year before the river’s flow diminished too much. Many of the Niagara Escarpment, a world biosphere, waterfalls dry-up in summer, so you must shoot them in spring and early summer or during periods of extended rainfall. In the image of Ball’s Falls above the cascade is substantially reduced due to a couple of weeks of dry weather. On this particular day it did begin to rain, rather heavy at times and I was forced to seek shelter beneath the gorge wall where I photographed this composition with my 12-24mm lens and polarizing filter attached. A more intimate view of the falls was composed below using the 80-400mm VR lens (with VR off).
Ball’s Falls details
Below you will see Grindstone Falls found in the town of Waterdown, Ontario. This waterfall also goes by the names Great Falls, Waterdown Falls and Smokey Hollow Falls. A couple of months ago when I was at this location is was not possible to shoot the falls from below the cascade due to substantial and very dangerous river flow. After a couple of weeks of dryer weather I returned to make this image. Above the falls too much white sky was visible and the viewing platform would be an unpleasant distractions so I composed the scene to eliminate these. A rotten stench would drift by periodically and I soon became aware of a dead white-tailed deer among the rocks on the far bank of the river. I presume the deer had become caught in the river over had gone over the falls and drowned – a testament to how dangerous the river was upon my first visit.
Grindstone Falls
Beamer’s Falls in the town of Grimsby along Forty Mile Creek (photo below) was another waterfall that was too dangerous to attempt photographing in early spring so again I returned after a dry spell to photograph this picturesque cascade. This waterfall was reduced to a mere trickle, however, enough water was flowing over the crest to create this pleasing image. In hindsight, I wish I had shot this one as a panoramic…..something to keep in mind for my next visit.
Beamer’s Falls
I am off to Parry Sound for a few days. I am hoping to photograph the Common Loons that have returned to Horseshoe Lake and successfully hatched two adorable chicks!
Andrew McLachlan 