Day 14: Don't go Chasing...

This post begins with a confession: I am terrible at photographing waterfalls. They should be easy. They’re inherently magnificent to behold. But that’s the problem: the experience of being near a waterfall is much more than visual. It has that urgent, vaguely threatening wall of white noise, the subtle breath of atomized water in the air, the ever-changing texture of the torrent. My pictures are always flat, lifeless, soundless imitations of the real thing. Every time I come back hopeful, every time, I look at the picture and think “that sort of looks like it… maybe”.

This time was no different. Now, I know all about taking long exposures to create that lovely misty flow effect. But patience, space for tripods and time are not things I have in abundance. So I continue to wait for the inspiration to capture the beauty of a waterfall.

In the meantime, the environment around the waterfall with its well-watered thriving plantlife can make for some fascinating pictures. And these are what captured most of my attention on the trip to the Mae Sa waterfalls by the little town of Mae Rim, about a total of 30Km outside of Chiang Mai

Waterfalls

Tree Asterisk Hanging Over the Trail

Decorated Tree

Canopy Abstract

This is my favorite. The textures are a lot of fun and it makes be strangely peaceful.