Liquid Landscapes

About

“Liquid Landscapes” is a photo essay I created to explore the dynamic interplay between water and nature. Through a series of original images, I aimed to capture the fluidity and power of water as it shapes and interacts with various landscapes. This project focuses on both the serenity and strength of these natural elements, using composition and lighting to evoke emotion and a sense of connection with the environment.

Liquid Landscapes

Immerse yourself in the captivating beauty and rhythmic dance of liquid landscapes. Capturing moments of serenity, power and timeless allure, from cascading waterfalls to calm lakes and meandering rivers. Each image tells a story of the force, importance and tranquility of water -the fundamental element that nurtures all living things.

Briarwood Falls

Briarwood Falls

My 16 year old son was actually thrilled to wake up at 7am and drive me across town to capture this picture. He did have a good laugh when we got there as he didn’t realize how small these waterfalls were that we were waking up early for. I believe I was able to make the waterfalls look much bigger than they actually are with the placement of the camera. These waterfalls can be found right in the middle of a city neighbourhood – highlighting water’s ability to bring a touch of the natural world into the urban environment. I cropped the picture to give a better view of the water, and cleaned up quite a bit of debris from the rocks, and a stick from the front of the waterfall.
Three Sisters

Three Sisters

Capturing this picture of the Three Sisters has been on my bucket list, and I was thankful to be able to capture it on a day trip with my husband while visiting family in Calgary this summer. I was able to take only one picture with calm water, before a couple of dogs on a hike with their owners jumped in the water creating the ripples you see in this picture. I love the added texture of the ripples from the dogs playing and having fun in the water. I cropped the original photo to make the water more prevalent in the picture. I also tweaked the brightness and contrast of each element individually (water and trees, mountains, clouds), so the mountains and clouds weren’t so faded, and the water has added dimension.
Lake Louise

Lake Louise

Seeing Lake Louise in person has been on my bucket list. I was finally able to get there this summer, on a day trip with my husband while visiting family in Calgary. It certainly did not disappoint! We saw and captured images of it from every angle, hiking up to the viewpoint, and around to the glacier. This is one of my favourites, showcasing the beautiful colours of the water with the rocks giving it some interest. I cropped and straightened the original photo, played around a bit with the contrast, shadows and highlights, added a touch of the lighter colour of the mountains to the left to balance it out, and added a vignette.
Middle Falls

Middle Falls

I had some fun playing around with shutter speed to capture the silkiness of the falls, and was pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous texture in the river as well, making it a perfect addition to this photo essay. I adjusted the gamma correction on the rocks to the left of the waterfall to make the photo more balanced, and pulled it all together with a vignette.
Whitefish River

Whitefish River

This is quite possibly my favourite picture in this essay, and it’s of a location I didn’t even know existed! While driving around the countryside with my husband, I asked at him to stop and turn around when I spotted this river. This photo showcases the dynamic and powerful nature of water, and it’s ability to shape and carve through the landscape. I barely had to touch the lighting and vibrance in this picture, and simply added a vignette with extra on the bottom of the picture to bring it all together.
Pole Line Road

Pole Line Road

I am always on the lookout for new and beautiful spots to experience and capture. When I caught wind of waterfalls just off Pole Line Road, I had to investigate! These are not the exact ones I was on a mission to find, but I love them just the same. This tranquil scene captures the essence of water’s vital role in sustaining the surrounding ecosystem.
Kakabeka Falls

Kakabeka Falls

I had not planned on capturing Kakabeka Falls for this essay. However, my son who is just learning to drive, chose this as our Saturday morning outing so he could practice driving on the highway. I am quite happy we did, growing up in Thunder Bay and being here so many times, I forget how beautifully stunning it really is. I was able to play with my neutral density filter and ended up with many gorgeous pictures, as well as frozen fingers! This picture captures the dynamic movement of the falls, showcasing the raw power and energy inherent in flowing water. Most of my editing of this photo was with the shadows and highlights. I lightened the dark shadows surrounding the falls in the trees and grass, and darkened the highlights on the rocks behind the falls.
Fisherman's Park

Fisherman's Park

This was my first time trying out a new neutral density filter I had ordered, specifically to get longer shutter speeds for moving water. I love the added lens flare I got on this sunny day as well. The lens flare adds a touch of warmth and radiance to this picture, emphasizing the transformative power of sunlight on water. Besides cropping and straightening this photo, I didn’t have to do much to it other than darken some of the white cascades. I did clean up some extra lines in the smooth water in the middle that was caused by the extra long shutter speed.
Boulevard Lake

Boulevard Lake

I captured this image at the end of a hike around Boulevard Lake with friends. The calmness of the lake emphasizes water’s role in creating peaceful and reflective moments. The reflections of trees and houses encapsulates the harmonious coexistence of water with human habitation and nature. I cropped and lightened the picture, and brought it together with a vignette, adding some extra to the top left.

Website Link to Original Photo Essay

https://mkellytpc.wordpress.com/2023/12/10/liquid-landscapes/

© 2024 Michelle Kelly