I have returned from an exhilarating and a most productive week of photographing from the land of gorges and waterfalls in and around Ithaca, NY.
This trip had been five years in the making, but life gets in the way (for good and for bad) sometimes. That said, I was able to finally make it happen!
Day One (Travel day)
Arrived at the hotel at @ 2:00pm and were allowed an early check in. After unpacking and relaxing for a bit from the the 3+hour road trip, my friend/travel partner/fellow photographer headed out for an early dinner at a local pub. We then headed back to the hotel to pick up our gear and drove out to destination #1; the beautiful and inspiring Buttermilk Falls SP, which was located just a few miles down the road.
We arrived just as the Golden Hour was beginning. Our first day was just one of two that featured partly sunny skies. The others were perfect for waterfall photography as they were cloudy, rainy and misty days. Such atmospheric moods were created on those days.
Anyway, the light was just wonderful, and with a 6-stop Neutral Density utilized, I was able to shoot long exposures without blowing out the highlights and easily creating the cliche silky water image.
I hiked up the gorge trail to create some intimate/detailed compositions above where the falls began to slide down the gorge into a wide pool of water, but I chose to process this image first to give the viewer a sense of how dramatic this waterfall was.
“Buttermilk Falls Prelude”
Buttermilk Falls is known as a “Fan” type and it is aptly named as the cascading waters looked so smooth to the naked eye, (the long exposure only enhanced the appearance).
This view is only a 100 yards from the parking area, and it is a great spot to just chill out and enjoy the serenity that only a waterfall can offer.
The next point of interest on my photo op itinerary was, “Fall Creek Gorge”, which is located in the heart of Downtown Ithaca. I originally had planned to capture Cascadilla Gorge as well, but unfortunately, it was closed for maintenance and was not safe to access due to damage incurred during the winter. That’s the way it goes sometimes!
There are six falls in this gorge, but due to time constraints, I had only enough time to photograph two of them, both seen here.
The first one I photographed was “Foaming Cascade” aka “Horseshoe Falls”, and I accessed it by taking a spur trail down from the main trail. It is @ 20 ft high with a concave crest that wraps around a former power plant. One can also see “Rocky Falls” poking out beyond it.
As you can see, due to the copious amount of water from a stormy week prior, the water flow was intense and it presented a challenge to not create too milky an appearance. After trying different settings, I finally came away with a couple of worthy images, which I share with you here.
“Horseshoe Falls Impetuoso”
The next waterfall required me to hike back up the gorge and to set up my gear on the Stewart Avenue Bridge to capture “Forest Falls” which is a 55 ft cascade flanked by high cliff walls.
The series of comps I came away with were taken at the end of the Golden Hour, right before sunset.
“Forest Falls Fugue”
Both of these falls are known as a “Block” type.
Note: I finally have mastered the art of taking in the sights in realtime to properly absorbed the natural beauty with all my senses after packing up my gear.
The last stop of this jammed back first 1/2 day was the incredibly powerful “Ithaca Falls” that is visible from the road that passes directly in front of it. It is a large, powerful waterfall known as a “Cataract” type.
A short descending hike from the parking area brought me directly to the base of the falls, and it was there that I could viscerally feel the intensity of that majestic waterfall!
Not only that, I was prepared to take a misty shower when the breeze slightly picked up and changed direction.
Normally, I don’t like to include people in my landscape captures, but in this case, I wanted to include that “fisherman” to give the viewer a sense of scale to that immense cascade. And besides, I was not about to intrude on his fishing activity by asking him to leave (that would had been rude), nor did I want to wait too long and lose the light right after sunset during the blue hour.
Note: I have other compositions from here that do not have people in it.
“Ithaca Falls Insistendo”
I was quite thrilled with that spot of pastel colored light the cascading water caught, and that my lens captured wonderfully. It added even more interest to the overall photograph.
Although it was a whirlwind first day, it was as I expected and planned for! A nice warm shower and a good night’s rest was waiting at the hotel and the next day my friend and I would be heading out to another awe-inspiring state park, that being, “Fillmore Glen SP”.
Images and storytelling to follow…
Day Two ( 1st full day)
Flexibility is key when planning a trip. One does not know what the weather might have in store or the availability of a desired location.
With that said, I switched out Tuesday and Wednesday as the forecast did not look promising for Wednesday. On Tuesday, I originally planned on hitting Taughannock State Park that I had been to back in 2015, and if push came to shove, I wanted to photograph places that I had not been to prior.
So, off we went to Fillmore State Park, a hidden gem; Bucktail Falls and finally, Carpenter Falls
My research informed me that the gorge trail at Fillmore SP was still closed due to severe storm damage, but the two rim trails as well as the Cowsheds Falls trail were open.
It was a short hike to that beautiful waterfall, and what was waiting for us was spectacular.
This waterfall features a 30-foot main drop along with an upper and lower part that makes it about 50 feet in total height. Adjacent to the waterfall is a large rock overhang. It is said that cows would shelter here during storms, which is why this is known as Cowsheds Falls.
After composing various compositions, I had planned on driving up to the upper part of the park to capture a few more waterfalls located by a beautiful lake. Unfortunately, the trail to access them was also closed for the same reason the gorge trail was.
“Cowshed Falls Morning Lullaby”
Oh well, it’s all part of the experience, but we found a pullout close to the South Rim Trail to meander on and to appreciate the lush forest spring foliage before heading to destination number two; Bucktail Falls.
Bucktail Falls was @ a 13 mile drive, and was located on private property that the owners have no issues with people accessing it; as long as one was respectful of their property. The falls were just a few steps from the road and once again, it was a beautiful sight to behold.
The falls were a 35 foot drop over a mossy V-shaped cliff. It fans out as it plunges the first half of the way, and then cascades the rest of the way down.
Set within a small green gorge, Otisco Creek free-falls 30 feet and tumbles over rock for the last 5. From there it passes under Moon Hill Road on its way to Spafford Creek and Otisco Lake. The dense forest canopy and continual spray of the falls keep the area moist and ideal for vegetation. Ferns and moss are abundant here and because of the greenery, insects thrive.
This small sliver of a glen is a nice hidden gem. No traces of the old mill that once stood here remain, and its current overgrown state is a testament to the natural beauty of this area.
“Bucktail Falls Liquid Improv”
Before heading to our last destination, we took a breather, ate a couple of power bars and inhaled the fresh air of spring. Nirvana enjoyed once again.
Our last stop was Carpenter Falls, which reaches 90 ft tall. It falls as a powerful ribbon that cuts through a notch in the massive overhanging limestone cap rock, and plunges over 80 feet into a deep pool.
Research indicated that Carpenter Falls was difficult to view where the blazed trail ended. One would have to take a risk to walk along a ridge to get a clear view of it.
But, much to my pleasant surprise, a boardwalk was built recently, that was also handicap accessible to view the falls in all its splendor without risking injury. There was a stone stairwell that was also built that steeply descended to the base of the falls. What I captured from the viewing platform was more than good enough, and I was quite satisfied with what I came away with. So, I found no need to venture from the boardwalk.
Once again Mother Nature took my breath away with that dazzling display of cascading water!
After numerous and satisfactory images were captured, Tuesday’s agenda was achieved with spectacular results; we packed up our gear and headed back to the hotel to relax, clean up, eat some dinner and call it a day.
“Carpenter Falls Cantata”
Day Three
As I mentioned in my last entry, it’s important to be flexible when it comes to weather conditions and unforeseen occurrences.
Wednesday, my second full day was forecasted to be the wettest of the week, so I switched out that day with Tuesday since I had already been to Taughannock Stet Park (although I had not been to Robert H. Treman SP, scheduled as the second part of the twofer).
Fortunately, it was not raining at all as I arrived, and only started to sprinkle slightly during the duration of this photography session.
My fellow photographer and I hiked along the gorge trail to set up and shoot from the bridge and platform found at the base of the falls. At the viewing platform is where my gear and I received the most amount of moisture. So, it was compose, shoot and then wipe down the lens. This was repeated quite often!
“Taughannock Falls Arpeggios”
After numerous and worthy captures, I set sail back down the trail and photographed various points of interest before photographing the lower falls (located by the parking lot) in a variety of orientations and perspectives.
“Lower Falls Alternate Take”
Fortunately, the rain had completely stopped, and as was the case during the majority of the week, we were granted with overcast skies, but yet, not gloomy light to shoot waterfalls in.
Perfect conditions to say the least!
After packing up, I drove up @ 5 miles to the overlook platform which offered an even more dramatic view of the bowl shape gorge created by the forces of nature over the millenniums.
Once again, I composed images of various focal lengths, orientations and perspectives.
It was a very productive morning, one that took my breath away (once again) in awe of another Mother Nature masterpiece.
The last time I was there (2015) they were just beginning to build the visitor center, which was obviously completed in 2025. I made it a point to stop in to chat with the employees that morning and bought myself a t-shirt before heading out to the next destination; the aforementioned Robert H. Treman State Park, which was just 15 miles away.
The second part of the day was spent at the Robert H. Treman State Park.
After arriving, my friend and I stopped in at the Visitor’s Center to chat with a couple of the park’s rangers to get driving instructions to the upper part of the park.
After that, we took a short walk to the “Lower Falls” to scout it out to shoot once we returned from the upper park. At this point in time, the rain was quite steady, and it was required to bring out the umbrellas. Not sure if the weather was going to let up anytime soon, we ventured up to the upper parking lot to wait it out.
By the time we arrived, it had indeed, stopped raining. My friend has limited mobility, and he decided to chill out in my SUV as I took a short walk to the beginning on the Gorge Trail.
Without my gear, I chatted with a few hikers who were returning to their car after hiking up the entire trail to ask them for info about Lucifer Falls (distance, steps) etc, and decided to hike down to see for myself.
At this point in time, my repaired knee was beginning to bark somewhat, but I was determined to get there, and that I did. Once back at my vehicle, I strapped on my camera backpack and headed back down to Lucifer Falls to begin photographing. On my initial scouting hike, I took mental notes of all of the amazing sights that were endless to see for possible compositions.
“Lucifer Falls Lament”
I been to Watkins Glen SP twice and was blown away on both occasions, but I must admit, that the gorge found here was even more spectacular. The gorge trail is the longest in the region, and it would had been wonderful to hike the entire length of it (2.5 miles), but with the slippery steps, my knee really barking loudly at this time, and my buddy hanging out in my car, I smartly chose to capture Lucifer Falls in a variety of perspectives, and the many, many other points of interest on my way back back up the gorge.
Before packing up, there was a beautifully tucked away waterfall right by the lot that I also photographed in various points of view.
Once that was completed, we drove back down to the main parking lot and photographed the impressive Enfield Falls aka Lower Falls with the intent of displaying it in all its glory. The power of the cascading water was amazing, and as was the case with most of the other falls I photographed, I was showered upon with refreshing spring water. No complaints whatsoever.
It was a jammed packed day of which I came away with a slew of worthy images to process once home!
Day Four
Once again, I can not stress enough times how important it is to be flexible when planning and then executing a photography venture.
As it applied to this day, I had originally planned to go to and shoot Eagle Cliff Falls, which was located in Havana Glen Town Park in the the town of Montour Falls on May 14th.
As I researched that location, I came across some information on that town’s website that stated that the park was not open to the general public until Thursday, the 15th of May.
It would had been a drag to drive out there from Ithaca (@ 23 miles), only to have found out that we could not access the trail in the glen to the falls.. However, I was of the opinion once there, that we probably could have hiked the short trail to capture the falls. But, as it had been said many times; “better safe than sorry”..
Anyway, after paying the $5 entry fee (there was slot to put money into it, based on the honor system), we strapped up and began the easy jaunt along the robust flow of water that carved it’s way through the glen. Once again, we were welcomed by a beautiful primordial landscape that only the forces of nature could provide. As I was made aware by my research, there would many prime compositions to create as one meandered the course of the creek, and of course, the main attraction was simple breathtaking!
As it was still very early morning, there were still plenty of cloud cover to shoot under, although, the skies were beginning to clear to a partly sunny canvas. But, as was the case with all the other waterfalls, it was conveniently tucked into a gorge, therefore the created light was filtered, even and soft. It was great light to work with.
I came away with many different captures of various orientations, not only of the falls, but different sections of the glen as I made my way back to my vehicle. There was a great photo op right by the parking area that I certainly took advantage of, as well.
“Eagle Cliff Falls Enfatico”
We then headed out to three more locations scheduled for that day. The first one was Deckerton Falls, which, when reading up on it, I was made aware that it was very difficult to access, let alone to photograph. Upon arriving there, that was exactly the case. So we simply hiked a short distance to see and here that cascade, and thought it best that it was not worth the risk in trying to photograph it.
Next up, Shequaga Falls, which was located right in the heart of Downtown Montour Falls.
As I drove down Main Street, I could see that impressive waterfall straight ahead. It was quite the sight, to say the least. The falls were located in a beautiful town park in a mostly residential neighborhood.
At this point of the morning, the sky was mostly sunny, a time when it is not a good idea to photograph anything, let alone waterfalls due to the harsh light.
Not one to be deterred, I put on a 10-stop ND filter, and waited for the sun to go behind passing clouds. That combination allowed me to still shoot a long exposure photograph that belied the fact the it was late morning in bright light. I came away with a couple of note worthy images.
“Sonorous Shequaga Falls”
Once done, and taking some time to chill out and enjoy that little park, I punched in the next GPS location, Aunt Sarah Falls.
Unfortunately, my entry was slightly off, and we could not accurately locate it. As that morning had already produced great results, neither one of us were terribly disappointed, and decided to head back to the hotel to rest up for the remainder of the day. After a shower, we had some dinner, drove back out to enjoy Buttermilk Falls SP (@ 3 miles) without any gear and then called it a day.
Days Five and Six
My itinerary for Friday and Saturday called for Cascadilla Gorge Natural Area, and Lick Brook Falls on Friday, Ludlowville Falls Park on Saturday.
Unfortunately, Cascadilla Gorge was still closed for restoration as it was severely damaged during the winter and an extremely wet spring season. It was deemed not safe to access the gorge trail. That was very disappointing, that gorge which was accessible at various locations on the campus of Cornell University; offered so many different photo ops. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.
It was time to juggle once again. Instead of going to Ludlowville Falls Park on the morning we were to check out and head home, I decided to go there on Friday morning instead, and then make it out to Lick Brook Falls, which was located in the Sweedler Preserve.
Again, we had great light to work with, as it rained overnight and the skies were mostly cloudy, but not gloomy.
This was another lovely town park, and it too, was located in a residential area.
There were two prime areas to photograph from, the easier one was at the lookout right past a gazebo that made for an unobstructed view of the falls. The other was a short, yet steep hike down a trail to the base of the falls. It became more treacherous due to the very slippery conditions created by the overnight rain. I took it very slow, borrowed my friends hiking cane, grabbed on to the guide rope and safely made my way down to the base of the falls without incident.
The wind had also begun to pick up, as the weather was beginning to clear up, and I could only shoot two images due to that breeze that was carrying a substantial amount of moisture from the roaring falls in front of me. My gear and I had an early morning shower. No regrets, the misty atmosphere those conditions created produced a dramatic capture. I then made my way back up the trail and came away with more than a few notable captures from the overlook. Also, it was worth noting, that the clouds were quickly disappearing, giving way to a beautiful morning sky.
“Lyrical Misty Ludlowville Falls”
After chatting with a local for a spell, it was time to head out to the final location, the aforementioned Lick Brook Falls.
As I just mentioned, the sky was rapidly clearing up, and the light was getting harsh. It didn’t matter, as once again, we could not locate the parking area I had programmed in my GPS.
And, once again, it was a not terrible loss, as the time spent at the prior location yielded wonderful results. Besides, I can also always return sometime in the future.
The rest of day was relaxing, watched the Knicks basketball that evening and was ready to head home the next morning.
It was an amazing and productive photography excursion that I had in the “Land Of Gorges And Waterfalls”. Well worth waiting the five years to finally accomplish it!