Waterfalls

Beaver Dam

Siebenthaler Fen, Beavercreek, Ohio "I walk. I look. I see. I stop. I photograph." - Leon Levinstein Often times, a potential photograph "leaps out" at me for its attention. This beaver dam was one such case as I had seen it on several visits before. Local naturalists at this wetland previously have mentioned how the dam would choke the water flow of the creek and considered what to do about it. I had been at the fen for the day photographing birds however had a sudden urge to capture an image of it. The lighting was just right and the dam was flowing very well on one side. A quick trip back to the car to get the wide angle lens and tripod for a long exposure was the new priority. Something of a timely photo, as this dam is no longer present at the location. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Cedarcliff Falls

Indian Mound Reserve, Cedarville, Ohio This is a man-made waterfall that flows into massies creek, a tributary of the Little Miami River. I arrived when no one around and was so focused on crafting images that after a few minutes, I barely realized that some twenty hikers (I presume from a hiking club) were standing behind me talking and taking pictures. I used a polarizer filter and a long exposure to blur this man-made waterfall. Creating silky smooth water such as this is much more suited for fine art. Standing at the overlook and listening to the deafening roars is definitely a treat to see and hear. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Cascades

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio "If I knew how to take a good photograph, I'd do it every time." - Robert Doiseau The Glen is home to a myriad of cascades and other flowing bodies of water. Some of the more well known examples are featured prominently on trail maps and signage. Other ones are tucked away, almost out of view but still heard. I enjoy photographing all of the waterfalls that I can. For the more popular sites like The Cascades, a top down approach from the bridge above provides a different perspective others may not consider. Feel free to think different and break the mold with your compositions. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Cascades

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Birch Creek Waterfall

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Birch Creek Waterfall

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio "Joys come from simple and natural things: mists over meadows, sunlight on leaves, the path of the moon over water." - Sigurd Olson It was a calm and beautiful June morning, and I set out once again to a personal favorite location to photograph any and all. My primary focus at the moment was landscapes, including some woodland shots of the green interior. Soon after noticing the several creeks flowing through the nature preserve. I set my camera and lens to work the scene. A natural location can never truly be exhausted of possibilities! I more than likely passed by this same small cascade more than a few times before on previous visits. The little waterfall is very small and unassuming, hidden below an uphill trail and out of earshot and sight. Upon spotting it this time, I eagerly made shots like this which have become some of my favorite long exposures to © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Clifton Gorge

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio "Water, stories, the body, all the things we do, are mediums that hid and show what's hidden." - Rumi Extracting more smaller details from much larger subjects, here is an intimate landscape of the everflowing Clifton Gorge. My own personality type lends to seeing details others may not see by looking at the "big picture." So while I was soaking in the sights of the historical marvel and natural feature, this simple stone took my eyes and attention. The brown murky waters of the gorge created a nice selection of colors that complemented the brown stone as water moved around it. Shooting the image from the rail far away, a small telephoto zoom lens was effective in displaying the rock while filling the frame. A slower shutter speed created a long exposure as the water subtly moves around the stone on both sides. Another simple but effective nature photograph. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Clifton Gorge

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Clifton Gorge

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio "I firmly believe that nature can bring comfort to all who suffer.” - Anne Frank Natural history is abound at Clifton Gorge. Along the state protected preserve, you will find historical markers and signage that detail an earlier time for the gorge. A water grist mill called the Grinned Mill once stood on top of the gorge when discovered by settlers. To this day you can see the four stone slabs that were the foundation for the mill structure. Other notable events include Daniel Boone making a leap of faith across the gorge to escape some attacking Native Americans who settled the area near Clifton. A very rainy day made this photo appear foggy and strange. Fortunately many things can be corrected in post processing if need be. I upped the contrast slider just a bit to bring detail and color back to the upper right rocks. The clarity slider helped bring out more detail in the water as well. While I try not to rely on the computer to "save" an image, software can definitely enhance and improve the final result. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Clifton Gorge

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Narrows of Clifton Gorge

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio "Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful. We must carry it is or we find it not." - Ralph Waldo Emerson Seeing the Little Miami River Scenic River flow through multiple Ohio counties right into this massive gorge is a treat. The rushing waters and loud and impatient. Along the footpath are historical markers detailing the locations of Native American tribes that settled here and of a grist mill that was on top of the gorge. This entire preserve is a state natural landmark and rightfully so. This is a truly unique and special place that no other natural area in Southwest Ohio can compare to. This was taken on a absolutely miserable morning to say the least. I had to fare the heaviest of rain and downpours that simply did not let up. Using simple gallon plastic bags go shield my camera. I was still drenched by the end despite wearing waterproof gear. As much as inclement weather makes for the most dramatic images, the problem I have is that it disrupts my creative flow and thought processes. I get caught up more in keeping things dry rather than making a compelling capture. Despite that wet morning, this was one of several keepers from the trip. No doubt that inches of rain made the waters rush even faster. You may be thinking at this point that nature is my life, and you're right. I am admittedly a little obsessed but in a way nature gave me life as well. Nature grounds me, instead of escaping the trials and tribulations of life, I simply leave them behind for a while and I sort my head out. You simply cannot go about this way in a hustle and bustle of a city. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Narrows of Clifton Gorge

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio A good look at the beautiful limestone shale from centuries ago. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Miami River Autumnal Scene

Taylorsville Metropark, Vandalia, Ohio "There is another alphabet, whispering from every leaf, singing from every river, shimmering from every sky.” - Dejan Stojanovic Autumnal leaves spread across the scene, a small sharp stone highlighted by the glare of the sky above. The waters saturated the leaves and their colors. There is a simple calm and pleasant feeling of taken in all the sights around you. Then when ready you capture it on digital pixels to record the memory. This was on the side of the river where the water wasn't flowing quite as fast, yet this meant leaves would pile up in clumps to take a rest. A slower shutter speed implied some blurring and movement in some of the leaves as they make a stop. A wide angle viewpoint allowed to capture the expanse I was envisioning as well. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Miami River Autumnal Scene

Taylorsville Metropark, Vandalia, Ohio "Landscapes are nature's natural movie theatres.” - Anthony T. Hincks Varying the shutter speed used for this long exposure, I aimed to show the path of the leaves. The abstract look and swirls as they flowed down the Great Miami River was my goal. The background is the best example of this practice as a "vortex" is made in the colors. The stone is once again a visual anchor point and a place for the eyes to rest on. Without it, this image would a blurry mess and look like a mistake. The incredible fact is that the shutter speed can be increased or decreased to make the swirls appear more blurred and painterly. The Great Miami moves quite fast as was evident by these leaves. At a two second exposure, those fallen leaves were in a hurry for nowhere. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Great Miami River Autumnal Scene

Taylorsville Metropark, Vandalia, Ohio Treated to some spectacular views of the Great Miami River, I had the privilege of photographing the mass of leaves slowly moving down the river. This was a new and exciting technique for me. The flowing water wasn't exactly fast yet I could imply the motion with the colorful leaves. You can see how the swirls create a whirlpool or "vortex" type of abstraction in the water. Greens, oranges and yellows make for a variety of patterns within the shot. The foreground rock was simply used as a stationary "visual anchor" to focus on within the wide angle composition. Without that anchor to hook your eyes into the frame, the image wouldn't be as effective or engaging. Another smaller rock on the right side adds some asymmetrical weight to the rest of the image as well. A polarizer filter managed to knock out any reflections and saturate the colors overall. To try new things is my ultimate goal. Staying in the realm of what I feel I excel in (nature photography) but at the same time reaching out of my comfort zone and experimenting. This isn't about contesting with other photographers. To me, we are all in this together to collaborate and share advice with one another. Seeing anothers amazing image only inspires me to work harder. Challenge that creative muscle to see what is already there and then to go beyond that. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Dogwood Pond Waterfall

Hills & Dales Metropark, Kettering, Ohio "No water. No life. No blue. No green." - Sylvia Earle Whether man-made or not, a waterfall big or small is always a spectacular sight to see. Dogwood Pond's waterfall underneath the bridge crossing is a perfect example as the pond's water outflows into a nearby stream towards the woods. While not a large one by any means, the water smacking against the stones below certainly grab your attention from the trail nearby. The image here details the textural patterns of the stone slabs jutting out from the wall, and the careful wispy water moving off of them down below. The settings were rather typical for a long exposure shot. 1.6 seconds, f/14 at ISO 400. Zoomed in at 300mm eliminated the working distance in the image, making all the elements appear closer to the viewer. That "cropped in" look is something I preplanned before shutter release. A circular polarizer filter was used to remove the majority of the harsh reflections on these stone slabs. This image became one of my favorites pretty quickly, and for good reason! © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Dogwood Pond Waterfall

Hills & Dales Metropark, Kettering, Ohio "Thousands have lived without love, not one without water." - W.H. Auden One of my personal favorite images, this man-made waterfall offers so much in such a small space. The telephoto lens perspective tricks your eye into never knowing the true size of the falls. In reality the space is pretty small. Yet the best shots I made were when I moved in really close for the details. At 75mm, I was zoomed and cropped in rather tight. Some zoom lenses lose not only stops of light but their sharpness as well when zoomed out farther. On my 75-300mm lens, images will arguably be sharper at 75mm than at 300mm. An exposure time of 1.3 seconds offered a decent amount of blue in these slender streams of water in the frame. Shutter speeds typically vary when shooting long exposure. Nothing is more exciting for me than slapping on a neutral-density filter with a fast moving waterfall, producing that silky smooth "glass" look. An aperture of f/11 sufficed as it kept all details from far to near in focus, as the background of rock and moss wasn't much farther away. ISO 500 kept those levels nice and low for evenly lit exposure. Compelling imagery need not be so fussy and complicated! © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Dogwood Pond Waterfall

Hills & Dales Metropark, Kettering, Ohio "There's no better place to find yourself that sitting by a waterfall and listening to it's music." - Roland R Kemler If one were to put together a list of simple and accessible waterfalls to visit, this one would top it. A very easy stroll from the metropark's parking lot grants these nice views. The waterfall is more commonly heard than seen at first, as it is tucked away beneath a footbridge crossing. For this visit, I opted to isolate specific parts of the 'falls. A small zoom lens in the range of 70-300mm will work wonders and create images similar to this. The details and inner working of this beautiful waterfall become apparent. As every texture and detail in both stone and water are seen clearly. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Amphitheater Falls

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Amphitheater Falls

Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, Clifton, Ohio "The fall of dropping water wears away the stone." - Lucretius This gorge waterfall is very prominent and very showy anytime you pass by it. The nature preserves' wooden boardwalk and railways leads you up and around the waterfall. Off trail movement is prohibited, so I had to make the most of what was given. It had been a trickle day in terms of rain, and so the sky was overcast for taking the photo. Having previously attempted an image or two in sunny conditions garnered much worse results. This second trip out to photograph the 'falls was the result of patience and perseverance. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Little Miami River Stream

John Bryan State Park, Yellow Springs, Ohio "All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was." - Toni Morrison For this photo trip, I had my eyes and lens set on photographing waterfalls and various landscapes. Any and all moving bodies of water became a point to focus on. I started my hike on the popular Cincinnati-Pittsburgh Stagecoach trail, where I early on saw this winding stream off to the side of the trail. Once again, photos make everything appear larger than it really is. This little stream is big and loud enough for me to see, however I could fill the frame with it quite easily. The flow of it was going across the trail and downhill towards the Little Miami River. In all honesty, I enjoy photographing long exposures of these little ones as much as the big tourist waterfalls. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

John Bryan Cascading Stream

John Bryan State Park, Yellow Springs, Ohio "We start in different places, but in the end, we all meet at the waterfall." John Bryan State Park is a premier hiking and photography destination, various native flora and fauna can be viewed and captured on camera. The good handful of trails take you through gorges, up and down woodland hills, and through some very scenic Ohio lands. Waterfalls are ever present at this location, and a good spring day can assure you they're flowing well. The best time is just after a heavy rain has moved through, which helps also to deepen and saturate the green foliage present around them. Never stop waterfall chasing! © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

John Bryan Cascading Waterfall

John Bryan State Park, Yellow Springs, Ohio "You can observe a lot by just watching." - Yogi Berra Waterfalls! The perfect subject to slow down and methodically think through settings and composition. Spring and early Summer happens to be some of the best times to view these beauties, particularly after a big thaw or rainfall. In this case a lot of rain opened up streams in areas I had never seen before. The very top of this waterfall is where I first stood, at the edge is where the trail was. A downhill hike along the side of an overgrown trail brought me to the base of it by the Little Miami. I turned around and this was the view before my eyes and camera. In no particular hurry, I must've spent a good hour and a half working the entire scene in every possible way. Different lens choices, filters, angles, varying shutter speeds (to change the blurring.) No one else was around and it felt as though I had found a secret treasure out here in the state park. The water was fast moving so a shutter of 0.3 seconds made this effective blur. ISO 800 and f/16 created a nice overall landscape image. Of course, the DSLR was mounted on a tripod with a cable release. A wide angle lens was in dire need as I had to back really far to capture all parts of the cascades. Long exposures don't get any better than this! © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

John Bryan Cascading Waterfall

John Bryan State Park, Yellow Springs, Ohio "Being in the moment is worth a thousand pictures." The best aspect of photographing long exposures of cascading waterfalls is picking apart all the smaller details present in the scene. For this image, I adjusted my camera on the tripod to focus on the base of the waterfall, making it the central subject. The possibilites imaginable are endless here, waterfalls to me could be the most versatile nature subject possible. I employed the use of polarizer (CPL) and neutral-density (ND) filters to remove reflections on the wet rocks and lengthen the exposure to further blur the water, respectively. There was such power and might in the water being thrown about that I left the area after over an hour later to my ears ringing. Definitely worth it for some of my favorite long exposures ever. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

John Bryan Waterfall

John Bryan State Park, Yellow Springs, Ohio "From Nature's chain whatever link you strike. Tenth, or ten thousand, breaks the chain alike." - Alexander Pope Spring is the perfect time to hunt down the many waterfalls in Ohio! The thawing of snow leads to many different streams and creeks to flow in places you may never thought were possible. For this trip to the closest state park near me, I had this sole mission. The day was a tremendous success and I found countless new-to-me and familiar waterfalls in various places. This was one of the last waterfalls I found for the day as the evening light was fading away. Feeling particularly rushed, I was several miles away from my vehicle and a suddenly random rush of rain came down as I tried my best to work the scene. There were many sharp-edged boulders at the base of the 'falls that were wet for me to carefully stand upon. Meanwhile keeping the exposed gear dry from the water kicked up from the splashes as well as the rain from above. Driving home tired, sweaty and wet, I knew I had achieved something photographically special anyways. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Massies Creek Gorge

Indian Mound Reserve, Cedarville, Ohio "In nature, light creates the color. In the picture, color creates the light." - Hans Hofmann This is one of the many openings of Massie Creek you are gifted with seeing. Take a hike through the lower gorge trail to see stunning views of the hard flowing waters. While a two dimensional photograph such as this may introduce a calming feel, the water in this case is gushing out rapidly. The sounds are unmistakeable and demand your attention. This particular long exposure is one of the my favorites for the whiter water grabbing your eye to view, that water is then dispersed into a "pool" underneath as seen here. Surrounding the gorge is the jagged and beautiful rocks and stone slabs. That juxtaposition of the angular rocks with the ethereal water is the intention of this image. To my amaze that this part of the creek never stops moving or being so loud. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Massies Creek Gorge

Indian Mound Reserve, Cedarville, Ohio "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." - Albert Einstein Water long exposure photographs are one of my favorite compositions to work with! Experiencing a new-to-me waterfall or creek crossing just enlivens my creativity and sets my soul on fire. Like a puzzle I work the scene, taking dozens upon dozens of image files in a carefully calculated way. Bracketing has become second-nature for this type of subject. Equally as exciting is the editing of them and fine-tuning all the adjustments. From shutter press to printing press, these always look nice when framed very large and hanging on the wall. This particular visit allowed me some solitary moments along Massies Creek where I listened to the loud gushing of water throughout. Fortunately there is a gorge trail that leads you right along the creek for about half a mile. I used stepping stones in the creek to stand out in the middle and shoot better perspectives, I experimented with the far and wide, and close and intimiate. In this case I had no reasonable means to get closer yet a small zoom lens did all I needed to tell the story of Massies Creek. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Massies Creek Gorge

Indian Mound Reserve, Cedarville, Ohio "A river doesn't just carry water, it carries life.” - Amit Kalantri March 22nd is World Water Day. Allow yourself to cherish this abundant and valuable resource. We use water stay hydrated and for recreation, or in my case, to beautifully photograph. I personally find myself pushing the envelope to test what I can see differently. Wading into the blue of my subject matter here helps share a connection that is unlike vicariously shooting the scene from the dry land at a distance. In this case Massie Creek has many large boulders staggered around the middle of the creek. Almost paid out naturally like a creek crossing, I simply hopped along each as I created different exposures. So much time can be spent in this area finding new long exposures as there are many unique parts and small waterfalls present in this natural feature. Another examples of HDR, I bracketed this exposure three times in order to get the highest dynamic range of colors and detail. The power of HDR is something I now find very useful. Simply put, they allow us to see more colors at once that we couldn't see otherwise with the naked eye. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Massies Creek Gorge

Indian Mound Reserve, Cedarville, Ohio “I would rather stumble by chance on a tiny stream in the woods than plan a trip to the Grand Canyon.” - Marty Rubin There are many reasons I would highly recommend a day hike through IMR. One particular point of interest is the gorge path which has you hiking side by side with Massie Creek. You can stand under massive cave-like overhangs and view the many loud and roaring waterfalls and streams that flow throughout from Cedarcliff Falls. This image is of one of the many dozen big and small streams to observe. While not the loudest by far, this one caught my eye for the deep greens in the moss and the fairly calm sounds. From a composition standpoint, I am fond of the cascading flows that a simple stream can make such as this. Your eye will dance around the image as it follows the water down the frame. Overall a nice contrast between the greens and blues helped make this shot a keeper. © 2018 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Charleston Falls

Charleston Falls Preserve, Tipp City, Ohio "Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own; and from morning to night, as from cradle to grave, is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress." - Charles Dickens An image begging to grace the front of a postcard, the "miniature Niagara" of southwest Ohio is on full display here. Green foliage and a heavy rainfall before shutter capture meant the 'falls were flowing ever faster. My placement was right at the observation area above the waterfall, which gave me the best look despite shooting it at an angle. One issue I encountered as I worked the scene was having to find the best way to capture the waterfall and at what focal length. In this case 24mm was the 'just right' angle to work the scene with. Next, the foliage was posing difficulties as it obscured parts of the water. There was no 100% clear view of the subject that I liked, as this photo is the closest I got to the vision I had for the shot. Despite all of this, the beautiful long exposure works well anyways. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Charleston Falls

Charleston Falls Preserve, Tipp City, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Charleston Falls

Charleston Falls Preserve, Tipp City, Ohio "Do not seek water; get thirst.” - Rumi My first visit to this wonderful nature preserve was quite productive. Many different types of photos could be made over the titular waterfall. The amount of angles from various overlooks had me taking a lot more exposures than thought possible. The beauty of photography is your own unique vision. Some of my favorite images from this day are not the classic postcard shots, but rather the cropped-in, detail images. These share a different side of the 'falls that some may not see. Regardless of the outcome, it is worth a try. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Charleston Falls

Charleston Falls Preserve, Tipp City, Ohio "Do not seek water; get thirst.” - Rumi My first visit to this wonderful nature preserve was quite productive. Many different types of photos could be made over the titular waterfall. The amount of angles from various overlooks had me taking a lot more exposures than thought possible. The beauty of photography is your own unique vision. Some of my favorite images from this day are not the classic postcard shots, but rather the cropped-in, detail images. These share a different side of the 'falls that some may not see. Regardless of the outcome, it is worth a try. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Charleston Falls

Charleston Falls Preserve, Tipp City, Ohio "There's hope at the bottom of the biggest waterfall.” - Patrick Ness Dare to try something different! Many tourists or scenic lookers will travel to big waterfalls to take a quick picture of the entire waterfall. There isn't much wrong with this but the real challenge is extracting smaller details out of the entire subject. The parts of the whole make the entire scene work. In this case, I captured this detail shot of the bottom of the falls. Spending well over an hour at this spot, the wet and rainy weather meant overcast lighting was on my side. With "perfect" lighting to work with, I worked the scene in all different directions and angles, constantly switching out lenses and filters to try anything possible. The weekday morning meant that less people were likely to distract from the creative process. The duality of whites/greys to browns is what makes this image a success. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Horsehoe Falls

Caesar Creek State Park, Waynesville, Ohio "The point is that when I see a sunset or a waterfall or something, for a split second it's so great, because for a little bit I'm out of my brain, and it's got nothing to do with me." - Chris Evans One of my first handful of visits to Caesar Creek involved me photographing long exposures of this beautiful 'falls. I had seen enough pictures to be excited for the possibilities available. It was mid-summer and the green foliage added to the vibrance in the frame. With just a small sliver of daylight left before hiking several miles back to the trailhead, I went to work. Waterfalls are always a sought after subject for my photography. I am always discovering new ones both big and small throughout the Buckeye state. The thrill of "chasing" them; waiting for a heavy rainfall day with overcast lighting and going to that location. Some of the best can be "undiscovered" and unnamed ones, while scenic and popular ones such as Horseshoe are incredible as well. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Grotto

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio "Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.” - Lao Tzu One of the great aspects of outdoor photography is the changing of the seasons. The drastic changes in habitats and wildlife that are present means there is always something to see. Nature is as if one big revolving door of potential photographic subjects. To enhance your portfolio, try taking the same image during the four different seasons. This shows consistency and dedication by approaching the same subject more than once rather than just one-and-done. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Grotto

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio "Think of your life as a waterfall; it may come crashing down at some point, it may have it's ups and downs, but in the end, it will continue to flow." When exploring the Glen, be sure to check out this special spot. A grotto is a small cave-like formation as seen here. Water is always flowing downhill and downstream from the Yellow Springs above, all times of year. It is not a large flow, but a decently sized trickle. It was summer and the green foliage provided a nice contrast of color to the muddy browns below it. There always seems to be downed trees scattered about this area and on the glacial deposits of rock that make up this grotto. Overall, a simple but effective image of a popular natural landmark at the nature preserve. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Yellow Springs

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio "When the well is dry, they know the worth of water." - Benjamin Franklin This image to me is the definition of a "postcard" worthy photograph. I have a love/hate relationship with images of that sort. They can be a joy to take however creatively may feel rather limiting as if they've been done before. The chances of other photographers taking a similar shot like this are pretty high, as the Glen boasts many popular landmarks like this to travel to. The unique orange rocks are colored due to the rich iron in the water, which you may taste if you're ever so adventurous. The best part of photographing the springs in the summer was the orange contrasted very well against all the green foliage. Simple but effective, a postcard type of photo can open up avenues to other more creative possibilities. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Yellow Springs

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio "You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved." - Ansel Adams Long exposure photography is one of my most employed techniques when out in the field. A deceptively simple act of slowing down the shutter speed, water is blurred to something our eyes cannot see. I believe it's for this reason I enjoy the process so much. Long exposure combines the elements of reality and the surreal. Photographs like this enable our vision to elevate beyond what is "normal." And if one looks for these moving bodies of water, you will see in this way all the time. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Mad River Run

Eastwood Metropark, Dayton, Ohio "Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” - Norman McLean While manmade, this large flowing body of water is right along a kayak and canoe launch. I had been scouting out the entire metropark looking for potential shots to take, and this was the last spot I had to check. Needless to say, this area interested me enough to run back to my car and grab the gear only a short distance away. This is in fact only a small portion of the entire falls. The loud and roaring water meant a long exposure was possible and in this case effective. The giant stone slabs like in the foreground to the right are placed like stairs to lead you into the water, and so I got as close as I could.The flows of the Mad River were strong enough that I wouldn't dare try to get in the water, even with chest waders on. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Mad River Run

Eastwood Metropark, Dayton, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Little Beaver Creek

Creekside Reserve, Beavercreek, Ohio "Who looks upon a river in a meditative hour and is not reminded of the flux of all things?" - Ralph Waldo Emerson One of my personal favorite water features. This creek was where I experimented with my earliest long exposure images, many of them I still hold in my portfolio. For this summer afternoon return, I sought to go a big further. I stuck on a pair of wading boots and followed upstream. The result was more "intimate" views I could never see from the trailside. Being able to compose the water from straight in the middle made for more effective imagery, and I created a bevy of new images at this familiar place. © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Little Beaver Creek

Creekside Reserve, Beavercreek, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Little Beaver Creek

Creekside Reserve, Beavercreek, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Little Beaver Creek

Creekside Reserve, Beavercreek, Ohio © 2019 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Yellow Springs Creek

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Yellow Springs Creek

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Glen Helen Woodland

Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Mad River Gorge Waterfall

Mad River Gorge & Nature Preserve, Springfield, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

Mad River Gorge Waterfall

Mad River Gorge & Nature Preserve, Springfield, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.

The Twin Creek

Germantown Metropark, Germantown, Ohio © 2020 Ryan L. Taylor Photography. All Rights Reserved.