waterfalls Archives - Rachel Cohen Photography

“It Still Feels Like Summer”

August 27, 2016August 27, 2016 by Rachel

I truly cannot believe that it’s almost September, and it still feels like summer! The weather hasn’t changed, our temps are as hot as they’ve been off and on for the last couple of months. In Michigan, usually August ushers in a slight change, you’ll have cooler nights, and mornings. You’ll feel autumn coming. Well not this year, in fact it seems that all of 2016 so far has felt quite a bit different than normal. Who knows what we have in store for us this fall and winter!

I know I’ve been pretty neglectful of my blog for a while. Life has been extremely busy, and honestly doesn’t look like its going to slow down for a few months. I did have the opportunity earlier this summer though to visit Lake Superior Provincial Park, in Ontario, Canada. It was wonderful!

I thought I’d just go ahead and share a few images that I’ve made this summer, from that location. Two of the photographs are processed in black and white and one in color.

"Agawa Bay Rocky Shore" Beautiful and scenic Agawa Bay in Lake Superior Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada! — “Agawa Bay Rocky Shore”
Beautiful and scenic Agawa Bay in Lake Superior Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada!

"Chippewa Falls and River" A summertime view of Chippewa Falls in Ontario, Canada! — “Chippewa Falls and River”
A summertime view of Chippewa Falls in Ontario, Canada!

"Chippewa Falls" Mono A Beautiful long exposure of a section of Chippewa Falls, processed in black and white! — “Chippewa Falls” Mono
A Beautiful long exposure of a section of Chippewa Falls, processed in black and white!

These images were all made this summer during my trip to Lake Superior Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. Even though the weather there was pretty hot at the time, it wasn’t nearly as bad as the heatwave we were having in SE. Michigan at the time!

Not only was this location an extremely beautiful place to see , but also a quite welcome reprieve from the oppressive heat! I can only imagine how amazing this area would be during autumn with all it’s color! Hopefully I’ll get the chance to find out some day! 🙂

I hope you’ve enjoyed the images. As always, these photographs and many many more are all on my websites, and available for purchase as prints, canvas prints, and more! Check them out here. http://rcnaturephotos.pixels.com/ and www.rachelcohenphotography.com

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“2015 My Year in Review”

December 11, 2015 by Rachel

Here we are at the end of 2015, and what a year it’s been! As I’ve done for the past four years in a row, I am posting my favorite images of this past year. Not necessarily the best, but my personal faves. It was hard to narrow it down to only ten, but I finally did after a lot of going back and forth. These are not in any particular order and are of several different subjects. I hope you enjoy them! If you would like to look at my 2014 year in review you can check that out here. Best of 2014

Jim Goldstein in his Blog Project has hosted the year in review or top 10 images on his blog for a number of years, and I always look forward to it! There are photographers from all around the world with amazing images! I hope you’ll check out his blog and take a look at the wonderful array of photographers and gather inspiration from their images! His post should be up in the early part of January 2016!

"Kayaking at Miners Falls" Gorgeous blue waters of Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore in summer! — “Kayaking at Miners Falls”
Gorgeous blue waters of Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore in summer!

"Great Lakes Autumn Waves" A beautiful and windy day on Lake Superior near Munising in autumn! — “Great Lakes Autumn Waves”
A beautiful and windy day on Lake Superior near Munising in autumn!

"One Very Fine Day" This was a fabulous day in Marquette Michigan on Presque Isle Park! — “One Very Fine Day”
This was a fabulous day in Marquette Michigan on Presque Isle Park!

"Life is But a Dream" This was one special sunset on Lake Michigan! The waters were like glass, and the whole world seemed alive with the colors of sunset. There were several people kayaking and canoeing on the smooth water! Dreamy! — “Life is But a Dream”
This was one special sunset on Lake Michigan! The waters were like glass, and the whole world seemed alive with the colors of sunset. There were several people kayaking and canoeing on the smooth water! Dreamy!

"My Sweet Lady" This year was a great year for peonies! I particularly loved this huge specimen!! — “My Sweet Lady”
This year was a great year for peonies! I particularly loved this huge specimen!!

"Grape Hyacinth"2 One of many beautiful Grape Hyacinth this spring! — “Grape Hyacinth”2
One of many beautiful Grape Hyacinth this spring!

"Beautiful Cedar Falls" I had the opportunity to go to Hocking Hills in Hocking County Ohio this summer. The many waterfalls in the location and the amazing rock formations were wonderful! The summer was a dry one, so the water flow wasn't as strong as I would have liked, but it was beautiful to me anyway! — “Beautiful Cedar Falls”
I had the opportunity to go to Hocking Hills in Hocking County Ohio this summer. The many waterfalls in the location and the amazing rock formations were wonderful! The summer was a dry one, so the water flow wasn’t as strong as I would have liked, but it was beautiful to me anyway!

"Afternoon in Shades of Gray" This scene in late fall with a beautiful snow just begged for black and white processing! — “Afternoon in Shades of Gray”
This scene in late fall with a beautiful snow just begged for black and white processing!

"Sweet Potato Mash" I had a year with a lot of motion blur abstracts, and this is one of my favorites! — “Sweet Potato Mash”
I had a year with a lot of motion blur abstracts, and this is one of my favorites!

"Song of Light" A bokeh delight in the fresh summer grass! One of my favorite bokeh- nature abstracts this year! — “Song of Light”
A bokeh delight in the fresh summer grass! One of my favorite bokeh-licious abstracts this year!

As we end this year and head into 2016, I’d like to wish everyone and their families all the best in the New Year. I wish you all good health, good times, plenty of adventures and family to enjoy it with!

I’ll end with one of my favorite quotes:

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. ~ Edward Abbey ~

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“Best of 2013”

September 29, 2014December 20, 2013 by Rachel

As I have done for the past two years, this being the third year. I am posting my favorite, best, or most popular images of the year. Jim Goldstein has been gracious enough to host this for several years now.

This past year has been one of great change for me personally. My father passed away in the spring, which was a great loss for me.

At the same time in many ways it’s been a great year. I had more opportunity for travel, and was able to spend quite a bit of photography time during my favorite season…..autumn!!!

These images are from all through the year. Some are my personal favorites, others have been best sellers, while others represent special memories for me.

So in no particular order, I present this years. Best of 2013!

"Skies of Grand Marais" — “Skies of Grand Marais”

"Rolling with the Mack" — “Rolling with the Mack”

"Spray at Whitefish Point" — “Spray at Whitefish Point”

"Blue Ridge Bounty" — “Blue Ridge Bounty”

These are 10 images. I could go on and on, especially in the autumn department LOL, but I will leave you with these to look at and enjoy.

As always if anyone is interested in purchasing a print, just click on the link in the menu bar, or the one on the right side of this post.

Wishing everyone the best in this coming new year!! 🙂

“Munising Falls”

November 3, 2014December 6, 2013 by Rachel

What do you do when you’re at Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore and it rains the whole time your there?

I had originally planned on taking in the beautiful deep turquoise and aqua hued waters of Lake Superior. Enjoying the intense colors and vast vistas against the wonderful rock formations of Pictured Rocks.

But that wasn’t the way it went. So when things don’t go as planned, do you just through in the towel? Do you lounge around your hotel room watching longingly out the window for the weather to change, or sit in your tent, wishing you were back home?

Well, if you do, you shouldn’t! You just need to be prepared for all types of weather, not only with your gear, but in your mind!

Just go out and photograph what you can when the weather is dark, skies are overcast, and rain is coming down whether it is a drizzle or heavy rainfall!

In this case here, I ended up spending several days taking in many of the beautiful waterfalls in the Munising area. Cloudy days are perfect for waterfalls. You don’t have to try and deal with the deep contrast of light and shadow that you would have to on bright sunny days.

Just make sure to bring a sturdy tripod, some type of waterproof camera cover, many micro-fiber lens cleaning cloths, and maybe a good pair of boots!

In wet weather a good rain sleeve for your camera is the best idea, but in a pinch you can always use shower caps from the hotel, or a couple of plastic bags secured with duct tape.

Don’t let the weather keep you from getting out and doing what you love! Don’t let it keep you from taking advantage of your photography trip, or your long awaited vacation.

Get out there and have fun no matter what the skies may bring!! 🙂

“Munising Falls” 2

“Lower Dark Hollow”

January 3, 2013 by Rachel

Last summer, the summer of 2012, in what I call the “year of the Drought”. Many of the places I visited related to water, were so different than they were in years before!
This image is from Dark Hollow Falls in Shenandoah National Park. I started at the top of the trail of course, and expected to be met with the sound of rushing water as I went further down and the trail came closer to the falls. What I encountered instead was more like a slow pour, lightly and gently coming down the mountain and over the rocks.
I had hoped to take many images of the upper part of the falls, and the whole falls from the bottom. Well that’s not quite what happened.
First as I mentioned there was very little water compared to usual, and second, there were at least 40 people gathered around the lower falls to capture whatever was there. It was a mad house LOL!
So here is what will remain in my mind forever the lower part of Dark Hollow Falls with very little water, in the “Year of the Drought”!