dj.tigersprout's photoblog
A Convergence of Streams, Marin Falls, California
Posted by dj.tigersprout (New York City, United States) on 27 June 2008 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.
In a beautifully secluded section of Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County (just north of San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge) is an area frequented only by locals and those lucky enough to be in-the-know. Hidden away under the enormous branches and foliage of the gigantic redwoods and sequoias, is a magical walking / running / hiking area that is home to one of the county's main reservoirs, the river that feeds it, many large green ponds, and several small and lively streams. A good ways along the scenic footpath, lined with lush green ferns, up many man-made steps and across large areas of flat grey stones and geometric boulders covered with moss, lies a magical area called Marin Falls.
A good friend of mine who grew up in the vicinity, recently took me up there on a beautifully rainy weekend for a wonderful, glistening walk through the wet wilderness. Passing a few other ambitious walkers and some die-hard local joggers running w/ their dogs, we made our way determinedly up the path, climbing the numerous plateaus, heads bowed toward the ground against the rain. We splashed our way through wet foliage, fallen leaves and large pools of water, stirring up their muddy bottoms and simultaneously wetting the cuffs of our pants. The downpour had lasted a few hours already, yet the rain came down steadily, uniformly spraying the broad tree branches only to then shower down though the lower layers of foliage drenching nearly everything beneath it.
To shield ourselves, we had donned heavy coats but i was still a bit worried about my camera that, though anchored firmly with my right hand, swung quite freely at times from my chest. It was definitely wet -- no doubt about that. The body was slick and the lens was splayed with water droplets that seemed to remain, no matter how many times i tried to gently wipe it dry. Finally, we came to the splendidly noisy falls, the secret gem of this wonderfully beautiful region. We stood there and marveled at the enormous streams of water cascading from above down into a cluster of smooth grey stones, sending up heavy white blankets of mist. It was even wetter here with the excess moisture in the air. I backed off, still worried about my camera and went in search of a place i could dry off and take some pics. Back aways, just off to the side and away from the spray, i found a rocky area, matted with leaves and moss that afforded me some protection from the rain but still provided adequate lighting for photos. I gently rewiped the lens and set to work capturing this splendid and glistening setting.
all work protected by Creative Commons
Canon EOS REBEL XT
1/25 second
F/3.5
ISO 1600
18 mm