Landscapephotography - Icy Ithaca Falls -or- How I Fell On My Ass

If you've been following me (and you'd be absolutely insane not to follow me), you will have noticed that I am writing a series on How To Work For Yourself as a Photographer. So far, it's somewhere around part 23 of a 20 part series, with only a few left before I finish. Somewhere back early on, I wrote about the *FIRST Thing you MUST buy, as soon as you buy a camera and lens: A UV Filter, for the lens. It helps not only to cut glare, and give nicer blue skies, but more importantly, you buy it to protect the end of your lens.

Spending $350, or $1000 on a lens, without spending another $30-$75 on protection for the lens, is insane. You will get hit with sand from the wind, or the lens may touch down on something and the face will get scratched. It's easier and MUCH cheaper to replace the UV filter than it is to go buy another lens.

So, anyway, back to today's post. I was out shooting some waterfalls in Upstate New York, around Ithaca. We're in the middle of winter and just getting outside on a day when it isn't bitter cold, or snowing, or sleet, or windy as all hell, is a challenge. BUT, I can only stay cooped up so long before I get out with my camera.

Yes, it was windy.
Yes, it was cold as hell.
Yes, I froze my little photographer's lens lens off. Euphemism Implied. (and my fingers, too)
But, I was bundled. and wearing my serious hiking boots. I trudged the trail, doing the Ice Walk Shuffle so I wouldn't slip and slide, or fall. I was careful, made my first series of test shots, and did some Chimping in the camera back LCD and decided it was time to move to a slightly different location to get more interesting foreground and less boring crap. This is called using your feet to frame the shot better, or for short: moving.

So, yeah, Hubris.
It's something about messing with the Gods, thinking it won't happen to you.
I moved. Quickly, because it was colder than hell... and I wanted to get moving back to the car. than then, I realized, I forgot one thing: Ice sucks.

I went moving, and flew every which way. Arms and legs up and over, looking like those awesome snowboarders in the half pipe, at the Olympics, recently. BUT, like every good photographer, I sacrificed myself to save the camera and lens.

And save them I did.
I landed somewhat awkwardly, and with a resounded ass-thumping thud.
Next time I recommend an Ass-Filter, to save my butt. Something that I can easily replace, instead of driving 6 hours on a very sore bruised ass.

Either way, I thought this shot was perfect for for the #landscapephotography Challenge, by @juliank @photocontests

Monday: foodphotography and animalphotography
Tuesday: landscapephotography and cityscapephotography
Wednesday: architecturalphotography and vehiclephotography
Thursday: macrophotography and colourfulphotography
Friday: streetphotography and portraitphotography
Saturday: sportsphotography and smartphonephotography
Sunday: goldenhourphotography and longexposurephotography

More of My Photocontests

Geeky Camera Stuff:
Nikon d7000, 18mm, f13, 6 seconds, ND filter, tripod, and Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, Viveza2, for post.

!steemitworldmap 42.452961 lat -76.492479 long Icy Ithaca Falls d3scr