The falls were constant and powerful, set against dark stone, a dense green forest, and the shallow stream below that carried the water away.

Standing just downstream of Looking Glass Falls, the sound of the water filled the space around me. In this moment, I hoped to take a photograph that captured more than just the waterfall itself.

While this is one of my first waterfall photographs, I was drawn to the challenge of capturing movement rather than simply freezing a moment.

I had spent weeks studying shutter speeds, exposure settings, and ISO settings. Hoping that I could use a longer exposure to soften the water while the surrounding rock and forest remained grounded, I felt that I had captured at least one image that I could be proud of.

As I sat in my studio working in Lightroom, I found that the contrast between movement and stillness became what I loved most about this photograph.

The Sound of Falling Water is my attempt to hold on to a little of what it felt like to stand there, feel the rushing, cold water running across my feet, as I carefully navigated the slick, jagged river rocks. I hope this image doesn’t just show what it looked like in that moment, but also lets you hear the sounds of the falls. I hope you enjoy this photo as much as I enjoyed taking it.