Throwback Thursday - The Devils Pool, Victoria Falls.

 

The Devils Pool is a small rock pool on the lip of Victoria Falls. During the dry season it is possible for people to have an adrenalin pumping dip on at the edge of one of the worlds largest waterfalls.

This mad looking chap is one of the guides standing right on the edge waiting for a group of tourists just out of frame (on this occasion my wife and a bunch of friends we were travelling with) to enter the pool. Presumably he is responsible for catching any one before they are swept over the falls and tumble to their death. Either that or he is there to take pictures, which is what he did of me shortly after I took his.

Devils Pool Photographer | 300mm | 1/800th | f6.3 | ISO100

Tawhai Falls

 

It wasn't all about the mountains the other weekend at Tongariro National Park, there was also waterfalls, specifically Tawhai falls on state highway 48 just before Whakapapa. There are many other waterfalls around Tongariro National park, as well as many great hikes, both short and long, but due to a sprained ankle I was limited to scenes a few minutes walk from the side of the road. Tawhai falls are a short easy 5 minute stroll from the road, making them perfect for a hobbling idiot like myself, as well as many tourist buses. 

The above image is a three shot HDR processed in Photomatix.  I don't usually use HDR on waterfalls, it's not often it's needed, but due to the high contrast between the sunlit right side of the image and the shaded left side HDR was the only way to capture the whole tonal range of the scene.