Quick shot of Anna Ruby Falls here in Northern Georgia. The hardest part was working with the extreme contrast of shadows at the bottom and sun bathed trees at the crest. You have to choose your focus and exposure reference carefully to get the best dynamic range possible. Live view on a mirrorless camera gives you great realtime feedback while you move your focus point around a scene.
On a shot with extreme dynamic range, shooting RAW is a must. A photographer will want the most data to work with when pulling detail from the shadows and highlights in post processing. If you carry your tripod to the falls, you’ll be in a better position since you could bracket photos for an HDR. I already had a 26 pound nine month old I was pushing in a stroller... so the tripod stayed home.
The power of the a waterfall is wonderful and beautiful to behold. Being careful in your shot composition will give you the best chance at sharing the beauty and power with the world. If you would like to learn how to take photos like these please let me know. I will be hosting some basic photo classes this summer, and would love to put you on an announcement list!