Cascade Du Rouget | Flights. Camera. Satisfaction.

Last time I visited the Cascade du Rouget I had to hike for an hour through snow. It was a nervy journey with a few slips here and there. Not my most enjoyable hike in the French Alps! As I parked the car just metres from the waterfall this summer I felt conflicted about the road being so close by. Surely something of such natural beauty was worthy of more effort than that?!

Unfortunately I actually prefer the wider composition of my winter shot. The falls are much more powerful in the summer, and there was way too much spray to get into the same position. I set up my tripod further to one side and started shooting, but it quickly became clear the spray was still going to be an issue.

I had to cover my lens with a lens cloth, start the 10-second timer I use for tripod shots to avoid camera shake, count to 9 and then remove the lens cloth just before the shutter opened. Of course this was not an exact science, and I had plenty of attempts where the lens got wet before the shot was taken or I removed the lens cloth too late. I should really invest in a remote shutter release!

On Saturday I walked through the snow to La Cascade du Rouget, one of the most famous waterfalls in France. Nicknamed “Queen Of The Alps” it is known to freeze during the winter months. The temperatures this season have been quite mild, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. As you can see it was flowing pretty nicely when I arrived, although not even close to the torrent you might see in the spring!

Last week I finally decided to invest in the Sony E-Mount 10-18mm wide angle lens I’ve had my eye on for a while. This was the first chance I had to use it out in the wilderness. I was really excited to see what it could do! This shot was taken at 10mm and I simply would not have been able to get a good shot of the entire waterfall with my other lenses.

Do you have a wide angle lens? Maybe you have some tips for me? Have you visited any waterfalls in winter? I’d love to hear from you!