Kaieteur Falls, 1st Guyana Posting

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Kaieteur Falls, 1st Guyana Posting
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1223 W: 0 N: 4449] (13290)
Genre: Landscapes
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2003-12-27
Categories: Rain Forest, River
Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds MkII
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-07-11 6:09
Viewed: 1035
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I am briefly interrupting pictures I have recently taken in the UK to upload this one from Guyana. Guyana was not on the TN database of countries and I asked for it to be added - it now has been so I have uploaded this picture. I could not do much about the small tree or the bromeliad as there were very few view points and I am literally on the edge of a 750 ft sheer drop!

I reached the Kaieteur Falls by light plane from the capital, Georgetown (named after one of the British Kings). There is a simple landingstrip cleared in the forest. No people live near, so it was just the pilot and 6 passengers. However, 2 of the others happened to live 14 miles from us!!

Whilst there I saw the Guiana Cock of the rock displaying on the lek (communal display ground), but only got some orange blurrs - deep in the forest to protect from eagles. I also saw tank bromeliads which can be up to 3 meters tall!

The Kaieteur Falls are situated on the Potaro River in Kaieteur National Park. The Park is situated in the middle of the Guyana Shield. The Guiana Highlands or Guiana Shield are roughly 2 billion years old is some of the earth's oldest surface. Located in north-eastern South America, it includes a large mountain plateau and rainforest system that is part of the watershed between the Amazon and the Orinoco rivers.

This area is composed mainly of plateaus and steep sloped escarpments, and is noted for its many of rivers and waterfalls which drop off the edges of the escarpment. Kaieteur Falls is located on the Potaro River, and possess the typical characteristics of the Shield - its biological, cultural and natural diversity. The Falls are the centrepiece of the Park, and are one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. They are located where the Roraima formation gives way to the lowlands and drops 226 m (741 ft) to pour into a basin below; thereafter to travel some 32 km through a deep gorge before leaving the escarpment behind.

One feature of the Shield is its distinctive plateaus or table-top mountains, called tepuis by the Indians. These are the remnants of the sandstone sediments that covered the metamorphic rocks of the area, and were created by erosion over 200 million years ago. The majority of these mountains range from 2000 (6,500 feet) to 2700 meters (8,800 feet), Roraima is the tallest of all, at 2810 meters (9,219'). This area contains an estimated 20,000 different vascular plant species of which 35 % are endemic, making it one of three richest tropical wilderness areas on Earth.
Prop, uleko, SelenE, marhowie, ramthakur, delic, nglen, XOTAELE, JPlumb, mayuresh, anel, jcoowanitwong, vanderschelden, marioana has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To PaulH: Colour of the waterJamesp 2 07-11 08:25
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Prop Silver Note Writer [C: 5 W: 1 N: 11] (93)
  • [2007-07-11 6:35]

Hi James,

What an impressive drop you show us!
I like the mist and the green vegetation, looks very wild and remote...a lost world.
Thanks for sharing,
Damien.

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2297 W: 163 N: 6694] (21146)
  • [2007-07-11 7:01]

Hello JAmes,
Wow, this is a really spectacular shot of this waterfall from an excellent vantage point! Beautiful composition - I like the focus on the waterfall surrounded by mist, the distant hills in the far background and the green vegetation in the foreground. I don't think the little (Papaya?) tree is disturbing at all, it is spectacular how it is growing there. Wonderful colours too.
Many thanks, so lovely to look at! Ulla

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1555 W: 233 N: 5091] (17959)
  • [2007-07-11 7:16]

Hi James,
what an awesome place!!!!
I envy you!! :)
Extremely good composition and POV that shows the sheer size of this waterfall.
Well done,
Joe

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2337 W: 59 N: 4094] (13345)
  • [2007-07-11 7:36]

Hi James,
Congratulations for uploading TN's first photo from Guyana :o)
Landscape and the view is amazing. Great place. Very well composed capture with a very good POV. TFS
Best wishes,
Selen

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 981 W: 17 N: 2563] (9450)
  • [2007-07-11 7:37]
  • [+]

Hi James,
truly spectacular. You're vantage point is well chosen, i know all about standng on the edges of big drops to get a shot and this is a great one. What strikes me most, aside from the feeling of wide open space is the colour of that water. Thanks very much for sharing indeed.
Paul

Hi James,
Excellent capture of the falls. Impressive portfolio of countries visited, you get around :)
Very good detail, POV, color, and exposure throughout, informative notes.
Very well done.
Howard

And now Guyana! Is there any place on earth you have not been to yet, James? :-)

A mind-blowing perspective that presents the awsome Falls right from the turmoil at the bottom to the far horizon of hills and sky and those sheer vertical cliffs on either side.
The note, as usual, is a veritable goldmine of information.
Thanks for showing this wonderful picture and warm regards.

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 530 W: 6 N: 340] (936)
  • [2007-07-11 11:54]

Hi James,
I wanted to interrupt my order of critique, and thank you for this unique contribution to TN. Impressive photo, the falls, mist, trees and the curious plant on the lower left corner.
Best wishes,
Hakan

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1864 W: 2 N: 4738] (18250)
  • [2007-07-11 12:45]

Hi James. This is an amazing view. the colours in the water and plants. you can feel the mist.
a very nice compostion . very well done TFS.
Nick..

Hi James
Another great shot from a distant location. In your note you said "could not do much about the small tree or the bromeliad" I love the tree it gives a real sense of scale to the image, but I do agree with you about the bromeliad, with that in mind, how about cropping the image on the left side from where the bromeliad starts, not much is going on above it and removing that portion makes it a much more dynamic images.
Best wishes
Marc

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 505 W: 8 N: 1023] (3786)
  • [2007-07-11 19:43]

WOW James,
Fantastic, very beautiful and atractive waterfall, it is amazing. Great POV and composition
the photo is also very sharp and well focused..
..Well Done!

"I'll Be Back"

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 654 W: 159 N: 889] (2827)
  • [2007-07-11 21:02]

Hi James, and now you're into landscapes. This is very good. I like the colour and the way the mist is rising up and shrouding everything in the valley. I even don't mind the tree. I have this vision of you hanging off the side of a cliff with one hand and shooting with the other. Great notes, and congratulations on introducing Guyana to TN.

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1687 W: 20 N: 4738] (15476)
  • [2007-07-12 1:01]

Hi James,
Spectacular waterfall and a huge one at that. The sheer water drop is breath-taking and the mist looks awesome. Queer colour of the water though, maybe it was raining heavily there. Wonderful greenery around and the ambience is absolutely marvellous. Excellent POV and a superb composition and presentation. You make the world look so small, James. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

spectacular waterfall shot,beautiful place,well composed shot,well taken

Wow, impressive falls James. Great composition point to capture the size and environment around the falls.
Great detail

Kathleen
New Zealand

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1079 W: 0 N: 1654] (7208)
  • [2007-07-12 4:33]

Hello James,
How spectacular this picture is. I almost feel dizzy looking at it. It was a good idea to show this picture of this amazing corner of earth.Thanks and best regards
Anne

Hi James,
This is wonderful image. The high drop is spectacular. Congratulations to the first picture from hard to reach place in Guyana. TFS,
JC

Hola James.
Una estupenda panorámica. Bellos contrastes en una región bendecida por la presencia del agua en abundancia.
Buen encuadre y ajustada exposición.
Saludos, JL.

Hello James,
Neat image. Well composed.
Guyana on the map again...
Well done
TFS
Annick

Hi James.
I'm always amazed at how mant countries you've visited. You're sure priveleged. Great capture here. The plants you refer to aren't in my opinion a problem. They add to the composition of a rainforest setting. I took some shots of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and got the same effect. It feels like the jungle is all around you. Very beautiful. Well done.
Best regards, Steve.

Hello..very nice picture, the waterfall looks unique as if it was man made, thanks, well done

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