Safety at waterfalls and how to get a good photo

Waterfall routes are the most loved and the most injury-prone routes there are. The reason is the same in both cases: everyone wants to get close to the water.

Five safety rules

1. Do not step on mossy rock. Stone with green-black patches is like ice. Even rock that looks dry is damp near a waterfall.

2. Look up before stepping under a waterfall. A waterfall carries stones down along with the water. If there is loose rock above, do not stand beneath it.

3. Water levels change. Rain falling in the mountains raises the river below an hour later — the sky above you can be perfectly clear.

4. Do not step backwards for a photo. When the shot will not fit the frame, people automatically step back. Beside a waterfall that is the most common cause of falls.

5. Check the depth before getting in. Clear water looks shallow; the pool under a waterfall is deeper than you expect.

A good waterfall photo on a phone

The silk effect (long exposure). To show the water "flowing" you need your phone's long exposure mode:

• iPhone: take a Live Photo → choose the "Long Exposure" effect in the gallery
• Android: in Pro mode, set the exposure to 1/4 – 1 second

In both cases the phone must not move. With no tripod, rest it against a rock and use the timer.

Light. Cloudy weather is best — sun "burns out" a waterfall and the gap between shadow and highlight becomes too great.

Scale. Put a person in the frame to show how big the waterfall is. Photographed alone, the 60-metre Shi waterfall can look 6 metres tall.

Droplets on the lens. Near a waterfall the lens gets wet quickly. Keep a microfibre cloth in your pocket — that small thing saves half your shots.

The simplest way to get the best photo: stay five minutes after everyone else has left.

To choose a route: The waterfalls of Astara and The three waterfalls of Lerik.