Croton Dam, New York

Croton Gorge Park park which is located in Cortlandt, New York is 1.5hr drive away from my house. I`ve been to this beautiful place multiple times. The park is where The Croton River begins. There is a bridge that spans the river and gives the best view of the spectacular spillway. But the view always mesmerized me was the multiple waterfalls create by the river flowing down the dam. The manmade steps and nature`s rocky cliff create such a unique view together.

You can take nice photos of the waterfall from a small bridge that falls right across the middle of waterfalls, 30-40 feet above the ground but you can get a spectacular view of the waterfalls from the river level. I always took photos from the river with a long lens (200mm) while getting a little bit wet but there is a spot I always wanted to take photos of. If you cross the river under the bridge, there is a concert slab, approximately 30-40 feet wide. you have to go through the water where the river runs fast and the bottom is covered with slippery moss. One wrong step can cause serious injury.

That day, I didn`t have a long lens. My longest lens was 85mm. For some reason, I was determined not to leave that park without getting my shot from that spot. After some calculation, I decided on the quickest route to pass the river. Unfortunately, the quickest path that was maybe 10-15 feet also was the deepest part of the river. I have some experience to gauge the depth of the water since I take photos around rives and creeks all the time. Also, I use my tripod as a cane, to measure how deep is where I`m gonna step on. I was ok with getting wet. Unfortunately, I had my camera bag in my car and my camera was on top of my tripod. Carefully started to cross the river. Using my tripod to poke at the bottom of the river. By the time I crossed 2/3 of the distance, I was in the water to my waist. Trying to step on the solid bottom and learning against my tripod. I reached the edge of the concrete slab and I lost my balance for a moment when I tried to pull myself up.

A photographer always protects his camera. I tried to lean on the tripod but couldn`t gain my balance because of the weight of the camera and the heavy panoramic head that the camera was sitting on top of the tripod. I fell on one knee first then trying to protect the camera made me fell on the other knee. Of course, at that moment I wasn`t able to hold the heavy tripod, the camera hit the concrete. Fortunately, I was able to slow the fall and the ND filter attachment took the brunt of the impact. If it wasn`t an ND filter, it was gonna be a lens hood. I always keep the lens hood on to protect the lens from this kind of situation.

I got up with two knees bleeding (not too badly), put on the ND filter (thankfully it wasn`t broken), set up my tripod and camera, took the shots I wanted, and went back to my car exhausted, bruised but happy.