Finally visited Isaqueena Falls for the first time.  What a beautiful waterfall!  As you can see from the photograph below, it has numerous possible compositions.  You will find many lenses handy to have with you when you visit.  Primarily a super wide angle lens of at least 16mm on a full frame camera would be the most useful.  Then a 24-120mm midrange as well as up to a 300mm telephoto lens to capture isolation shots.  Be careful when changing lenses as the falls generate some spray and breeze.

Isaqueena Falls is located just outside Walhalla, SC in the Stumphouse Tunnel Park.  Please search the web for directions.

There is a very short walk to an observation deck, where this photo was taken.  If you're more adventurous and sure footed, there is a steep path off to the right of the deck.  The footing is very poor requiring you to grab unto any rock, root or tree limb you can.  Use caution should you chose to go down to the base.  Be very careful to avoid all the poison ivy that is everywhere.  Getting up seemed to be much easier than going down.  Additionally, be very careful at the base.  The rocks can be slippery and there are places where you could easily fall off a sharp drop with the falls.

Since this waterfall has open sun on it, visit it on a very cloudy day.  My friend and I arrived there around 5:30pm and got to the base around 6pm (we were taking our time getting some shots along the way).  Even on a sunny evening in mid-May, the sun was low enough behind the trees that the light on the falls was very soft and even.  We had to rush a bit as we only had 45-60 minutes to shoot.  The park closes at 8pm.  And even at that hour, there were still plenty of people arriving.

Legend has it that the falls is named for an Indian maiden, Issaqueena, who warning the white settlers of an Indian attack, was then chased by Indians and she appeared to jump over the falls. By actually hiding behind the falls (or some legend-tellers say she hid behind a stump, hence Stumphouse Tunnel), she tricked her pursuers and survived. (credit http://www.oconeecountry.com/stumphouse.html).

If you love waterfalls, you definitely have to put this one high on your list.

Isaqueena Falls - May 2019

Issaqueena Falls - May 2019