Travelling in the country side of eastern Japan, I decided to do some practice video shots with the 5D Mark 2 and the 7D in the freezing cold. So here’s a treat for you if you like waterfalls literally frozen in time!
Thinking that most of us admire cascading waterfalls, I thought that this rarity of a frozen waterfall in Japan might intrigue you. So sit back, relax, and watch the short video… Frozen waterfalls are actually beautiful!
Just one Problem!
I did encounter one annoying problem with filming Fukuroda Falls… That problem was human interference. The outlook platform that I was standing on was shaking throughout the entire time. I thought it was a weak earthquake but it actually was caused by people trying to take a look of the waterfall. For most of my video, the IS on my lenses helped stabilize most of my shots and video, but it was still annoying with all the movement going on.
As an example, you can see some instability on the second scene of the video when I went full zoom on my 70-200. It was a shaky scene despite having the IS on.
How do Ice Waterfalls Form?
The answer is one drop at a time. Given the right temperature, each drop of water can turn to ice as it falls. As each drop of ice accumulates, it turns into a waterfall of ice and it’s icy integrity is reinforced even more through the freezing environment.
Ice Climbing Anyone?
I saw some pictures of people climbing this waterfall but according to some guide, the ice is not strong enough for any kind of climbing. However, if the ice does become thick enough it creates a fun opportunity for adventurers to go ice climbing.
Japan Winter of 2012
Japan this year has been bitterly cold. Actually it’s been the coldest since I’ve been here since 2004. Also, temperatures have dropped way below zero many times this year and the number of dry arid days have dominated the winter season causing a surge in flu epidemics across Japan.
One thing great about the cold is that I was able to catch this rare icy waterfall.
I really hate the winter, but then again, the four seasons balances the pleasure of nature and this bitter winter makes me yearn for the spring which is my favorite season in Japan!