Sherman Falls | Hamilton Photographer

The City of Hamilton and the Waterdown/Burlington area are home to a great number of waterfalls, in fact there are over 100 which is no wonder that Hamilton is known as the City of Waterfalls. The Niagara Escarpment makes it possible for all these waterfalls as it cuts directly through the area. I have had the opportunity discovered many of these waterfalls and have blogged about my adventures in the past. My most memorable trips took place at Chedoke Falls and Billy Green Falls. The first being a challenging trek up the Chedoke Creek while Billy Green is mere footsteps from the highway. With a full time job it can be difficult to get to all of them in a season. As spring arrives this year, the waterfalls are once again calling my name.

The Great Sherman Falls

One of my favorite spots is Sherman Falls. Back when I first moved to Hamilton and got my camera, it was the first waterfall I tried to photograph. I’ve taken many waterfall photos since then and there is really an art and craft to capturing the silky smooth water. I have learned a lot since shooting Sherman the first time, so late last year I visited Sherman again to give it the attention it deserves…

Sherman Falls is located in Ancaster on Old Dundas Road and is part of the Bruce Trail network. The falls are actually located on private property and the land owners graciously allow visitors onto the property to take in the falls. This is also why Sherman is known by many names depending on who has owned the land. The Sherman family bought the land in 1912 when they established the Dofasco steel company. The land has changed hands many times since that time, but the name has stuck.

Gear

On this day I brought my Nikon D750 and chose to shoot with my 24-170mm f4 mid range zoom, a Tiffen variable ND filter and of course a tripod which is an absolute must when shooting waterfalls.

Nature at it’s best

Like many of Hamilton’s waterfalls, Sherman is a two-tiered curtain waterfall. This means the water falls over two separate sections and isn’t as powerful had the water been falling from the entire 17 feet. The flow on this day wasn’t greatest and it allowed me to get a little closer to the water without getting soaked. Near the water you really notice all of the different layers, the different types of rock and sediment that make up the escarpment. Nature is really amazing when you stop and look at all the details.I also have to caution anyone to be very careful when exploring any waterfall, as they can be very dangerous from heavy flows, slippery rocks or falling trees, a few people have unfortunately been hurt in the past and I urge everyone to be very careful out there.

As the weather warms and the trees start getting some much needed color, I hope to visit many more waterfalls this summer. Some I hope to visit this year are Princess Falls, Billy Monkley Falls and the very famous Webster and Tews Falls that I incredibly still haven’t visited. Also on the list is Smokey Hollow and Great Falls in the Waterdown/Burlington area.