Here, we investigate the static and dynamic response of semi-rigid cantilevers at various initial inclination angles (15° <α< 90°) and flexural rigidity (EI∼O(10−8) Pa-m4) to a uniform flow using a soap film tunnel. The vertical soap film tunnel produced uniform-flow Reynolds numbers 5×103<Re<4.5×104 based on cantilever length. High speed video and image analysis were used to estimate quantities such as the average cantilever tip displacement, tip vibration amplitude and frequency ω, and vortex shedding frequency, f. Vibration frequency was then compared to vortex shedding and the cantilever’s natural frequency ωN to determine which was likely responsible for the dynamic response. A one-dimensional Euler–Bernoulli beam theory model was then used to estimate the relative magnitude of two superpositioned forcing terms with either f or ωN as the driving frequency. There was good agreement between measured and computed tip displacement.