Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
The hot summer season of Tennessee is still holding on with a vengeance, so I continue to dream of cooler weather. This week, I dipped into my photo library of the Smokies for a little bit of refreshment.
During a workshop last October, I tried many different techniques and compositions. It was an exercise to stretch and take some chances. Looking through the files, I see that I have a bucketful of misses. No worries. The world of digital photography allows you the freedom to experiment and not break the piggy bank. And among the multitude of shots that missed the mark, there are a few gems that stand out. Trial and error. Practice, practice, practice. That’s how anybody grows in a chosen craft.
In this case, I wanted to capture a circular swirl of leaves that were caught in the current of a mountain stream. And I wanted the vibrant autumn colors to be reflected in a painterly style within the stream. A low shutter speed setting was used, of course. A polarizer filter on the lens took out the light glare on leaves and water. And, I crossed my fingers for no breeze to blur the vegetation.
Among the many clunkers, I’m content with this one!
Oh this one is so pretty. I love the circular leaf swirl and all the reflections in the water make it look magical
ReplyDeleteI love the water you've captured here.
ReplyDeleteI think this photo is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThis photo is gorgeous! I love autumn, and you've made the colors in this picture so vibrant!
ReplyDeleteI'm willing to bet my last dollar, you don't have many clunkers. Even though you attend many workshops and experiment, God gave you the talent to bring us gorgeous works of your heart and mind. I thank you for sharing, sweetie. Just out of curiosity, how many photos do you think you have and how in the world do you keep them organized??!! Love you!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I have clunkers! More clunkers than good ones these days. But that’s because I am trying new things and having some difficulties in getting my head in the game. It is hard to find my mojo now that I am alone and finding my own way. I went to many fabulous places in the past year and a half, and each time I asked myself “what am I doing here?” when I first set up my shots and attempted to mingle with strangers. First things first, I breathe in and give thanks for the beauty before me. And then I work at trying to capture what I feel in my heart. I’m learning new techniques, such as long-exposure photography of streams such as this one. I am running with a semi-pro and pro photography crowd now and working my craft. It gives me focus. It gives me a reason for getting out there in the world. And I finally have reached that point where I know what I can do with an image in the digital darkroom as soon as I take the shot. The magic of it all astounds me. I come up with a photo like this and think how in the heck did I create something like that? It baffles me when I finish up the editing and see the final results. It looks like someone else created it - not me.
DeleteHow many photos do I have? Funny question! A few right clicks tell me that I have well over 100,000. I could edit photos for the rest of my days and not have to take another one. But then I wouldn’t be out there enjoying this beautiful world!
Thank you for your sweet comments and support, Debbie. It helps more than will you will ever know. I hope that my photos make people smile…
Stunningly beautiful...artsy to the nth degree...
ReplyDeleteIncredible picture!
ReplyDelete