Hello one image from a recent trip to the big woods region.
Thanks to Tim Ernst for the imformation from his book Arkansas Nature Lovers Guidebook.
Comments welcome
Gale
Great light and composition, Gale. I'm not sure if this a composite or not, but I think this one might be improved by toning down the highlights just a bit, or lowering the contrast. Thanks for sharing!
This spot contains one of the most impressive areas of cypress knees I know of anywhere, and they are right off of the road. It is best to get out in the middle of them and get your feet (and your own knees) wet, but then you have to stand around and wait a little while for the water surface to calm down so you can get great reflections like this one. The best time to shoot is right before the sun arrives - as Bill noted it gets hot in a hurry...
Wonderful composition Gale, love the light on the greens. I do have to agree with Bill about toning the highlights a bit. Overall I like what you have done here. I have always wanted to photograph cypress knees, where is this location at? Please post more if you have them and thanks for sharing!
OK, Bill and David, your both correct on the highlights. Please give me your honest opinion on the editing changes. I had to replace the original image.
For the best directions I've got to recomend Tim Ernst's book.
http://store.cloudland.net/merchant.ihtml?pid=63&step=4
It's south of Brinkly, AR quite a ways. Tim has many other AR swamp areas in this book that would be great to shoot.
I must admit I fell in love with this sweet spot. I only saw one poisonous snake and probobly killed at least 5 mosquitoes with each swat.
A photo from this same location just a few feet to the left and looking 90 degrees to the left is on the cover of the Arkansas Wild & Free 2007 wall calendar (currently hanging in all of your homes/offices, right?). I've sold that image at least a dozen times this past year to magazines and books, plus a ton of prints. This general area is a target rich environment to nature photogs, as are many of the locations in the guidebook. The biggest issue I have with the area is the fact that much of it is closed off from November (good color season) through early March - they flood the areas for waterfowl habitat. But the rest of the year there is good access - and a boat helps too.
Gale is correct about the snakes - in my 6-8 trips to the area last spring/summer doing research for the guidebook I only saw a single snake - stories of them hanging in all the trees ready to jump on you are greatly exaggerated. (I'll probably get bitten on my next trip now!)
I kind of stumbled onto this Goose Lake spot by accident early one morning and could not believe how great it was. Later in the week the refuge manager was showing me photos of what he considered the most beautiful spot on his entire refuge - the very same spot. It was really dumb luck how I found it the first time - I came in late at night (my first visit to the refuge) and camped in the car beside the road, then got up and drove down the road and took the first right turn I came to and there it was! But there are other many great places to explore and photograph too, many are detailed in the guidebook...I just LOVE swamps!
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on July 11, 2007 at 7:55 PM
This is an impressive place and a beautiful shot Gale. Wonderfully composed with the C curve of the cyprus stumps leading you to mid frame and beyond.
Posted by Tim Buchanan on July 12, 2007 at 10:00 AM
Very nice, Gale - wish I lived a little closer, it looks like a great place to photograph! I love the reflections in this image.
Posted by Larry Daniel on July 12, 2007 at 5:32 PM
Discussion
10 repliesThanks to Tim Ernst for the imformation from his book Arkansas Nature Lovers Guidebook.
Comments welcome
Gale
For the best directions I've got to recomend Tim Ernst's book.
http://store.cloudland.net/merchant.ihtml?pid=63&step=4
It's south of Brinkly, AR quite a ways. Tim has many other AR swamp areas in this book that would be great to shoot.
I must admit I fell in love with this sweet spot. I only saw one poisonous snake and probobly killed at least 5 mosquitoes with each swat.
Gale is correct about the snakes - in my 6-8 trips to the area last spring/summer doing research for the guidebook I only saw a single snake - stories of them hanging in all the trees ready to jump on you are greatly exaggerated. (I'll probably get bitten on my next trip now!)
I kind of stumbled onto this Goose Lake spot by accident early one morning and could not believe how great it was. Later in the week the refuge manager was showing me photos of what he considered the most beautiful spot on his entire refuge - the very same spot. It was really dumb luck how I found it the first time - I came in late at night (my first visit to the refuge) and camped in the car beside the road, then got up and drove down the road and took the first right turn I came to and there it was! But there are other many great places to explore and photograph too, many are detailed in the guidebook...I just LOVE swamps!