Winding Stairs

I took this shot on the morning of November 17, at the Winding Stairs area on the Little Missouri River in the Ouachita Mountains. In theory the fall colors peak there about two weeks later than in the Ozarks, so I was expecting to be there under ideal conditions. Instead it seems I was at least a week too late.
The area would be an outdoor photographer's dream during the peak of fall foliage... quiet pools populated with boulders of all sizes, a few cascades, countless rock formations, steep wooded hillsides; this place has got 'em all. The hike in from the South was an easy 1.5 miles along a trail with almost no elevation change. I know I plan on being back next year.
Thanks for looking.

John, looks like a week earlier and you would have had some great color for this shot. The rock formation on the left seems to detract form the main focal point of the pool and hillsides, like having two subjects in the comp. Nice reflection in the pool and the rocks in the middle lead nicely to the distance. Would be a great place to photograph in the fall, thanks for sharing!

I can see David's point, and in an effort to get as much neat stuff into a picture as possible I've committed much worse offenses than this sometimes. And sometimes you just can't get the composition right even after moving around and pointing all over the place and zooming in and out, and you just have to compromise with the landscape.

But then too in this case the foreground boulders also seem to set off the background group and balance them, although that relationship might be strengthened if the point of view were shifted to the left a few feet so that the whole foreground group were included and the two groups brought closer together in the image, or if the right hand side were cropped some. Don't know what might be sacrificed to do that though, I also think the rocky shore and a line of perspective from the foreground group to the background group helps to tie them together nicely and helps bind the composition together.

Still, David's idea is a good one. John, did you jump into that pool so that you could get a shot of the background set of boulders and rock formations isolated from the foreground?

Anyway, this location is definitely a lady with great bone structure and a lot of personality, and she looks mighty good even if she isn't dressed in her finest here.

John, actually Randy said what I was thinking at the time I was typing in my comment. The rock formation isn't a big issue, just struck me as having two strong focal points in the same image. Sometimes that's unavoidable, I did it often enough myself.

John I think I'd make the exposed rock on the lower left the starting point of the image. Everything left of there doesn't seem to add much to the photo. Other than that, I really like what you've done here. I have certainly missed my share of ideal conditions, but we shoot when we can. Well done!

John, you are correct this is truly wonderful spot in Akansas. I have have been past this spot many times in my canoe but I have never hiked in. Can you tell me what trailhead you started from?

Your picture of the Winding Stairs area brings back many fond memories. Thanks for sharing.

Hey John I like the shot. Timing fall color is tricky. Everything has to come together including our schedule and it wasn't the best this year. Maybe next year it will be better. The trees don't have to be perfect for a good image. The pines give it some color. I'm with Tom I haven't been down that way in a long time and would love to take some images down there. Have you been to the cossatot it's in the region also.
Thanks for sharing and reminding us of another great Arkansa creek.

It looks like a great spot to explore with or without a camera (but don't think for a moment I'd go there without!)

John, this looks like a wonderful place to regenerate and certainly to make some beautiful photos. You mentioned "this shot" so I'm assuming that you cropped this to pano. What was cropped? I tend to agree that the left side of the image doesn't add much but there is certainly potential dripping from this place. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks everybody for the comments.
David and Randy: I was all over that pool looking for the perfect angle and got a shot in front of the two boulders that turned out alright, but I just didn't like it quite as much.
Tom - I started from the Musgrave Hole. There wasn't a trailhead signboard but there was a sign indicating the southern end of the trail. I tried to email you directions but it came back undeliverable.
Gale - I've been to Cossatot Falls a few times but not since I took up photography. I plan on taking the boys there some hot summer day for a swim.
Wayne - I cropped the top to eliminate a bright cloud-filled sky. (With Lightroom and ACR it's easy to go back and view the cropped areas of a file).