spring at pams grotto

My first time catching this one going in the spring. The trees really fill out and the bluffs here are great.

Very nice, Gale! I really like how the foreground trees sorta hide the waterfall, giving this image more mystery - great composition!

Tim!

Nice to see another perspective of this place. Very interesting composition!

I really like your angle on this one - nice placement of boulders, sapling, and the three gracefully-shaped larger trees. Could be my monitor or the light, but the waterfall seems to have a slight yellow-green cast.

Nice shot, Gale.

Gale, This is a great composition. I love the pano format, and seeing a new angle on this area really is nice. I'm with Bill on the color cast in the water. I also think the right side could be darkened just a bit. My eye tends to stray over to that side. Overall a real winner.

Just FYI, since so many of you have visited this spot lately: I have seen an advance layout of the National Geographic article that will be in the October issue of the magazine - and a two-page photo of Pam's Grotto opens the 18-page spread. Unfortunately the water levels were lower when the photo of Pam was taken there, so they used the one shot before her photo shoot that had more water - even though my lovely bride won't be in the article, at least her waterfall will be! And there is a shot of my ugly mug included, but only a small one, thank goodness! I've got to tell ya, some of the photos in this article are quite spectacular - better than ones I've taken, even though I have been shooting here for more than 30 years. The photographer, Peter Essick, made at least six trips to Arkansas this past year shooting for the article - he is one of the best in the world for sure. I expect the line to get to Pam's Grotto will be a bit longer starting this fall...

Thanks for the update on the NG spread, Tim. What an honor it will be for you, and especially Pam to have Pam's Grotto open the story. Can't wait to see it - and the rest of Peter's work.

I guess we'll have even more incentive now to work harder and get better.

Hi Gale, this place is beginning to get quite a bit of "exposure"! I like what the side light did for you here. I find myself wishing the small sapling and tree at left (in front of the fall) weren't there but we get what nature offers us. Thanks for sharing, have a great weekend!

Nice perspective, Gale, you must have done a little scrambling to get this view.

The placement of the waterfall in the background and in shadow gives it a nice hidden, secret quality. And I like how you've included the three boulders to the right of the falls. They are another amazing part of the grotto. Good job, Gale.