Twin Lakes

It's January--which means its time to pay a visit to Twin Lakes! so I got up at 4 am yesterday and headed on out, hoping for some clouds although it was obvious even at 4 am that i wasnt gonna get any. But at least that ensured a visible moon!
Heres first light (in the subzero cold!)

2) A close up of some of the ice in the only open water, near the lake channel.

3) A view of the lake and peaks.

4) And last but not least, the ice in the Arkansas. One more (B&W) at ESS!

I like the first and third photos. I really like the leading line in from the bottom left on #3. That rock almost looks like an arrow pointing into the picture.
I've always been frustrated with the moon in the photo being so small with wider-angle shots that it doesn't add anything to the picture. Maybe it would look better blown up large, but I've often just taken it out.
Otherwise, nice results from your cold trip.

I understand that frustration, Jim, although i cant say it really bothers me--it bothers me more when i see the fake replacements. What i have done is i took a 100mm shot of the moon at the same time, reduced it in size so it matches the original wide angle version, and replaced. That way i get much more detail, and no chromatic abberations. It works for big prints.

Oh man, that reflected light in #4 is outrageous and works so well against the blue in the shade! I also love the first one. Sweet light and comp. 2 is o.k. and 3 is very nice as well, but it's 4 then 1 for me.

Kudo's for getting out in the cold! I love #2, the hint of the warm sun at the top, the subtle colors and the diagonal lines and mix of textures. Just a lot to look at throughout the image. Well done.

Well, aside from the post in the Landscape forum (..what's ES&S?), which is a superb b&w image, I like #1 quite a bit. A fine composition with the windblown snow leading to that lonesome tree leading to the saddle in the mountains leading to the moon. A leading statement I know, but I find it quite appealing!
Did you have to snowshoe or ski to get here?

I'm with John here, the BW on "former ESS" is really sweet and the hint of light on the peaks in the first one here is outstanding.

Great Eye for Design And Composition

Stan, you have a way of processing that makes your images really super clear. I can just about feel the cold and snow here. My favorite is #3, because of the sweeping shoreline. I like #1, but it's the shoreline in that one that interrupts the flow for me. I do like that foreground tree and snow though.

Some Amazing reflected light in #4 - liked #1 and #3 as well.

Thanks folks! Yeah, John, i had to use snowshoes. The road out there was snow covered, but the first half mile or so was being used by some ice fishing dudes that you can actually make out as black specks on the first shot--but i couldnt even get that far with 2WD so i just parked and walked the mile. Just checked the morning low at Leadville Sunday--minus 4...no wonder my mkii was about to faint on me!

I like the last two the best. Good to see non-Dunes photos, Stan. Don't get me wrong, I like your Dune shots; just glad to see something different.

I'll have to check out your Landscape submission.