It is difficult to know the soul of a river from seeing it in a single location. There are places in Hiawatha National Forest where Little Indian River appears to be little more than a marshy wetland with some water moving through it; but then you follow it for a short distance and it becomes a place of peaceful tranquility with well-defined banks bordered by beautiful forests of maple and alder; so serene you could imagine yourself spending a day doing nothing but watching the ebb and flow of life. By the time the stream has twisted and turned through the Upper Peninsula’s Northwoods for some miles it will join with its larger sibling, the Indian River, and together they will journey to the waters of Lake Michigan. A “normal” focal length of 45mm gave me the angle of view I wanted. An aperture of f/20 gave me depth of field; and a shutter speed of 1.6 seconds at ISO 100 gave me an overall medium exposure. In processing, I darkened the sky slightly to bring out the texture of the wonderful overcast.
How rich and peaceful at the same time
Your beautiful photo defines your perfectly chosen words of ( serenity and peaceful tranquility )
Incredible. I love the colors and the composition. Excellent job, Don.
Beautiful! Colors are so rich and I can only imagine how tranquil it is there.
This looks like a big hug from Mother Nature. I like the opening in the front with the blue reflections inviting us to come in and stay for a while. So beautiful! Wish I was there!
Hello Everyone,
Thank you for joining me in this conversation. There seems to be something in this composition that has touched a place in you that bespeaks calmness. For me it involves the fact that it is essentially a normal focal length image (45mm), which closely replicates the magnification and spatial relationships of the human eye. We see this image in the way we see the world. Then there is the clarity of the reflection which affirms that there is little motion in the image except for the slight current of the river. And although there is some warm coloration in the maples, the tones are primarily cool ones. Also, red and green are complimentary colors, so they work well together, especially when the tones presented tend toward medium. All of these factors contribute to the feelings you have expressed, and I appreciate your kind comments about colors and serenity you have observed. Tom, it’s nice to have you join us; and Michelle, Jessyca, Nancy K. and Nancy T., it’s always a delight to discover what one of my images evokes in each of you. Your words are always enjoyed. Thank you, all, again, for being here. I hope your fall has been beautiful.