The ancient Greek, pre-Socratic philosopher, Heraclitus said, “No man steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” For me this has always been good enough reason to return time and again to the places that have spoken to me photographically; and whether I am the same person, I know for certain that the place is never the same and each time I go I am rewarded with a wonderful new photographic experience. It is exactly this way for a beautiful spot along Middle Prong of Little River about half of a mile from the end of the road at the old ghost town of Tremont. The water is never the same and the forests that surround it are magically different from day-to-day, from the flowers of the dogwood to the colors of autumn.
A focal length of 84mm, short-telephotoland, gave me the angle-of-view, slight compression and magnification I was looking for. An aperture of f/16 provided depth-of-field; and at ISO 100 I had a shutter speed of 1.3 seconds for an overall medium exposure. Note that I was able to achieve depth-of-field with an aperture that saved me 1-stop of shutter speed from f/22. Moving water has a tendency to created its own draft, so the difference between 1.3 seconds and 2.5+ seconds, with patience, allowed me to freeze the motion in the dogwood branch and retain a very low ISO setting. Working readily back and forth among exposure reciprocities is sometimes the difference between an image that succeeds and one that must be re-taken.
There is no more beautiful land on Earth than the land of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in spring. To live and to be able to create Beauty in this land is to be blessed beyond words. May we always walk in the light of this wondrous Beauty.
Don, I love the great contrast between the delicacy of gentle fresh green and dogwood blossoms, and the strong, forceful water flow. It’s a lovely image.
Hi Michelle. It’s great to have you join me! Thanks for your delightful observation and comment. Contrast is such a wonderful photographic principle and one often overlooked by younger artists. I believe that after “relationship” the most meaningful artistic principle for me is “contrast.” And as we come to realize how diverse and how omnipresent contrast can be in all art forms, the more readily it presents itself to us. Be safe and stay well.
I go there every year.
Don. Just another beautiful picture
Hi Mike. It’s good to hear from you. Just like another day at the office, there is Beauty everywhere I look just asking to be photographed. Hope you are staying safe and well.
Hey Bob. Always good to hear from you. I guess that makes two of us, along with an increasing number of “horse” people. Hope to run into you somewhere down the road. Walk in Beauty.
Perfect exposure time for the water. This is beautiful.
Hey Linda. It’s good to hear from you. I was asking Judy just the other day how you are doing. Hope all is well in Ashfield and you are enjoying the onset of spring. The years have done an excellent job of teaching me the range of exposures possible in a given ambient light for a given flow of mountain water. It’s my very favorite element to photograph. Take very good care.
I don’t think you can get a bad picture when the dogwoods are blooming. They are a gift to be enjoyed each spring. The luckiest trees in the world get to live in the Great Smoky Mountains.
I can see you took great care in camera placement, so the rocks match the slope of the tree branch. I also enjoy the white rapid water in the foreground in contrast to the smooth water falling over the rocks in the stream.
I’m looking for a comfortable rock to sit a spell and let the scene quiet the chatter in my brain.
Thanks for sharing.
Hey Nancy T. I think you know dogwoods all too well. They are truly gifts of the Universe to all of us. I am so grateful to you for pointing out the importance of camera placement in this image. I very much wanted the line of the branch to mirror the line of the rock outcrop so that water could be seen in front and behind. Fortunately, there was a rock for me to stand on to achieve this result. One day I’ll share this place with you; it will absolutely accomplish the elimination of brain chatter. Talk soon.
Exquisite, Don. A classic. Love the big diagonal branch adorned with dogwood, and the playful expression of the water, and how the eye can travel easily back to a calmer stretch in the background. Delightful!
Howdy Ray. I’m delighted to hear from you! There are so many classic water scenes in the Smokies and I have been so very fortunate to have been able to spend so much wonderful time there. It’s like having a cathedral just down the road from where you live that is always open to receive you. I have been thinking about an adventure I’d like to discuss with you. I’ll look forward to sharing it with you. Have an excellent week. Walk in Beauty,
Thank you Everyone for such a thoughtful and uplifting array of observations and comments. This Image reminds me absolutely of why I love where I live, and why I can so readily identify it as the place of my spirit.
There are 900+ miles of streams in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and I feel as though I know them all intimately, from the quiet pools to the roaring cascades and all the flows in between. And when those waters can be conjoined with the blossoms of the myriad flowering plants that call the Smokies home, there is such a visual feast created, it is nothing short of humbling.
Have a great week Everyone! Walk in Beauty.