Milky Waters

@Bill Brown: I don't know exactly the name of the stream - it was west of bishop, and just east of a dam. Does south lake make sense for a name of a place? I just followed the caravan of cars... It's a beautiful piece of earth in that area, and such beautiful light. I recently bought a 6-stop neutral density filter - so I can slow these down to a half minute or more. Thanks for the comments all this week.

@Craig: Craig - many thanks on your kind words. The silkiness of the water is very tranquil to me.

@zOOm: So tranquil - that, plus it's blue color - draws me across the frame just by the aspens. Jack threw the aspen leaves on the rock in the foreground - said it needed something extra...

@Linerberry: Linerberry, thank you - I think I'll play with the cropping, and see if I can extract two images out - thanks for that feedback.

@S A B E R: I enjoy your images. Glad you like mine. Bill

@Barbara: Barbara - so kind of you to say. I'm trying to make this blog more than just the photos - it's something I want to read and enjoy later, after I start forgetting things more and more often. I'm thinking of posting spanish poetry from a nobel laureate, and trying to match a photo to it tomorrow night. Stay tuned. Jack Dykinga is a great guy - his work is stunning.

@Veronelle: Merci. I think this site will teach me French - I didn't realize how many fantastic photographers spoke French. Bill

@Linda: Thank you, Liinda. As I implied, I had help from a master. I took the photo (heck, Jack can't spell digital) - but Jack saw it, and looked into the viewfinder - and said, move it a bit to the right. I learned so much on that trip - plan to go back to mountain light for John Shaw this fall.

@Ana Lúcia: Ana - it'sUntouched. As captured straight from te camera. Not even tweaked in PS. Time does this well to moving water. THanks for the kind words

@bluechameleon: What can I say. Jack Dykinga is a master. I barely saw the shot, and he was embellishing it. I loved the class, and will take as many as I can afford (time, money, and getting babysitters for the kids).

@Stefan: And I didn't even saturate the colors. Nature's paintbrush is exquisite. Thank you Stefan for the kind words.

@Ajay: Ajay, I am posting some of my better work from the last year the first week on the blog. I promise, there is stuff to criticize in my photos: it's hard to keep up the pace of a quality photo a day. Guess I need to get out and shoot more photos - and with the inspiration and tips on AM3 - I surely want to.

@Karthik: Ksrthik, so kind. Already this week I've gotten many suggestions that will let me keep learning from others, whose work I admire.

@Bill Jennings: Msrie - I think what you're doing is perfect. Look for stuff you like, and ask questions. I post the EXIF data on AM3, as it helps understand the technique. It's obviously a tripod, with mirror lockup at a 4 second exposure. AM3 is a great forum for me to learn, I'm sure it will do wonders for you as well.

@Susan: Susan, you are absolutely right. I wish I had a wider lens for this shot - I couldn't back up (my tripod leg was in the stream and others on nearly a vertical bank. The 24 mm with a 1.6 crop sensor wasn't wide enough. I hoped for more of the aspen. I wanted to leave space in the bottom for the eye to rest. So much to learn. I will go back this fall and try again.

@Bill Jennings: You are doing what you should to learn: find photos you like, ask questions, keep taking pictures, post them on AM3 and read the comments. The only way to learn this for me was to develop a sense of what I like, and then try it.

@David: David: Jack told me during the critique later that day that this one was "a money shot" - and that he didn't want to see it on a calendar in the coming year without giving him credit for seeing the image. He's a fun guy to work with. I enjoyed your webpage and will be back.

@Mariana: Merci Mariana. I love the range of colors here as well. Thank you for your kind words.

@jim: Thank you Jim. It is one I consider framing from time to time. My office is a wall of white - and I've just been too lazy to fill it up with pictures. I guess it's just hard to pick which ones. Thank you for dropping by and adding a comment.

@Sussi: thanks Sussi for looking this over, and telling me specifically what appeals to you - that helps me a great deal in composing new pictures in the future. Bill

@Stephen Phillips: Thats a real nice think to say Stephen. Thanks for dropping the comment into the Blog. Bill

@ordinaryimages: Everyone that I speak with that has met or known Galen tells me he was a very special man. Sounds like it from your story as well. It is unfortunate that he met with his unexpected death at a relatively young age. I must learn his a fraction of his skills from his works, and notes.

I do believe I will play with the image, but as you say - this one stands on it's own : as it has been uncropped, un-retouched, and is what was seen in the viewfinder. Sometimes you can overdo the post processing.

Thanks for leaving this great story of yours about meeting Galen on the page.

@Barmak: Barmak. Thanks for the kind words - I was playing with the shutter speeds on this composition - and as I learned the first guess was my favorite in the trials. It's as much as an art, than a science on getting the effect you want from moving waters I am leaning.

@DarkElf: Thanks for dropping by and posting such a kind note about Milky Waters - specific comments about what you like really help me improve.

@Mandy Provan: Mandy, so kind. I bracketed the exposures, and felt this had the best balance of silkiness without getting too white.

@Magda: Megan, such sweet words. Telling me your emotional response helps me know what others like, and why. Please come by my blog again soon.

@john4jack: I too feel like I missed Galen and Ansel. Their work speaks to me, even though both are not with us. I am asking the AM3 community this week for who their inspirations were for photography, seems like you picked two of mine in your post here.

@Kris: Thanks for the kind words and the specifics for what you like. It helps a great deal.

@dj.tigersprout: thank you. it's one of my favorites.