The Protector

At first you see the Spiderwort flower (Tradescantia) from a profile detail, but look closer and you'll see it's protector just below it.

The detail was tough to capture since the slightest whim of a breeze can move these delicate petals.

Location: Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas
Orig # KS1_1075

Reaching Out

I found this composition 'inviting'. A single stream briefly splits into two and these tree branches really reach out to you.

- Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas
Orig # KS1_3197-3203hdr2

Refuge

"Refuge"
Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, Arkansas.
Color-infrared panorama, May, 2010.
Orig # DSC_0062-63a

Spring Streams

"Spring Streams"
My intent was to capture the essence of Spring, with the sunlight, green color and flowing streams. Hope you enjoy.

6-frame HDR to get the full, dynamic range of the light.
Orig # KS1_0010-15hdr
Location: Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas

"Curiosity"

White-tailed deer in snow, 2008. This group was very curious, so I had to be very quiet, careful and selective when photographing them. I only shot a few frames so that I didn't attract/distract their attention.

Orig # _KS10082bw

Waterfall Canyon

I found this composition very interesting, with a lot of detail and depth, giving the water an extra dimension. The waterfalls in this photograph are only about 4 inches tall. My intent with this composition was to give a great sense of size, so you can have the full experience and appreciation of even the smallest waterfalls around us.
My second challenge is that I wanted to both show motion and stillness. Luckily, the varying current of the small waterfalls were different enough that my long exposure resulted in what I seeked.
Hope you enjoy.

Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas
Orig # KS1_8783bw2

Serenity

I was really drawn to this bench and view. The storm brought a mixture of rain and mist, so it was a constant challenge to keep the lens clear.
Hope you enjoy.

B&W infrared, multiple long exposure with minor HDR toning.
Beaverfork Lake - Conway - Arkansas
Orig # IMG_1071-1079hdr4a

p.s. As I titled this photo "Serenity", I happened to be listening to Pandora and it just happened to be playing "Serenity" by Liquid Mind. If you get a chance, play that song and look at this photograph. :)

Celestial Blue

At first, I was attracted to the placid lake and houseboat, but my eyes opened wide when I saw the potential of the clouds in this scene. When I first began to photograph this scene, there was a light rain, but I was persistent in wanting to capture this before the clouds began to dissipate. Luckily, the rain soon stopped and I was able to capture what you see here. The infrared light captured multiple layers of clouds and cloud movement.

Lake Beaverfork, Conway, Arkansas
Color infrared, panorama with slight HDR toning.
Orig # IMG_1014-1032hdrc3

Front Row

What a great view. It looks as though the horizon just goes on forever, but in reality, this is a lake and coming toward me is a wall of heavy rain. Any normal day, you could see the other side of the lake, but with the thick fog, mist and rain blocking the view, the perception changes.

The result was worth it, but it was painstakingly cold and windy. I had to constantly clear my lens of mist, while keeping the umbrella over the camera. It poured on me several times, which I actually had to carry my gear to cover, then return to continue.

Lesson: don't give up if you *really* want the shot.

Beaverfork Lake, Conway, Arkansas
Long exposure with minimal HDR toning.
Orig # KS1_5833a

Pier 2

"Pier 2"

Another from my latest series.
Lake Beaverfork, Arkansas.
Orig # KS1_5516b2s

Pier 1

This is the start of a new b&w series I'm working on. Hope you enjoy!

Cascading at Sunset

Cascading waterfall at sunset, Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas

Long exposure, HDR from 11 frames ranging from less than 1 sec to 15 seconds. Yes, the sun and sun rays are all real. The refractions are from the stacked ND filters and the shifting of the trees during exposure.
Orig # KS1_2939-2950hdr2a

Nature's Graffiti

I titled this one "Nature's Graffiti", although it could easily have a myriad of titles. This old homestead could tell so many stories, and if it were to have ghosts, you can almost see them peering through the windows.

This photograph ended up being much more interesting after a closer look. I shot this as an infrared, but I also bracketed it for an HDR image - to ensure I had the greatest tonal range from the infrared spectrum. The reason I went to all this trouble was to ensure I could emphasize the dramatic contrast of the vines spinning and exploring the house.

I also converted it to b&w to give it the simplicity and toning to closer match it's timeliness. I purposefully shot this with a slow shutter speed to give some life to the grasses and branches, which blurred during the exposure.

Old store...

This is an old store that I've passed many times, but just couldn't find the right mood/composition to photograph it....until this visit. I fear that it will soon collapse. As you can tell from the photograph of the full structure, it's leaning to the left considerably.

Hope you enjoy.

Small waterfalls

Small waterfalls shot at Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas.

This is actually a 10-frame panorama. The detail is impressive. The closer you look, the more waterfalls you see.

Hope you enjoy.

Orig # IMG_0372-481

Nature's Green is Gold - #2

"Nature's Green is Gold - #2"

This was shot the same day (same tree!) as my Project Imagin8ion Grand Prize winning photograph ("Where One Day Ends, A New Day Begins"). This was shot about 20 minutes before my winning photograph was taken. This is an HDR taken at sunset, composed of 22 bracketed images. I wanted to achieve the highest, dynamic range possible (within reason).

This field of flowers is what attracted me to this area. Imagine a field full of yellow flowers (buttercups), with a clear, blue sky.

This is also the same tree in "Nature's Green is Gold".
Hope you enjoy. :)
Orig # KS0_6121-6142_hdr

"Trail Invitations"

A favorite panorama from a hike at Woolly Hollow State Park, Arkansas a few years ago.

More press! >> ICON magazine

Hot off the press! You can see my photos on this month's cover of ICON magazine, as well as an in-depth article and more photos inside! :) You can pick-up a magazine in various locations around central Arkansas.
>> View November Issue of ICON magazine

Inside the Tulip

Inside the Tulip

A Tulip abstract. I found this to be abstract, almost painterly, even though it was basically straight from the camera. I carefully composed this image while laying on the ground. The center petal is the only one in focus, due to the extreme magnification, the depth of field is shallow. The green at the bottom of the frame is the top of the stem. The black area to the right, is the center of the flower.

The more you study it, especially from different distances, it has an odd sense of depth, yet remains abstract.

You can draw your own conclusions of what you see. :)

Hope you enjoy.

Porsche on the track...

One of my favorite images from last weekend's SCCA event.
Porsche 914 on the track.