Spring Creek
In a blog post in January, I mentioned that I like to travel new roads and that I dislike runs or bike rides that are "out-and-back" because I don't like to see the same scenery. But it's not really true in all cases. When I discover an area that I really like, I do go back… over and over again. And it's not that I notice everything all at once. From years of practice I have learned what areas will likely hold possibilities for photographs and so I return… many times.
The image above is from an early Spring day at the Unami Creek - the same one I visited in January where I made some nice winter photographs. This time, it was that special combination of warm early morning sun and cool air, with almost no breeze to disturb the water. The lighting was the open-shadowed light that you get in early spring before leaves are on the trees creating deep shadows. I couldn't resist the combination of reflections, rock, and grass.
The image at right is from a nearby spot along the same stream. I must have fifty photographs of water in my portfolio, each of them with different swirls of color or reflections. Every time I see one, I stop and photograph. I just can't seem to get enough of these, nor do I get tired of photographing the water. Every second it is something new… the movement of the water changes the patterns and swirls, the light changes, and a slight movement of the camera causes something new to be reflected. If you click on the image you will get a larger version and you can see the swirls of trees and color and all the twisted shapes. As I was posting this image, I happened to click on the Home Page of my website and was taken to one of my favorite photographs - a water photograph of course!
Compare the feeling of these two images to the photographs in the January post… A Winter Creek. Same place, but a different time - and completely different feeling. I can see a project taking shape here where I do some images from different seasons - all in a short 3 mile section of creek along a road only 15 minutes from my house. No need to fly to a big National Park to make great photographs. (Although that is fun too and I have a trip coming up in July to Lassen Volcanic NP!).