This is another often visited location a short ride from my home. There’s a waterfall that I’ve posted a few times including two weeks ago. Although paths are found on both sides of the brook, I’ve yet to encounter anyone so a great place to be out and isolated.
As I walked I noticed the cascade at the top which I had shot before but yesterday there was very little accumulated foam as there often is and which I don’t enjoy having in an image so that was an attraction. I waded out to the middle and at that point discovered the ‘S’ curve that flowed through the composition.
I may shoot this again when the light is a bit brighter but I like the quiet tones and the sheen on the midstream rocks as they were yesterday.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
The quiet tones really work here, Steve. Very nice.
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Thanks, Pete. I shoot in the early morning hours just around and shortly after sunrise so the light is often soft and non-contrasty.
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We talk about an ‘S’ curve but somehow not about a ‘J’ curve, even though portions of brooks take on the shape of a J.
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Other than a ‘J’ I see the shape of a clef. An ‘S’ curve is something often looked for in landscape photography or abstracts for that matter. I think finding shapes is a great way to expend our compositional vision.
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Beautiful image Steve! Enjoyed seeing it!
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Thanks, Reed.
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I like that sinuous curve (and kinda excited I remembered how to spell sinuous) it really looks like a fine oil painting
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Thanks, Robert. Sinuous is a little challenging with the two ‘u’s. I think the light on the rocks gives it a more painterly feel.
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Very nice image. I think the darker tones really add to this composition, because our eyes go to the lightest areas of an image. My eyes immediately found the waterfall, then were drawn upstream to the successive cascades, before following the flow down through the “S” to the point where the water exits. The dark tones draw the viewer’s attention to all the key elements. Well done.
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Thanks. If you don’t mind divulging your name I do like to mention that when thanking someone. But if you prefer, Dude will do. 🙂
I appreciate your thoughts critiquing this image. Some photographs are much easier to control a viewer’s attention and the processing of the various elements are key to the direction they follow. I tried to introduce deeper shadows and did some dodge to make sure the s-curve was dominant. Of course, shooting before sunrise in the dimly lit woods helped with that.
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Certainly “Dude” works, but my name is Bob Freeman, retired professional photographer and studio owner, and former print judge for PPA (which is a curse, because I have to make myself be less critical and just enjoy prints as art, and not as I would judge them for competition). I love the movement of water in images, and you are a master. Thanks for sharing.
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Nice to make your acquaintance, Bob. Now I have a better understanding where the critique came from. I don’t mind constructive critiquing so don’t restrict your comments too much. Even the best of us keep learning and thoughtful opinions are good teachers and welcomed. Thanks for the kind words for the images.
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Very nice with all those curves, Steve, and that moss on the far rock is a nice splash of color.
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Thanks, Ellen. I tried to not make that too distracting but it is nice to have.
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Gorgeous.
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Thank you, Angela.
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Nice! You’re inspiring me to ge out my tripod to capture our falls. 🙂
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Thanks, Eliza. Oh, you should. Especially now while there is plenty of water flowing. We haven’t had much of a spring melt but all the recent rain is a bonus. I’ll look forward to seeing your shots of it. If you ever feel like sharing it you know I am always looking for new falls and cascades. 🙂
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Nicely done. This one really works, with a very pleasant curve to the flow.
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Thanks, Todd. It’s funny that I never noticed how the water flows here. It isn’t apparent from the shore and I was just going out to do the foreground cascade with distant flow when it became visible. Just another example of the value in repeated visits.
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That’s definitely a seal at lower left, just patiently waiting for a fish to come down with the flow.
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No fish here so that’s going to be a very hungry seal. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen fish in any of the brooks I visit.
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I’m really sorry to hear (read) that!
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I am sure it isn’t for any bad reasons as most of them are drinking water supply filling some of our town’s aquifers. Guess there just has never been a fish population in them. Most are pretty shallow and a few run almost dry in the summer.
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It surprised me how far up and into the woods the water is visible. The little froth of water in the upper left almost looks like a spring.
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Because of the curve at the top you cannot see it, but just to the left is the waterfall seen in the following post.The downhill flow makes it easier to include that upper section as an element.
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Exactly – those quiet tones have their own magic and you’re a master of it. That bit of moss adds a lot, too. 🙂
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Thanks, Lynn. I guess big boulders can be subtle if they want to. 🙂
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This is really pleasing to me. I like the subdued colors, and I love the glimpse of the landform and trees surrounding the water.
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Thanks, Melissa. As I mentioned it is a favorite spot not only now for separation but just a great place to find peace and tranquility. A quality I hoped would be seen in this image. A nice aspect of brooks is that they can look very different from time to time depending on the water levels.
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Beautiful location and composition!
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Thanks, Denise.
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