Getting Back Out Again

Winter was a little disappointing this year (so little snow), so I am very glad to see spring arrive. While I sat inside, doing very little photography I contemplated many things. As always I think about going in a different direction with my work. Over the course of a few months I view hundreds if not thousands of images, online and in print. I am constantly impressed by the originality and quality I see in other people's work. My tendency is to get a feeling of mediocrity, especially since I am unable to do much work for myself.

Although someday I will probably take a course change, I still feel like I have a lot of work to do on my current course. In my resurgent years of photography, starting about 5-6 years ago, I was enamored with digital equipment and relied on my own innate ability to make nice, technically acceptable photos. For much of that time I was merely producing a lot of "pretty pictures". It is only in the past 2-3 years that I think I have moved past that phase, albeit at a slow pace, and begun to challenge myself to make images that are many things: pleasing to look at, technically superior, and meaningful at some level. So for this reason, and others such as the fact that I really enjoy outdoor scenic photography, I will continue for some time perfecting my skills in the same arena.

The following image was made this weekend at Ralph Stover park in Bucks County. I am really pleased with the composition, the shapes and forms of the moving water, and the color tones. When I arrived at the park around dawn the hills around the creek kept the surroundings in flat, uninteresting light. When the sunlight began to hit I was rewarded with some beautiful tones and colors. Enjoy.