I have to admit upfront that I’m still on the fence about this week’s picture. *whew* There, I said it. If you’ve been following along with this blog for long, you know that it started as a way for me to experiment with, and display my photography. Sometimes that experiment goes in some weird directions (like with the Picture Me, Loving You series… which by the way, there is a new story told in a similar fashion in the works), but this creative outlet has been very instrumental in helping me hone and expand my hobby.
The story behind this week’s Picture of the Week is either one of desperation, or one of following the advice of a friend and fellow photographer… or both. My friend Bill Lea always says to forget the preconceived scene ideas you may have, and just go out and find good light, and photograph the scene that unfolds before you. I took that advice and applied it to color, as well as light, and this is what I came up with.
I mentioned a few weeks ago that the colors were slow to change here in East Tennessee this year due to the drought, so everything was still basically green before Holly and I left for Asia. My friend Allen and I went out looking anyway, and while walking up the all-but-dry creek bed, I stumbled on this scene. The creek was so dry a full stream scene just wasn’t working, and the color in the trees was higher up on the hill than would have fit anyway, BUT the reflection was super colorful. I love the colors, and the slow exposure made the water look almost like a painting… but at the end of the day, it’s a photo of rocks. 🙂 And this… is my struggle with the photo.
–Dan Thompson
Tremont Road
Fellow Photographers!
If you’re like me, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been the central focal point, or the backdrop for, some amazing photos and memories over the years. Due to the recent wildfires, lots of people that live in the communities surrounding the park have lost everything. This is OUR opportunity to give back to an area that has blessed us so richly. Steve Zigler, Bill Lea, and I have partnered with The Great Smoky Mountains Association (GSMA) to establish a fund specifically for the photography community to donate to wildfire relief. This money goes directly to the GSMA, which will disperse it to families in need there.