This was shot in late November 2008 from a boat in the Okefenokee NWR, which is the headwaters of the Suwannee. Below the Okefenokee the river quickly gets much smaller, but at its source one can leisurely drift along the wide expanses of “lakes” within the refuge. This is on Billy’s Lake, the main course of the river, whose sources are from the north and east sides within the depths of the swamp.
Oftentimes shooting closed in swamp scenes from a boat in awkward lighting can be a challenge, but fortunately the calm, open waters and the light cooperated for this, also lucky to have gotten a straight horizon. In post I did a little tweak to shadow/highlight and some sharpening, otherwise as shot.
Shot full frame in mid-afternoon Olympus E-3, Zuiko 14-54 @54, ISO 100 1/400 f6.3, 0.0EV
You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
Real nice, Bill. Not the sort of landscape we see a lot of images from but has its own unique, subtle beauty. I like the way you composed and processing looks excellent. Maybe try to bring a bit more texture out in the clouds.
I love this image Bill. Especially, the quiet beauty that is showcased here. These silent images have more lasting value in my mind. The soft colors and tones nicely complement the composition. I am also intrigued by the fact that the main subject is set in the distance. Very unique.
I’m often torn between whether or not a scene is best captured horizontal or vertical. Most often a pastoral, quiet scene like this might be best in horizontal; however, the taller trees and the lovely reflection at the bottom make the vertical option a great choice.
Given the light and conditions, your minimal processing works beautifully. A very nice landscape image from the swamp.
@Dave_Dillemuth, @Anil_Rao, @Stephen_Stanton & @Lon_Overacker, Thanks much for the comments. The Okefenokee is a wonderful, quiet place to sneak around exploring by small boat. I used to go in my canoe, but in the economy of time, more recently I’ve rented a small outboard flatboat at the state park. I had a productive trip there in 2008, so I will be posting a few more soon. Thanks again and happy holidays!
As a matter of fact, a horizontal is planned to be my next post, but in a slightly different spot on the river. I’ll be posting additional comps also. This part of the Suwannee and the Okefenokee are nice locations that have attracted me since 1992.
