Elakala Swirls

Elakala Swirls
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Here is another shot from my recent trip to Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia.  I have to admit, of all the waterfalls I have seen, Elakala Falls is by far my favorite.  And this recent adventure reminded me why.  After sliding down the muddy gorge and cutting my arm on a rock I reached the bottom of the falls.  When I got my camera out and identified the feature I wanted in the foreground suddenly the clouds broke and sun filled the gorge.  As you probably know, sun, waterfalls, and photography are a bad mix.

However, when the sun shown down into the gorge it lit up the falls and surrounding moss.  Elakala Falls took on a look that I had never seen before.  All the moss shown bright green like light through an emerald and the falls themselves started to shine and sparkle.  It was a sight that will stay with me for quite some time.  Luckily for the me the sun was coming and going so I had time to shoot a few exposures and was able to capture the swirls as well as the falls.  Sometimes while shooting, I overlook the beauty of what I am shooting while looking for leading lines and power shapes.  I need to slow down and take in the nature of the subject I am looking at and enjoy it for what it is.  I think this shot is great, but the memories of the sunlit Elakala is with me even when my computer is off.  Or I'm not looking at my living room wall... :)

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