#azimuth 107

Discovering the Benefits of Being Outdoors in the Mountains and Amongst the Forest (Blue Ridge Parkway) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the ease-southeast while taking in views from a bridge watching the waters of the Roanoke River flow downstream. This is along the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside of Roanoke, Virginia. My thought in composing this image was to align myself and center the river with the image as a leading line and keeping both hillsides of trees on either side. The blue skies would then be that color contrast to complement the image with earth-tones present in the lower portion.

Rock Formation with a Variety of Shapes for the Mind to Imagine (Joshua Tree National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While walking the Arch Rock Nature Trail with a view looking to the southeast to a varied collections of rock formations. This is in Joshua Tree National Park. As with clouds, the mind can imagine many different ideas on what is perceived. Here was a collection with the one in the center almost looking like a whale coming up out of the ocean waters. I kept that in the image center and pulled back on the focal length to include some others to add variety and imagination.

Morning Sunlight Casting Shadows Across the Badlands at Panorama Point (Badlands National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: An idea I got from another photographer while planing a trip to Badlands National Park and the nearby Dakotas area. For this image, I used a tripod to mount my Nikon SLR camera and then used a CamRanger so that I could meter and compose the image captured. I found that and then making manual adjustments to the shutter speed gave me better feedback for an image captured. I later used some CEP filters in Capture NX2 (Low Key, Polarization and Graduated Neutral Density) which seemed to best bring colors. shadows and tones even with the bright sunlight as I faced that morning at this overlook point.

A Portrait Orientation to a View with the Roanoke River Flowing Downstream Along the Blue Ridge Parkway by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While walking on a bridge over the Roanoke River along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The view is looking downstream and to the east-southeast. In composing this image, I chose to use a portrait orientation so that I could capture the full view and aspect, from near to far. I felt that centering the river in the image with the hillside of trees on each side would create more of a leading line to draw the viewer into the image.

ee by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While walking on a bridge over the Roanoke River along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The view is looking downstream and to the east-southeast. In composing this image, I chose to use a portrait orientation so that I could capture the full view and aspect, from near to far. I felt that centering the river in the image with the hillside of trees on each side would create more of a leading line to draw the viewer into the image.

My Refuge Amongst the Forest Along the Blue Ridge Parkway by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A setting looking to the southeast while taking in views through a forested landscape. This is at a roadside pullout along the Blue Ridge Parkway at the PunchBowl Mountain Overlook.

Rock Formation with a Variety of Shapes for the Mind to Imagine (Joshua Tree National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While walking the Arch Rock Nature Trail with a view looking to the southeast to a varied collections of rock formations. This is in Joshua Tree National Park. As with clouds, the mind can imagine many different ideas on what is perceived. Here was a collection with the one in the center almost looking like a whale coming up out of the ocean waters. I kept that in the image center and pulled back on the focal length to include some others to add variety and imagination.