Autumn Reflections

December 05, 2011

Fallussmoky1089_20oct11 (2)

Photographer
: Ray Boren
Summary AuthorRay Boren; Jim Foster

The ripples at lower right offer a clue to what we’re seeing in this splendid photograph. They also give texture to the muted fall colors of the oak, hickory and other trees reflected on the still waters of the Oconaluftee River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. How clear an image reflected on the water appears is, of course, directly related to the roughness of the water – the greater the roughness (more surface waves) the less distinct the reflected image. Note that the vertical lines of the reflected tree trunks are for the most part intact, whereas any horizontal features are much more diffuse in the rippled water. If you look closely, you might be able to discern "spectral faces," right side up, and upside down, in the mix of reflected tree trunks and autumn leaves. Photo taken on October 20, 2011.

Photo details: Camera Maker: NIKON CORPORATION; Camera Model: NIKON D60; Focal Length: 55.0mm; Aperture: f/5.6; Exposure Time: 0.0050 s (1/200); ISO equiv: 800; Exposure Bias: none; Metering Mode: Matrix; Flash Fired: No (enforced); Orientation: Normal; Color Space: sRGB; Software: QuickTime 7.6.4.