Morning Calm, a photo from South Dakota, Midwest

Photographer's Note

Sylvan Lake in South Dakota has to be one of the finest I have seen for reflections. The rock formations are quite unique and stunningly clear reflections like this are a bonus. This shot is precisely as my D80 recorded the moment - light was perfect and the skies clear as a bell - a rare yet cherished moment for me. For more pictures, click HERE Enjoy.

ymrk, dip, avene, dta, feather, zmey, angela926, dareco, papagolf21, Photo65Net, fulvio52, jafadabret, Cricri, gunbud, ChrisJ, npecanhuk, josepmarin, plimrn, kiks, IgorDeleze has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dip (21408) 2008-12-14 13:18

Hello Gerald,
wonderful image,the reflections and the symmetry are really superb!
good point of view and amazing colors too,
very well done,
Dimitris.

mesutilgim (0) 2008-12-14 13:18

Hi Gerald
Wonderfull capture with very nice warm colors and great calmness. Good pov and nice graphism with perfecty light management and very good usefull notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

delic (6735) 2008-12-14 13:20

Thought it was Joshua Tree from the thumbnail, but it's SD. What a surprise! Fantastic reflection with a nice triangular foreground. Regards,
Hakan

avene (12675) 2008-12-14 13:29

hi Gerald,
first of all - congratulations on the webpage, beautifully designed and elegant, I like it a lot.
second - about the photo. I'm tempted to say I just cannot believe anything can be THIS calm. you sure you did not have a gigantic mirror there? :) jokes aside, fantastic photo, I like a lot the almost overwhelming feeling of calm and silence the perfect symmety creates. I think I would leave the grass on the left out of the frame to focus on the symmetry, but then again, it does add sense of depth to the scene. in any case - superb work, my compliments.

regards,
Kristine

dta (98848) 2008-12-14 13:33

Hello Gerald ,
Perfect mirror , amazing rocks , great clarity !
A very good capture .
Thanks for the share
Regards
Denis

gilou530 (34) 2008-12-14 13:39

salut gerald
une lumi閞e et un miroir form� par l'eau du plus bel effet d'une paysage grandiose comme tu as l'habitude de nous les pr閟enter, excellent travail
amiti閟
gilbert

delkoo (68) 2008-12-14 13:44

hi gerald
Simple shot, but very well done! The colour and clarity is very good, allowing us to see everything so clearly that it's almost like being there.

great one
didier

feather (51130) 2008-12-14 14:17

The reflections really are stunning. If the grass wasn't there we would not be able to tell if you rotated the image 180�. Excellent detail and sharpness.
Kath

jurek1951 (42198) 2008-12-14 15:15

Hi Gerald,
Excellent contrast and presentation,good colors and sharpness.
Marvellous lighting and reflex on water.
Excellent point of view,
Georg

zmey (7335) 2008-12-14 15:55

hello gerald
beautiful blue calm in this shot. but the stone structures are amazing too. they almost look like natural stonehenge squeezed in at the lake edge. seems like a very special place.

regards,
kristaps

angela926 (1884) 2008-12-14 16:46

Hello Gerald,
WOW! that's wonderful, absolutely amazing vivid colors,
superb sharpness, perfect depth of field, spectacular reflections, nice composition and good pov, outstanding clarity.
TFS
Angela

Nelu_Goia (3116) 2008-12-14 18:39

Good one Gerald,very good...
Neat,well seen and described,technically very good.
Maybe one of your best photos,I think.
Thanks,
Nelu

dareco (17136) 2008-12-14 19:24

Another gorgeous picture! The colors are stunning, as are the reflections. Very pretty and excellent detail. TFS

papon (1487) 2008-12-14 19:31

Hi Gerald!!
Great color and sharpness...
The sun rays and the POV are beautiful...
Well captured the reflection.

Regards,
SUnandan.

papagolf21 (152607) 2008-12-15 1:04

Cher ami Gerald,
J'ai regard� avec beaucoup d'int閞阾 votre album sur le lien (c'est un v閞itable tr閟or de beaut�).
Ici, encore, vous nous faites profiter de lieux o� la nature a le don de nous 閙erveiller.
F閘icitations pour cette superbe r閍lisation.
Amiti閟.
Philippe

Nicou (193814) 2008-12-15 1:16

Hello,

Quel reflet, quel miroir, un meveille, un cale sur l'eau fantastique pas une mouvement et ce rocher, granidose.

bravo et belle journ閑

Nicou

carper (96) 2008-12-15 1:29

it's a beauty Gerald,
marvelous contrast good light and a good composition, a pleasure, good photojob here, have a nice day.
regard jaap

dkeus31 (27739) 2008-12-15 3:10

Hi Gerald
nice colored view, the reflexion is good, also the inclusion of the foreground grass
didier

Photo65Net (43144) 2008-12-15 3:50

Hello Gerald,
Wonderful reflections here !
Sunny colors are very pleasant too.
Beautiful job,
Have a nice day,
JB.

fulvio52 (8314) 2008-12-15 4:52

Hi, Gerald.
Once again, I knew it was Sylvan Lake by looking at the thumbnail... Wonderful colors, gorgeous mirror-like reflections, and the location's beauty and mystic feel definitely speak for themselves, TFS! I've been missing the Black Hills, maybe it's time to go back... Have a great day, see ya soon.
Fulvio.

Cretense (68709) 2008-12-15 6:07

Hi Gerald!

I think I remember one more photo from the same place with a "tighter" framing, this one is also excellent, very spectacular landscape photography, amazing reflections, fantastic colours and impressive overall definition! Congratulations!

Hercules

Cormac (26565) 2008-12-15 7:56

Perfect mirror like reflection! This is a beautiful shot, because of the pure, clean colours and the symmetry of the reflection. Excellent work!

jafadabret (56501) 2008-12-15 8:45

Bonjour Gerald.
C'est un plaisir de tomber sur une aussi belle photo. Le miroir est parfait et les roches d'une tr鑣 grande beaut�.
Excellent !
Jacques

Dyerco (10185) 2008-12-15 8:59

Hi Gerald
Well done. The horizon in the middle works well here as the reflections are perfect.
Phil

zanzi (13690) 2008-12-15 11:40

Hi Gerald
What a clear symetry perfectly broken by this corner of grass.
Bravo
Chris

Cricri (176) 2008-12-15 12:55

Hi G閞ald
Sublime couleurs et un tr閟 bel effet de miroir dans cette eau calme, une vraie beaut� cette image
Friendship
cricri

gunbud (34066) 2008-12-15 16:43

Hi Gerald,
Wonderful shot with absolute clarity and perfect sharpness.
The reflection is superb with brilliantly contrast colors and textures.
Regards, Tom

ChrisJ (172372) 2008-12-16 1:13

Hi Gerald

Wonderful reflections with a striking warm cold color opposition between the red rock & blue sky. Excellent sharpness & symmetry. Tfs!

npecanhuk (79329) 2008-12-16 5:59

Hello Gerald!
The whole picture really pleases with excellent luminosity, natural beautiful colors, very good sharpness!
However, what mostly impresses me in it is the perfect symmetrical reflection! I'm really fond of them!
TFS - Congratulations!
Warmest regards,
Neyvan

claudeD (47754) 2008-12-16 10:26

Hello Gerald,

really an amazing picture with perfect composition and very good reflections in the water.I like this shot very much and I have added it to my favorites.

With regards from Luzxembourg

Jean-Claude

jemaflor (148094) 2008-12-16 10:29

Hi Gerald,
Wonderful landscape with a so lovely light, this water mirror is very captured, excellent sharpness, congratulation.

fserajian (2299) 2008-12-16 13:30 [Comment]

Show Comment

stevesaba (8167) 2008-12-16 22:53

Hi Gerald!
Just noticed this one this evening. I don't think reflections get any better then that! Really nice composition, with a lovely feeling. Nice work, cheers,
Steve

emka (158672) 2008-12-16 23:56

Hi Gerry,

Indeed, he reflections here are ideal. And the colour on both sides isalmost the same. Nice view of rocks.

Regards

Malgorzata

jrj (34843) 2008-12-17 3:51

A perfect day for such a photo with the tremendous reflection Gerald. Well disposed and what a place presented as here.

Waylim (25436) 2008-12-17 23:41

Gerald,
Wow, how calm can it be. It perfectly still and perfect reflection. Excellent composition and beautiful light and warm colors. Good clarity and sharpness. I don't know much about S Dakota, but this is absolutely beautiful.
Thanks
Way

josepmarin (59385) 2008-12-18 11:44

Hi Gerald,
well seen this setting in which you have used the reflections of these amazing rocks to obtain an image with a perfect horizontal symmetry, as in a mirror.
The light and the colors are magnificent.
Excellent photo, my friend.
Best regards,
Josep

plimrn (21344) 2008-12-19 20:20

Hi Gerald,
You're right. Everything is perfect here!! The light, the reflection, the interesting detail in the rocks and the woderful deep colors.
HLJ, pat

danyy (0) 2008-12-19 23:51

Bonjour Gerald,
rien � dire sur la puret� des lumi鑢es, aussi forte et nette que celle des reflets.
J'ai rarment vu une surface aussi calme et r閒l閠ante.
Une composition vraiment 'top' sur tous les plans et d'une incroyable esth閠ique.
Regards.
Daniel.

aadilj (18102) 2008-12-20 1:27

Hey Gerald, your work doesnt seem to be from this planet!! I love the way you have captured the natural richness of the hues and caompsoed this absolutely wonderful image. I am glad I stumbled upon your gallery by chance.

COSTANTINO (117652) 2008-12-20 14:30

Hello GERALD
This photo must be one of the best I have ever seen..
The lightness is dreamy,the reflections are clear like a mirror..The shot is unique
thanks for your effort
regards and greetings
Costantino

clio (27961) 2009-01-04 6:43

Bonjour Gerald,
Beautiful perfectly symmetric reflection.
Colors are fantastic, I like particularly these extraordinary gradations of blue.
Thank you for the link on your website which I am going to go to visit when I shall have some time.
Best regards and happy new year!
Diane

kiks (12805) 2009-01-09 8:56

Mother Nature is the best architect!! What a beautiful place and very well composed shot with the inclusion of the grass at the right to give more depth. The colors are awsome . good work.
Best regards
KIKs

IgorDeleze (585) 2009-03-24 6:28

Hello Gerald,
The reflexion on this one is jeust incredible !
A perfecet mirror.
Greetings.
Igor

guitianmiranda (22) 2009-07-02 23:32

You are right about Nikon colors, as me, I can see you love to shot landscapes... well, your gallery is real rich, but this picture is special, first for its perfect reflection, second, because I will cross all over south Dakota next august, so I hope I can post my own POV of this lake at Custer State Park, if I am no wrong.

Best regards.

sacavem (18620) 2009-09-14 4:00

Ol� Gerald,

What a wonderful composition.The reflections on the water are great.
Regards,
Filipe

sam-sby (439) 2010-11-23 16:27