Farid,
I have uploaded a few photos here. My photos are not spectacular like many photographers nowadays. But my purpose as you all know is to find something that evoke a haiku feeling in me and I make a haiku from that. They tends to be very near and small and transient in their beauty. As we were taught by Barbara to slow down, look around, look down, look up and look beyond, I am trying to do that excersise during each excursion. If I can get 3 favorites out of 150 photos I take during one session, I would be very lucky and happy. I am planning to take this class as long as I can walk and as long as Barbara is offering. Hope to see you all soon and time to time.
By the way, two days ago, we had a haiku meeting, and there were so many haikus from my photos:I have been sending my haiku mates my photos from the class and they got inspired.
They rely on me to provide haiku moments photos for their einspiration and I feel responsible to find good ones. see you soon. Aiko
P.S. You have missed a great opportuity to see the most beautiful set of portofolio by Barbara. Her photos were astoundingly awesome: I was blown away and and speechless because of the sereneness and calm beauty of the nature. Seeing them made me feeling desparately to continue my quest. Thank you Barabara for showing us such great works of yours.

Angler's May 4th Early Morning

Angler's May 4th

It seems to be becoming a habit of mine to return to the scene and I am always glad that I do. This time I returned to the Angler's site much earlier in the morning, thinking that the earlier light would be a lot more interesting. The first picture I shot on our joint excursion was at near 7.00 a.m, when sunrise was slated for about 6.15. This time, the first picture I shot was at 6.05 a.m. with sunrise calculated for about 6.10. I think it makes all the difference - although eerie and creepy walking through the woods in the near dark.

The pictures were mostly shot from a rocky ledge that Lynn and I had earlier squatted on and where Barbara had later dropped by and pointed out some of the great potential of this perch - angles, views, subjects - that I simply had not noticed. A fine lesson in "looking". Some of the later pictures were shot down river. I was done by 7.30. Anyway, this time around, the sunrise did not disappoint and actually reflected off some wonderful pillow clouds and then whispered as subtle dancing colours on the river itself. I knew then, as I can confirm now, that I couldn't do justice to this gift - but here anyway are some of those results. All the pictures were taken with a 24-105 lens. Some of the pictures required a bit of a clean up as water drops had fallen on the lens which - of course - I did not notice at the time. The only other mishap was my shutter release falling into a pool of water; fortunately it wasn't damaged, otherwise it would be the third release I've gone through in six months.

Angler's May 4th

Angler's May 4th

This is my first attempt at making a HDR image.
The first one is non-HDR and the second one I used 3 files to make this. I did not shoot for a HDR but I customarily shoot 3 images using exposure compensation feature of my camera. So I just used those 3 images into one. I am not so used to seeing a HDR and took a little to get used to this details and I am not so sure if I like the HDR version yet.
Aiko

Jay:

As Aiko noted there seems to be a smear or smudge on your lens - which is a pity, as the pictures are definitely of interest. I trust you won't mind, but I wondered what a five minute clean-up job in Photoshop might look like, of your picture of the dead whatever-it-is. Attached.

By the time I got down to where everyone was last Friday, the Sun was so strong and I could not find good scene to take photos. So i got down to the ground and took small subjects like dews on the leaves or insects. But this guy was so small i could not focus well. Aiko