A Fine and Private Place, a photo from Louisiana, South

Photographer's Note

alone and yet not
surrounded in quiet joy
bursting with sheer peace

Taken at Hodges Gardens, in the less formal gardens area. The rustic bench and colorful lazy tulips wait in the dappled sunlight beneath overhanging oaks and pines with their new growth, providing a place to watch the Spring grow almost naturally.

Hodges Gardens was started by a Mr. Hodges many years ago to preserve and save the land that he felt would be lost to development. Hiking and riding trails have been made, camping areas set up, roads and buildings built, and a formal garden with a tower and a more natural garden with walking paths was created on the side of a small lake.

I clarified, saturated and sharpened this; though I could have done more to it, I was trying to capture in PP what I'd tried to capture on camera - natural and simple beauty.

maphoto, pamastro, CVTJan, bertolucci, robertspotswood, JudyH, ninfa_urania, pierrefonds ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

maphoto (8082) 2004-04-10 11:23

Very lovely scene Michelle, I agree with you naturel and simple beauty, beautiful frame and well composed, you did a great work.

jhm (211736) 2004-04-10 12:02

This is wondeful, a very nice place to pause, placid too. The colours are great and soft, your composition is beautiful. Thanks.

pamastro (7296) 2004-04-11 0:54

It is a very nice scene. Simple and beautiful as you say. And a very pleasant area to sit. The flowers make a nice path, almost like a triumphal path, to the bench. It's like a throne in the middle of the woods. That background of the woods is very nice. There's a nice atmosphere to it. Very nicely composed. Great job.

CVTJan (1244) 2004-04-11 3:09

Dear Michelle, this is a special photo for me, it seems to be such a special place, the forest in the background (which is well exposed, difficult with the shine through background) and the garden in front. I should rearrange our little garden... :) Thanks for sharing, very well done ! Yours, Jan

bertolucci (14052) 2004-04-11 10:01

Hi ma ;-). This is very well done Michelle. You indeed captured what you set out to do. I like the composition, the frame which echoes the colour of the tulips and the sharpness & saturation.
Beautiful job, Michelle keep it up!

swallace (980) 2004-04-14 11:59

Very nice capture Michelle. Looks like a beautiful, special place to sit. Nicely composed, nicely captured. Great note.

cloverstar (0) 2004-04-15 21:21

Wonderful capture of this beautiful place. The colours are terrific. I like the dappled light on the paving stones. Well done.

JudyH (700) 2004-04-18 11:28

This is truly a beautiful and peaceful place - very "old world charm". I can imagine a woman sitting there with a book on poems, her parasol neatly tucked next to her... Really beautiful capture Michelle - very well seen and thanks to Mr Hodges!

gardenwife (103) 2004-06-16 15:21

Life's been stressful lately, and I would dearly love to be sitting there. That's beautiful, and a good shot.

ninfa_urania (803) 2004-06-19 20:34

Wow, dear Michelle, this a pre-cio-so is (beautiful) place, am I imagining that it is located in a high place, perhaps in a hill?, do I observe a color blue filtrate to the bottom of the tree, is the sky that is observed?
The mark that your you added it contributes excellently to the romantic feeling of the landscape, I can imagine the aroma of the pines and oaks mmmm. I like illumination it seems to indicate the road that takes the banking and to the tranquility. Thank you to show us and to share this beautiful place. Greetings Cordial, happy weekend. *Ninfa Urania*

cooper (264) 2006-03-15 19:56

Hi Michelle,
I love all your photos but this one is my favorite.

Bruno ( cooper )

pierrefonds (114371) 2006-05-06 15:16

Hi Michelle,

A good POV of the Hodges Gardens, the bench creates a quiet and relaxing area. The photo has nice colors and a good composition.

Pierre