I Hear the Water Dreaming, a photo from Colorado, West

Photographer's Note

I Hear the Water Dreaming
- Toru Takemitsu

North Fork of the Big Thompson River near Glen Haven, Colorado

After the initial disappointment expressed in my last post (not finding an unobstructed view of a place I had always wanted to photograph) .. I continued down the road (and downstream) and did find a place to capture some images of the river swollen with the beginnings of the Spring snow melt from the mountains above.

The title is from a 1987 concerto for flute and orchestra composed by Toru Takemitsu. Takemitsu and his music have been very influential on my life and I was thinking very much of them as I was hear taking these images in an on and off again Spring rain.

Takemitsu has effected me for a number of reasons .. he has been one of a few composers able to draw on the gestures of Debussy .. (whom I love ) .. most composers I think find Debussy so distinctive that they cannot draw directly on him easily in an individual way .. I am fond of Takemitsu’s range .. he is not an easily pigeonholed figure ... and mostly .. I think .. I find so much in Takemitsu due to his profoundly Japanese expression of nature and balance in his artistic expression. He often spoke of water, wind, and gardens in his music.

'I feel a deep reverence for the precise workings and the great order in nature, and still wish to learn more from nature as I compose music'

“A sound is undoubtedly a living thing. It is like nature that has no individual. As transformations of the wind or water are complicated, a sound becomes rich or even poor. That depends on how deep our sensitivities accept sound."

"I believe the existence of a stream of sounds. Sounds coexist with our life, and we don't usually recognize that. Music is always here and there. Thus, the composers' task is to curve and shape them into the form of what we call music."

"I don't use notes to make a composition, but collaborate with notes."

'I am self taught, but I consider Debussy my teacher ... My teachers are Duke Ellington and nature'

~ Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996)

http://www.soundintermedia.co.uk/treeline-online/biog.html
http://www.soundintermedia.co.uk/treeline-online/grilli.rtf
http://www.stevenestrella.com/composers/index.html?composerfiles/takemitsu1996.html

ribeiroantonio, scobert, JPlumb, keribar, zeca, evanrizo, jonathan_hart, feather, pboehringer, japiey, claire526, danos, gunbud, Didi, NellyD, isabela_sor, plimrn has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2007-05-20 22:46

I like this excellent picture showing the water running fast through those big granite boulders. It must be an impressive place when the river is full of water. Also, I can hear the music! Well done.
Antonio

JPlumb (3159) 2007-05-20 23:31

8 seconds John? Wow, that's a long time for an exposure such as this, but it worked and worked very well. I see you used an ND filter for this. I am going to need to invest in one of these guys and start to play.

I don't know how heavy this flow is but it is looking very full and very silky. Your control of lighting is excellent throughout even with these extremes in aperture and speed. Your title fits very well.

Thanks, John

[2] +

keribar (43841) 2007-05-20 23:49

Hello John,

What I like here, let apart the slow motion due to a long exposure, is the fact the fact the white does not explode and that we can still see some details of the water. I also appreciate your framing as if we show some diamond ring in it's velvet box.
Sorry to hear about your son.
I wish you the best - Izzet

[2] +

zeca (19762) 2007-05-21 0:37

Hello John!
Very nice to see the silk in the place of water, creating a soft sensation on this beautiful picture. I like its contrast to the rocks! Well taken!
Have a nice week!
Zeca

jonathan_hart (21276) 2007-05-21 4:16

hello John
nice like-a-dream effect, good composition ****, good settings, interesting result, well done
regards
jo

danyy (0) 2007-05-21 4:26

Hello John,
trиs jolie cette eau laiteuse, tu as choisi le bon filtre pour obtenir ce rйsultat.
Un temps de pose de secondes assurйment des plus optimaux pour avoir cet effet.

Best regards.
Daniel.

rzesynepkarzarn (0) 2007-05-21 8:55

Hello John,
What an amazing shot it is!!! Like a dream. The things you mentioned about the "sound" are also very affective. Thanks for sharing all.
regards
Zeynep

feather (51130) 2007-05-21 9:43

I love these slow shutter water shots and this is amazing really showing just how fast that water was moving. Perfectly composed with the rocks at the bottom. Well done.
How's the UK holiday planning going?
Kath

stego (24132) 2007-05-21 10:18

Hi John,
I don't know Takemitsu's music, but I really feel like hearing the water dreaming at the sound of Debussy. The series is lovely, but this one is my favourite so far.
Congratulations, is much inspired and inspiring.
TC, Josй.

scobert (5355) 2007-05-21 16:27

Hello John,
I love your composition but the image appears to be a bit soft. Probably the ([email protected]@##!!! process of reducing and "dumbing down" our images for the web. More importantly, I love your notes. My musical tastes are more of the brash and bold variety like Wagner, Bizet, Tchaikovsky, and Sibelius among others. This must account for my bold (oversaturated?) colors. I also like gentler music when the mood suites me and I need to try Takemitsu out. I also like jazz. It seems that photographers are either heavily influenced by music or they are strictly visual. You seem to have the same POV as I do, that the two are inseparatable. Very interesting commentary. ( I meant to give you some points, but there is no indication that I did. Sorry).
Regards,
Stan

[2]

pboehringer (770) 2007-05-21 16:50

Wonderful image and I can share with you the feeling of hearing music in this composition, John. The curves of the water are so well cpatured with the long exposure. I wonder what ISO and filter you used to get this effect with 8s.
Thanks also for your very sensitive note. I never heard about this composer before, but I remember quite well that you mentioned Arvo Paert and not many people know this composer. I wonder if you will present us with a some inpiration from his part too.

[2] +

paura (25802) 2007-05-21 19:59

John,
Amazing compo here. The 8 seconds exposure was great. Very well done.
(To my fovorite pics)

Paulo

japiey (10163) 2007-05-22 5:03

Hi John..

It looks as if the clouds melted and dreamed to flow in your frame..

Fantastic and imaginative..

Congrats.

jean paul

evanrizo (462) 2007-05-22 6:51

Woooh John I like the effective it gives the water in motion.
All your works with the notices are soooo intersting!!!
Thanks for it.
Have a nice time.
Later.
Evan

claire526 (1267) 2007-05-22 7:08

Wow John, this is amazing! the flow of the water looks wonderful. It creates a nice contrast with the rocks. Well done!
Cheers,
Claire

danos (110407) 2007-05-22 7:10

Hello John,
nice your perspective and the POV.This is a fascinating and very peaceful place. I like the impressive composition and the soothing atmosphere. Picturesque colours and cosy details.The freeze of water is exceptional.Splendid shot. Have a nice day.
Regards,Danos

[2]

bruce_wayne (1507) 2007-05-22 7:55

Hello John
I like a lot this effect of water...great! Very good!! You used right time of exposition...

Bruce W.

gunbud (34066) 2007-05-22 22:38

Hi John,
Very strong composition at this difficult exposure wonderful details to the rock and trees surrounding the the silkey waters. I shall check out your favorite composer. Very thoughtful note.
Regards, Tom

markstaples (15670) 2007-05-23 7:02

Hi John
The effect of the water is just magical and the whole image is enhanced further by a superbly found title. Love the way the water curves round almost giving off a mist. Very good work.

jemaflor (147224) 2007-05-23 7:06

Hi John,
Good result with these 8 s, nice soft water and good angle to take this fall, tfs.

Didi (61589) 2007-05-23 20:33

Hi John
Very nice dream and very interesting comment.
The long speed transform waters into mist.
Very well done.
Take care.

NellyD (1874) 2007-05-24 11:53

Hi John,

Great title to fit this wonderful waterfal-image.
I can almost hear the waterfal too :-)
Excellent sharpness, very good natural colours and an interesting note.
Thanks for sharing!

Greetings, Nel

batalay (41261) 2007-05-25 3:26

John,

I love this artistic shot, the well defined rocks, and the amorphous flow of the water. It appears like a very dense gas enveloping the crevices, unable to rise and form a mist. Your metaphors with music are alway a source of satisfaction for me.

As a 10-year old child in Ankara, I sold my soccer ball and bought a mandolin, and practiced with religious fervor. But my gestapo of a music teacher would punish pupils who did not practice, by lifting them from their ears. Terrified, I sold my mandolin, and purchased another soccer ball (and had a distinguished career!). But I have always been a frustratred musician. I told my 8-year old granddaughter, who is taking violin lessons, this story, and claimed, I could play one instrument perfectly. A stereo system, but my repertoire was limited to classical music!
Warm regards,
Bulent

[2]

isabela_sor (47748) 2007-05-26 3:35

Perfect control of exposure and the this is an exceptional shot!!!!Really a dream effect and I can say only ...Congratulations
A nice weekend
Isabela

Hellas (7123) 2007-06-01 3:16

John,
your composition is so impressive! ND filter helped a lot for this magnificent image. 10 sec is a good time, too. Very well done. Thank you very much. My warmest wishes,
Athanasios.

Emiel_Skyfreak (3002) 2007-06-01 6:45

Hi John,

Long time ago, hope you are doing fine..I am atleast! Great photo with a glorious effect on the water, really well done with the long exposure and the ND filter. The rest of the scene is in perfect sharpness. I like the fore- and background details. Also like that you've found the POV so, that the water runs through the whole image. From upper right to upper left, then it comes to the right again and leaves the photo on the left, a nice S-curve. Well seen and taken.
Greetings.

plimrn (21344) 2007-06-12 19:57

Hi John,
I just couldn't resist this whipped cream curve of water. Lovely framing!! HLJ, Pat

rminkow (1556) 2007-10-03 21:34

Hi John..beautiful picture..the composition is really balanced and pleasing...technically excellent.

Roger