Sunken rock at Pedernales Falls

Pedernales Falls State Park lies about 30 minutes west of Austin, and I was happy to spend a while there recently with a good friend, hiking and taking pictures.  The water around here has been flowing nicely in all the rivers and streams, since we have had some rain and a little snow to boot.  I liked the look of that large boulder that was sunk in the lagoon, and used it as a foreground element.  I am working hard on my landscapes, trying to take my time and think about my composition, framing, and foreground elements, etc.  It is fun to practice at this stuff!

This is a 7 exposure HDR taken at f/22, with exposures ranging from +2 to -4.  It was mid-day, which frequently isn't ideal shooting conditions due to the harsh sunlight (especially here in Texas!), but nonetheless you shoot when you can shoot.  You can't get a sunset in every shot, though it would be nice!  I merged the files into an HDR in Photomatix, then made some adjustments in PSE around Contrast and Hue/Saturation, and finally Unsharp Mask.  Then I added a finishing touch in Topaz Adjust.  If you are near Austin, I definitely recommend a visit to Pedernales Falls State Park - a great place for a picnic!  Oh - and don't forget the camera!