Stopped by Jones Lake State Park on my trip home today. Hoping to return some time and look for better light, but here are a couple of shots for now. (The trees are either Pond Cypress or Bald Cypress; I didn't check which.) The lake is one of the Carolina Bays, a series of round-ish depressions that all began as lakes but that are gradually filling in with vegetation. They are very shallow, even the lakes that are several miles in diameter.

[jnguyen]

I like the first shot. What you think about opening the aperture to blur the background? It would isolate those beautiful cypress even more. I look forward to seeing more of your photos.

[daacon]

Very different landscape from what I see - the roots almost look like feet.

[Bob Harris]

I like that first shot Jeff, the Spanish moss really adds to the photo, almost looks like a silhouette

[slowpez]

Looks like your weather is the same as ours. Love the first shot especially. I find those areas so hard to photograph but you did a great job.

[baro-nite]

I like the first shot. What you think about opening the aperture to blur the background? It would isolate those beautiful cypress even more. I look forward to seeing more of your photos.

Thanks for the kind words! I plan to return with a range of lenses (only had the K35/3.5 and DA*200 with me this time) to try out different perspectives and apertures.

Very different landscape from what I see - the roots almost look like feet.

Yes, the cypress trees have a lot of personality. The ones out in the lake all have these aerial roots. The ones at the shoreline have "knees", knobs sticking up that look sort of like old stumps, but are actually roots and used for respiration.

I like that first shot Jeff, the Spanish moss really adds to the photo, almost looks like a silhouette

I will definitely be trying for some silhouettes if I can get back there when the sky is more interesting. As Susan says we've been having dreary weather in this part of the country lately and the skies are flat -- this was a pretty extreme contrast adjustment to get any cloud detail at all. I do love the Spanish Moss (which, despite its name, is actually a bromeliad).

Looks like your weather is the same as ours. Love the first shot especially. I find those areas so hard to photograph but you did a great job.

Thanks Susan -- next time I will bring wellington boots for more options.

[charliezap]

They have a touch of a primal look to them Jeff. Nice.-charliezap

[tessfully]

That first shot is just awesome! That is a very very cool looking tree. I wonder what a blue sky would do to the mood of the shot... It kind of suits the overcast day. Thank you for sharing