This impressionistic blur was created through the execution of one simple idea: isolate the reflection of sunlit cliffs in the creek; eliminate all extraneous elements from the frame. I can’t help but love the way this straight photograph shows a little piece of the world in a way that just cannot be seen by the eye-unless you squint really, really hard.

This frame shows big cottonwood creek pared down to the simplest of compositions. By including only the water’s surface, I let the interplay between highlight and shadow, guide my composition. I use my telephoto zoom to narrow my angle of view, and in effect dissect the scene. I find a nice diagonal, and zoom out as wide as I can go without including any rocks in the frame. With the camera securely mounted on a tripod, I allow the water’s motion to paint pastel strokes on the sensor during this second and a half long exposure.