Here are some sequences from Piney River in the George Washington Forest, about 30 minutes from VCCA. They stock brook trout in this river. I saw one about 10 inches near here where I was painting. A private fishing lodge is just upstream where two forks come together with a flat stretch that looks pretty sweet for fly fishing... members only. Above the lodge the canyon narrows and river falls as it thins.  Tree canopy covers the river all the way. Cool in the summer. Definitely a destination to consider.

More logs and water. Day and night variable.

I went to Texas Beach on the James yesterday.  It's part of the north bank trail that passes alongside Maymont estate and park. It's one of the few north-shore parks along the James that is public in Richmond. All these years and I never visited until now.  Mike inspired me to get off my duff and see more. I'm attaching a quick tour of images. The trail drops and picks up a bridge to cross the train tracks, then descends through a colorful stairwell that I've attempted to give some shape. The trail picks up and crosses a boggy stretch and arrives at a gravelly shore that looks across to the 42nd St. park. I'll have to go back and explore more.  I don't know if this helps you Mike to get your bearings, but for what it's worth.

Bummerdrag. Too small.  Apologies.  Hope this is better.

Here's a photostack from Kettleman City, CA in the central valley, more truck stop than city. I was headed to King's Canyon in the Sierra's.  The King's River, along with other major Sierra waterways, flows into the valley. Water wars and propaganda. Hope you can read the text.

Trying to sort out seasonal shifts within one composition and while keeping within the rough-and-tumble of the subject. The last frame is of a bunch of flies caught in a spider web silhouetted against the sky.

Dug up some summer imagery of the James at the Pony Pasture. Mostly to show the river's scale and mundane activities of people dotting the rocks.

a few more early ones

Here's a couple of summer images of the James way back when I first got my camera.

So I've played with sequencing paintings and darkroom photos, but just having learned a bit about photoshop composing for blog purposes has felt liberating...even if I did get the memo a decade late. So I'm goofing around and enjoying it. Trying to surprise myself in small ways to trigger painting possibilities, get out of habits.  Some bombast and crude exposures, etc. ..but hey, ..experimenting mostly with all things river. Some the images used are from a couple years back, others as recent as last week.

Here are some photo thoughts to share. Top two are from Brown's Island. Bottom two are "earth-sky" diptychs, reversing orders a bit, and thinking about branding the sky. More on that.

been scanning negs from the james and playing a bit with how they can be combined.

been developing film.  preliminary results after quick scan of negative sheets.  at top shiplock park just below downtown richmond, tree on Belle Isle with downtown Richmond in background, and Reedy Creek, Richmond, 180 degree pano