For some reason it scares me.

More like wastewater behind the Garden of Eatin'.

(Kidding!)

I have to say, the absence of any actual GREEN tones makes me wanna wish that Eden looks a lot different.

are those frog carcasses?

I was gonna say I've seen that before on IFL. Then I realized it's another photo of *yours* that looks almost the same :)

It looks like a waste management area. Pretty gross.

It makes me speechless that an untouched, natural place looks like a waste management area to anybody of you. During Autumn the leaves turn to yellow. And yes, the stones are actually yellow, too.
Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Keman - I find the negative comments rather strange also. I suspect these folks have never got off their butts and hiked to a place as beautiful as this. I like it - thanks for taking me there.

For the 2 lads that are apparently confused by the "negative" comments:

They aren't criticizing the photo. They are criticizing the title.

Garden: Typically known for it's plant life. Is this a rock garden?

Eden: An epic place of amazing, unmatched beauty. Rocks and mud, huh?

The photo is VERY nice... but perhaps call it something like, "Autumn Trickle" or something else of the like. This is about as "Garden of Eden" as the McDonald's up the road here.

Imagine this, if you will -- you're an explorer that's just found the ONLY map to Eden. You arrive at THIS place. Are you thinking "My God, it's just like Heaven!" or ... are you thinking, "Holy crap, what the heck?? Dude, check the map!"

@neploleppard

I wasn't gonna jump in again and now I don't even have to.

You nailed it! Nothing to add...

Thanks ;-)

@neploleppard - I certainly accept your view that "Garden of Eden" may not be the best title for this photo, but I think you misinterpreted some of the comments as meaning the same thing. "are those frog carcasses?" and "It looks like a waste management area. Pretty gross." are simply tacky, non-constructive comments from people who don't like the photo. As far as one's conception of the "Garden of Eden" goes, I'll take rocks and mud over bugs and snakes any day.

I have to agree with the criticism about the title. Title is something that is commonly overlooked by the general public in museums, but for professionals in the field, it does make a difference. Sometimes a title choice is intentionally challenging to the viewer, sometimes title adds a twisting complement to the piece, and sometimes title stands in the way.

In this case, I think that the title gets in the way of the piece. It doesn't have to be literal (such as "Waterfall Set In Yellow Rocks") or absolutely descriptive, but it does have an impact on the piece. It shouldn't be taken lightly. There are some pieces that the artist created a title that is absurd simply to be absurd, and this comes off as uncaring or detached from the viewer.

In this case, "Garden of Eden" lets us think a bit about the comparisons of the "traditional" lush Garden of Eden from the Bible and what may actually exist (sure, there is a healthy dose of beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder here) but I'm not sure if it works for this particular piece. Perhaps a sense of timing is what is needed here - is it a, for example, post-apocalyptic view of the Garden of Eden? The water is almost "out" so it appears that this Garden has almost run its course...

Great photo, but the title is too complex and it doesn't fit as well as it should.

But hey, it's on my desktop anyway.

@neploleppard:
"are those frog carcasses?", "It looks like a waste management area. Pretty gross.", "Not all natural things are beautiful. It reminds me of a giant weeping anus."
These are just unsubstantial, dumb comments. I cannot see any criticism concerning the title of the photograph; these are rather insults.

@firefly.serenity:
I agree - "The Garden of Eden" is probably not be the best title for this photograph and I should have come up with something better. I need to say, however, that being there felt like being in a "Garden of Eden". Unfortunately, this picture does not depict everything that was there (smells, noises and the whole ambiance) and thus obviously looks different to anybody who has never visited this place. Anyway, I appreciate your critique and I will consider it in future works.

@paulevermore:
Please refrain from making such immature comments.

You all look too much at the text on this page, and not enough at the beauty of the picture. Meditate on beauty not words.

Immature? I give my honest opinion and you objected to a word that is in every day use. Not my problem really.

Hey at least it wasn't named "The Golden Shower"
I like it.

In my eyes, the autumn leaves are working good and the long exposure time is doing well. But the left and the right side is too dark. The picture doesn´t transport the feeling of an untouched "Garden of Eden" because there is too much unpretty ground to see. Beside that, i wish i have a place like that nearby for relaxing and listening to nature.

The title is the last thing I look at, I saw this picture and set it as my wallpaper immediately. Great shot, love the yellow glow. It really calms the mind.

I think this is one of the most beautiful photos I have seen in a long time, I do not care about the title, but rather, the quality of the work. And in this work, everything looks absolutely amazing, it really calms the mind.

Thanks, Keman, for your response.

If the purpose of art is to spark conversation, then this piece is a great success.

And, if you had called it something like "Solitary Man In A Field" it would have come across as absurd, but to call this the "Garden of Eden," well, it actually makes some ironic sense. It definitely adds a new dimension to your piece, having been intentional or otherwise.

An amazing picture of nature, Hopefully We'll see more out of you.

Nicely done!

Great Picture, I love it. When taking waterfall pictures I usually like a touch faster shutter speed. Beautiful regardless.

Sorry Kenman for being so immature for you, but I just gave my opinion. The bootom half of the picture does look like the landfill area about 5 miles from my home. It's what immediately came to mind when I saw the picture. At least your photo doesn't smell :)

I am not sure I like the picture very much (see below), but it can work as a backdrop for my desktop.

Honestly, I have seen a lot of inappropriate comments to this picture, and I don't share the same view. However, I am puzzled by your reply that unfortunately the picture does not convey smells and other parts of the atmosphere of the place. A picture is a still visual artifact, that is not a downside, it's a characteristic, and you must play with it and judge the picture by how it appears to those who have no the same memory of that place.

To me it's visually pleasing, although there are a couple of disturbing elements, such as some pieces of wood and a man-made line of rocks that make the picture slightly uneven. Additionally, it does not seem as crisp as it should be, there is some blur that seems increased by some sharpening in post-production.

K, it was a joke. I guess you took it out of context. Lighten up, Bro.

Well, comments that are more immature don't even count. Taking those seriously is almost ironic. I mean, seriously... an artist without a sense of humor? That's an oxymoron in reality. ;-)

Ignore those if they bother you, they shouldn't bother you. Try a better title, that's all. Nice photo.

Nice one, interesting tone, well shuttered ;) . I like it.
Up near Wattwil/SG, theres another waterfall waiting for you ;)

Wow... Nice and clear. I love it. To bad it cant have sound lol.

BTW... Nice camera.