The headwaters of Boone Fork have been special to me since my early teens. Back then, I was much more interested in fly fishing for the small, native brook trout that inhabit the stream's cold waters than I was in photographing the picturesque creek itself. The narrowness of the flow and the overhanging brush are not very conducive to classic fly casting technique. Nevertheless, I managed to fool my share of the colorful little fish into thinking a good meal could be made of my tiny nymphs and wet fly attractor patterns. Virtually every specimen I caught was returned to its watery home to grow and, perhaps, to be caught again another day.

Now, I am much more interested in capturing images of the stream itself than in trying to fool the trout population it harbors. I have always thought the footbridge (part of the Tanawha Trail) and the deep pool just downstream create a particularly pleasing scene, regardless of the season. On this particular early autumn morning, I waited until the sun had risen high enough to penetrate the still thick forest canopy, thereby better illuminating the overall scene and highlighting the sparse fall foliage overhanging the stream. Even so, very long exposures were necessary, indicating that the little creek may be just as jealously protective of its own portrait as it is of its small, wary inhabitants.