Matt, I'm afraid you are going in the wrong direction if you want to apply the principles of zen aesthetics in your photographs. This latest image is essentially a picture of a staircase leading to a well trodden bit of beach and ultimately to a body of water. The staircase dominates. Perhaps this short article will give you some guidance as to the application of the zen principles.
http://www.designprinciplesftw.com/collections/7-japanese-aesthetic-principles-to-change-your-thinking

Cheers, Don

I can see that you are working very hard to achieve a preconceived effect. I think this is very positive and I applaud your efforts. What I see here is a staircase that leads the viewer into the scene. The water, grass and rock, I feel, are what you want us to concentrate on and that is scene is, as you stated, quite simple. We have water, grass and rock. You also paid lots of attention to the tonality and the textures. I don't know enough about Japanese art to comment on that aspect of the photo. I like what you are doing; and you are going to end up with a lot of very satisfying photos. Bravo.
Erich

FYC is officially 2 years old. I've put in a lot of hours with you all here in our hangout, sharing pictures, ideas, and learning together.

FYC and my other online forum have helped me shape my photographic identity more than any other influence. Where I live we lack the photo clubs and photographic community available in larger cities, so you online colleagues have been my teachers, mentors, and friends. I owe you all a debt of gratitude for helping me take the next step on my journey. Because of your feedback (both positive and negative) I've become more confident, more willing to take risks, and more skilled at what I do. I still have much to learn of course, and like FYC I'm still a virtual toddler in this game, but: I had the courage to pursue an endowment grant, the good fortune to win it, and now have my first gallery show in the planning stages. I do not believe these things would have happened without you.

It seems appropriate to re-post the image that got me started on the dam birds. I posted it here, knowing it had flaws but curious because it was unusual. You encouraged me, taught me, and I listened. The dam birds (and the hundreds of dam bird shots since) now have a much wider audience, which is good for both me and for these birds. Don't ever underestimate the value of peer-to-peer learning. It is powerful stuff. So, Happy Birthday to Us! And thanks!

Here are a few photos from today's visit into the park. Viewing the downloads is recommended.

The Elwha River had a couple of dams along its path. Beginning in 2011 the restoration of this river and removal of the dams began. The dams are now gone and the salmon are free to follow their path from the mountain stream to the ocean and back again. The eco system is still in recovery, but progressing nicely.

Hurricane Ridge is a mountain ridge along the Olympic Mountain chain about 17 miles south of Port Angeles, WA. You can see from the photo that it looks very hazy when looking out over the mountain range from here. This is not the normal look but the effects of all the smoke from the fires in British Columbia. The haze actually diminished somewhat from my first visit here two days ago. Then you could not see the snow capped peaks of Mount Olympus.