Picture of the Day - June 28, 2009

"Natural Tunnel"

Photo courtesy of Gordon Brugman. Today's picture showcases one of southwestern Virginia's most famous and intriguing geologic features, and here is photographer Gordon Brugman to tell us about it: "Sometimes you come across a strange juxtaposition of the natural and the technological. Such was the case on a recent road trip when I came across Natural Tunnel State Park in TodaysPhoto.org's own Rick Rouse's lovely state of Virginia. The centerpiece of the park is a tunnel, formed over eons in the solid rock of a mountain by the relentless forces of nature. It has been utilized as a passageway for trains. A walk down a trail of many switchbacks takes you to the base of a very tall cliff. Here, if you time it right, you can feel the rumble of an approaching train and then watch as it travels through the mountain. An unusual blending of the natural and man-made, the scene is intriguing and scenically impressive at the same time. This image was shot with a Nikon D40, blending several exposures as a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image. Five exposures, all shot at f/18 with shutter speeds ranging from 3.6 sec. to 1/25 sec., were shot at ASA 400. The lens was set at 18mm to capture the wide- angle view."   --Gordon Brugman Click here to see more of Mr. Brugman's wonderful images.     Visitor Comments... Name: Ed Morrison Town: Dunwoody, GA I would love to see this place in person. Awesome image Mr. Brugman!     Name: Phyllis Helton Town: Bristol, VA Great shot. I have enjoyed every visit made to Natural Tunnel.     Name: Gordon Brugman Town: Gatlinburg, TN It may be a bit strange to submit a comment on one of my own images, but I wanted to take the opportunity to recognize a very important member of our Today’s Photo community. Phyllis Helton, of Bristol, VA, is an unswerving source of support and encouragement for all of us who share our images on the site. Her dedication to visiting the site and commenting on the images is deeply appreciated, not just by me, but I’m sure by all of my fellow photographers. Thanks, Phyllis, and thanks to all of the other photo enthusiasts that visit the site and offer their encouragement and support!     Name: Ron Trees Town: Spokane, WA Gordon, I like your image today A LOT. I am enjoying HDR more all of the time and your use of it here is outstanding!! The detail is excellent as well as the exposure. Thanks for sharing this with us!! I would also really enjoy visiting this location. On a side note, I would also like to join you in thanking Phyllis Helton and all the others that make TodaysPhoto.org the excellent site that it is!! Thanks Rick for making it all possible!   Comment on today's picture  |  View previous "Pictures Of The Day"  |  Submit a photo Why I publish the "Picture Of The Day"