Gloria Olson

Photographing evocative scenes reflecting on water, or discovering hidden beauty while peering down into a lake or stream, is absolutely alluring to me.  There is no better way to spend time than in nature, next to a body of water.  Fortunately I live rurally, in the small town of Mount Shasta in northernmost California, with seemingly endless lakes and rivers and creeks offering much to enjoy and photograph. Most of my Magic of Water photography is from northern California, with some images found in Nevada. Besides enjoying the tranquility of nearby lakes or creeks, I also love the vastness and peace of the desert which, unfortunately, doesn't have much water.

My photographs are all single exposures, taken right there in nature. I process my RAW files (digital negatives) in Lightroom. I don't do AI. I don't even use Photoshop, which isn't necessarily to my advantage, but I'm happy with the simplicity of Lightroom. I also don't use filters to achieve effects. I don't add or remove anything in my photos except unsightly splotches and specks. I say all this because these days I receive messages telling me my photos are fake. They aren't. I do understand, though, because when viewing others' work I often wonder the same.