Fall Lilypads
 

This photo was taken at Black Moshannon State Park, which sits atop the Allegheny Plateau in central Pennsylvania. Being at a relatively high elevation, the foliage around the water peaked fairly early. This shot was taken on October 11. I used a Nikon D200 with an 18-70 mm zoom Nikkor kit lens at 22 mm. I used f/16 with a 1 sec. exposure. I also used a polarizer and a graduated ND filter. I have a few questions...

1) I'm not rolling in cash right now, but should I upgrade to a higher quality lens?

2) Should I have used f/22 to improve crispness of the trees in the background?

3) Also, I was thinking about doing a four seasons type series at this location. A shot with the lily blooming in summer, a bit of ice in the winter, etc. Is this shot compelling enough it be worth it?

4) Any other tips on improving composition, color, or anything else?

Thanks,
Mike
MikeTurnsPhotography.com