There are several of these very large gears atop the dam across Carnegie Lake. The smaller gear has a handle that is manually turned (probably with considerable effort) to raise or lower a valve of some invisible sort that controls water flow through or over the dam. I don't think this adjustment is made very often.

One fall afternoon, I saw the gears as a piece of artwork. There wasn't much else happening, so why not? The strong sunlight provided an exposure challenge, then cropping, converting to monochrome, and adding a tint all helped to make the pitted metal realistic. Some pictures look great right out of the camera, but this one required some "darkroom" work. Of course, it is all with a computer, nowadays.

My camera of choice is rather tiny. It is a Casio EX-Z50 that is the size of a credit card and about 3/4-inch thick when the lens is collapsed. It is so portable, I always have it with me on my belt when away from home. Around the canal, I don't look like a photographer, and I desire not to attract attention with expensive equipment. Once in a while, I see other people lugging around heavy cameras with telephoto lenses. I am always happy for my simplicity and the wide-angle lens that ultimately caught the image that is published above.