El Mirage

Coldow91 · Jan 31, 2008

wowzers

Trenton Romulox · Jan 31, 2008

This is one of the few instances that middle grey works to a shot's advantage. I believe I'm using the term 'middle grey' correctly here. This shot is gorgeous. It's also a phenomenal example of how splitting the frame in half with the horizon line can work, 'cause most people use that technique in a poor fashion, and this is definitely not a poor use of that compositional technique at all. Excellent work, Abraxas.

lostcase_gib · Jan 31, 2008

WOW! thats all i can say!

sarah lynn · Jan 31, 2008

Um...so yeah that is an amazing picture.

abraxas · Feb 1, 2008

Coldow91 said:
wowzers

Thanks.

Trenton Romulox said:
This is one of the few instances that middle grey works to a shot's advantage. I believe I'm using the term 'middle grey' correctly here. This shot is gorgeous. It's also a phenomenal example of how splitting the frame in half with the horizon line can work, 'cause most people use that technique in a poor fashion, and this is definitely not a poor use of that compositional technique at all. Excellent work, Abraxas.

Again Trenton, thanks for your comments! Shots like this are about my favorite for several reasons; The water in the normally dry lake/playa is a somewhat rare occurance. It's very shallow, not more than a few inches deep at the lowest point. If the wind is still, the water surface is glass-like. Horizontal symmetry facinates me. Although I take shots with a "fix" for the eyes and form and all the usual junk, I make sure to take at least one of these what I think of as a "natural abstract." Here's the first one I ever took that got me started looking for them in my wandering around.

Love this stuff. "Critics" go on about the usual garbage, but shots like this get priority from me. If they want a 'fix', or point of interest for the eyes to 'rest', then let them go through the expense and crap I do to get themselves out there and do it right- They can show me how. Ooops. Time-out for an attitude break.

Anyhow, the original shot was taken at El Mirage dry lake in the California Mojave Desert. El Mirage is usually teeming with Desert Monkeys of all types; Ultralights, sail planes, wind/land yachts, dune buggies, dirt bikes, campers, student drivers, movie crews, occasionally naked people (The Burning Man festival used to be held there), and my favorite species- photographer. The lakebed is closed when wet. I was like the only one out there that day walking along the shoreline. I live about 15 miles from there. I was taking pictures to photo-illustrate flashfloods and playa formation for my website.

BTW, Desert Rats, which one would usually expect to hear desert people called are a different genus.

Back to the photo. The composition is more about light than landforms. Although the Shadow Mountains (name of mountains in the shot) are very pretty and have provided some awesome specimens of white/carmel-colored gniess for my rock garden, I used them as the black, or darker area rather than the subject. To contrast the pure white of the far away clouds. The eye is supposed to wander around.