The Ghost Town

abraxas · Jan 29, 2007

I'd posted one of the shots of this little arrangement of shacks and sheds in a Death Valley canyon a week or two ago; these are the some of the others.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

If anyone may be interested in the history of the Inyo Gold Mine & camp, you can check it out >> http://mojavedesert.net/mining-history/inyo/

LaFoto · Jan 29, 2007

Very interesting, lovely light.
Totally different from what my eyes usually see, in colours, in landscape, in general

.
I really like them all, and my favourites are #2 and #6.
In 2 I like the fact that you picked out this very detail in a surrounding that seems to be only desert (when we look at 2 we don't KNOW there once were settlements, we only know that when we know the whole series, right?). And in 6 I like the colour (low sun!) and the foreground (I assume, that, too, once was a hut?).

abraxas · Jan 29, 2007

The flywheel in #2, fell off the stampmill in #5 and rolled to the bottom of the canyon. Due to the nature of wood ruins in the desert, and other factors such as vandalism, theft, etc., many of the ghost towns that were liberally sprinkled throughout the desert are disappearing rapidly. Now they are just bare sites with little to record. I've found I like to isolate buildings and what-not, and in doing so it tends to give the viewer a richer experience (IMO). Most often an overall view of a desert ghost town is bleak and barren. I think if I'm going to spend the time and money to go to someplace that has next to nothing, I'm going to try to make it look like the biggest-deal ever.

I used to like to go to pioneer cemeteries. They were sad and photographed well on the few grey days we get. Calico ghost town;

http://mojavedesert.net/mining-history/calico/

a popular tourist-trap type attraction had an excellent cemetery. Within two years after I first shot it, each and every one of the over 100 markers had been stolen and carried off or otherwise destroyed. This has also happened to many other graveyards, gold mines, ghost towns and even petroglyph sites. There is sometimes so much history associated with these places, I hate to leave them looking like a... phhfffft..

http://digital-desert.com/cemeteries/

Death Valley amazes me with how much the geology can vary just within a few miles of each location. As the raven flies, this spot is only 6 miles from the location my Golden Canyon photos were taken;

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68649

and 7-8 miles in the other direction from where I parked

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69078

I love this stuff...

LaFoto · Jan 29, 2007

abraxas said:
...I love this stuff...

It shows!
And I enjoy each and every one of your photos of it!

Arch · Jan 29, 2007

good stuff, nice compositions here... i like 3,5 and 6 best :thumbup:

lostprophet · Jan 29, 2007

great stuff, just keep them coming

Chiller · Jan 29, 2007

Amazing series. I really love these ol ghost towns. We dont anything like this around here. Nicely done . :thumbup: :thumbup:

rabidzoomer · Jan 29, 2007

i would like to see some more inside shots and i really like the conveyer belt pics.

abraxas · Jan 30, 2007

Thanks all for the encouragement- These worked out pretty good for me. I'm hoping- someday- maybe- I'll have a style.

JTHphoto · Jan 30, 2007

great shots walter, i'm especially digging 4 & 6... i love the light and the comp of 6. :thumbup:

phantompablo · Jan 30, 2007

#6 makes me want to get back out to Lost Horse Mine in Joshua Tree. Very nicely done sir!

abraxas · Jan 31, 2007

Thanks JTH & PhantomPablo. I'm finding I like shooting RAW, and seems to help in processing.

PP, I haven't been out to the lost horse mine in 7-8 years. You know if there is a rock formation on the way with hexagonal columns? I saw some pictures of these wierd rocks a few months ago, but don't remember anything from my trip.

Lost Horse Mill, Joshua Tree National Park

phantompablo · Jan 31, 2007

abraxas said:
PP, I haven't been out to the lost horse mine in 7-8 years. You know if there is a rock formation on the way with hexagonal columns? I saw some pictures of these wierd rocks a few months ago, but don't remember anything from my trip.

I don't recall seeing any but that's not to say no. Everytime I walk around out there I find something new and amazing so it's definitely possible!