Bristi Badlands, a photographers dream.

Dennis.Ernst · Jun 28, 2016

The Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is a rolling landscape of badlands which offers some of the most unusual scenery found in the Four Corners Region. Time and natural elements have etched a fantasy world of strange rock formations made of interbedded sandstone, shale, mudstone, coal, and silt. The weathering of the sandstone forms hoodoos - weathered rock in the form of pinnacles, spires, cap rocks, and other unusual forms. Fossils occur in this sedimentary landform. Translated from the Navajo language, Bisti (Bis-tie) means “a large area of shale hills.” De-Na-Zin (Deh-nah-zin) takes its name from the Navajo words for “cranes.”

To visit this lesser known site please see the complete photo blog at:
Dennis's Blogs: Bristi Badlands, New Mexico

KmH · Jun 28, 2016

Placing the horizon across the middle of the frame has a tendency to make a photo look like 2 photos.

Many landscape photographers are quite careful to consider the Rule Of Thirds (RoT) when they compose a shot.
If the landscape is their main subject they put the horizon line across the top 3rd of the frame.
If the sky is their main subject they put the horizon line across the bottom 3rd of the frame.

Achaicus · Jun 30, 2016

The horizon may be in the central area of the photo but it is not centered. I like it, gives place to both land and sky without minimizing either. The 1/12th off center horizon is enough to be interesting to me.

sw_ · Jun 30, 2016

Achaicus said:
The horizon may be in the central area of the photo but it is not centered. I like it, gives place to both land and sky without minimizing either. The 1/12th off center horizon is enough to be interesting to me.

I think you've hit on something here. We get so tied to rules at times and it seems to stifle creativity. I like the image as is, any lower and I'm not sure the landscape would look as interesting, any higher and the uninteresting sky would take over.