Controversy

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted January 17, 2010493 views15 comments

Nikon D700
Nikon 80-200 @ 200
f 14 @ 1/320 sec
ISO 200
Kirk ballhead & tripod
cable release
Backbone Mtn, WV

One of many wind turbines located along Backbone Mountain in WV. There appears to be a growing controversy about the wind farm because some people are worried about bird kills and the aesthetics of the 400' tall towers along the ridgeline.

My brother and I stopped here last weekend on our way over to Blackwater Falls, SP. This place was totally amazing; it looked like a winter wonderland. I had thought about using a slow SS to portray the motion of the blades, but could not get one slow enough due to the glow of subtle light.

Thanks for taking a look and leaving a comment or suggestion.

Ed

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on January 17, 2010 at 10:58 AM

Ed, I think this is as beautiful a photo as one can have of a wind turbine. I am very torn myself about these structures.

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Budliger on January 17, 2010 at 4:20 PM

Pretty cool shot Ed, I love the ghosted turbine and high key lighting.

Registered on June 11, 2006, 113 Posts, 2116 Comments

Comment posted by Joel Hazelton on January 17, 2010 at 9:33 PM

Very nice Ed, I love the monotone look, and the low contrasts works quite well here. I am rather curious about what a longer exposure would look like, but I think it works really well as is.

Registered on August 6, 2008, 194 Posts, 1315 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on January 17, 2010 at 11:16 PM

This is great Ed! I love the high key effect and the frosty trees; both add a feeling of 'purity' to the image, which works so well with the ironic ugliness of these 'green' power producers.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on January 18, 2010 at 2:42 AM

Gees, Ed, that's the most surreal image I've seen of a wind turbine. It looks ghostly and seems kind of spooky. That's a good way to portray it, imho, since they are monstrous structures that definitely alter a landscape forever. I have very mixed feelings about them, too.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Jade Schiess on January 18, 2010 at 2:13 PM

The white in the entire photo really makes you have to stop and look. I think the windmill is perfect how it's not to overbearing in the photo.

Registered on September 23, 2009, 7 Posts, 59 Comments

Comment posted by Larry Gloth on January 18, 2010 at 7:20 PM

Beautiful image. Sure conveys a sense of cold. Those frozen trees are awesome and give a sense of scale to things. Well done.

Registered on August 29, 2007, 96 Posts, 1003 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lowe on January 19, 2010 at 1:08 PM

Awesome shot, Ed. This has to be the best wind turbine shot I've seen. Actually it's probably the only WT shot I've seen. Seriously though, I think it's a work of art.

Registered on February 11, 2004, 777 Posts, 5252 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Kayne on January 19, 2010 at 5:24 PM

Registered on November 1, 2003, 573 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on January 24, 2010 at 10:07 PM

A very special image. I love it!

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by David Cobb on January 25, 2010 at 4:28 PM

This is a "polar bear in the snowstorm" like image Ed, wonderful shot and presentation.

David M. Cobb

Registered on December 14, 2007, 312 Posts, 3243 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lowe on January 27, 2010 at 12:18 AM

Congrats on your EP, Ed.

Registered on February 11, 2004, 777 Posts, 5252 Comments

Comment posted by Angela Classen on February 8, 2010 at 4:40 PM

A very ghostly and unusual depiction of a wind turbine.

They've started putting these up in the Smoky Hills of north central Kansas and IMO they really distract from the beauty of the landscape. Some experts believe the turbines also discourage prairie chickens and other ground roosting birds from nesting near them. But, in their own right, they are kind of a beautiful structure - like a giant pinwheel. Of course, the electricity they generate is great since it's clean. But wind power isn't constantly reliable, even in a plains state like Kansas. I'm really torn how to feel about them.

Enough of my dissertation - congrats on the EP!

Registered on June 13, 2007, 434 Posts, 2742 Comments

Comment posted by Kari Post on February 14, 2010 at 8:19 PM

I really love the high key look of this. Maybe if you showed this photo to more people, people would start to think wind turbines are pretty.

Registered on January 27, 2007, 13 Posts, 195 Comments

Comment posted by Erik Stensland on February 15, 2010 at 6:36 PM

You should market this image. I'm sure a few of the companies working with windpower would be interested in this mysterious and beautiful image.

Registered on September 27, 2004, 121 Posts, 718 Comments