Riverside

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 29, 2010202 views10 comments

Chamonix 4x5, Wollensak Verito 9" lens (vintage), Ilford Delta 100 (dinosaur film)
Amargosa River, Mojave Desert, California

I found this tranquil side pool while on a hike near the Amargosa River, east of Death Valley NP. The grasses quietly spoke to me, and I was overcome with the need to photograph them. My patient wife (Shauna) and dog (Mojave) waited nearby until I discovered the best way to portray this intimate and beautiful place. Water in the desert is a beautiful thing...

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Thomas Creel on April 30, 2010 at 12:02 AM

Speaks to me as well. Beautiful tones!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 104 Posts, 852 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on April 30, 2010 at 6:03 AM

I love the graceful arc of the grass and the beautiful tones.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on April 30, 2010 at 11:47 AM

Simple but beautiful. Very nice use of selective focus.

So you got that old Compound shutter to keep working?

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Michael E. Gordon on April 30, 2010 at 11:55 AM

Thanks, guys!

Harley: the shutter is barely hanging on. I'd like to have Carol Flutot mount it in a Copal or something else functional, but she's not currently operating (illness or death in family).

Registered on November 1, 2003, 90 Posts, 2482 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on April 30, 2010 at 12:02 PM

Send it to SK Grimes? I don't think Carol does shutter mounting if machining is involved. My guess is it will not thread right into any other shutter without some work.

I have an extra Betax #4. You could see if it will thread directly into that. It would save you some serious dough if you can find a shutter it will go right into.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on April 30, 2010 at 8:02 PM

Michael,

It's so blurry???

Seriously.... I really like the curves/lines created from the bow of the grasses as well as those interaction points where the grasses touch the waters surface. This just has that kind of comfortable balance created by, go figure, the properties of your lens.

Nicely seen and captured Michael.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Jack Graham on May 1, 2010 at 3:10 AM

MG strikes again..... love it
JG

Registered on November 26, 2003, 158 Posts, 574 Comments

Comment posted by Jeff Hackett on May 1, 2010 at 8:51 AM

I like the way the tips of the bent grass gently touch the surface of the water.

Registered on March 13, 2006, 65 Posts, 1119 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on May 1, 2010 at 3:25 PM

Having water at their roots wasn't enough for these grasses... they had to take a drink too! Seriously though, nice intimate of the desert oasis there

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

Comment posted by John Williams on May 1, 2010 at 7:07 PM

Nicely unique Michael!

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments