Another world

Gallery: LandscapePosted June 7, 2012323 views16 comments

Tafoni arch. 3 shot panorama, 5 shots in each position for DR. A costly image for me: coming back at dusk, riding a mountain bike with a 40# pack, my front tire jammed in a rutted path and I went down with the sound of snapping tibia and fibula. No cell phone service and I hadn't seen anyone else all afternoon. I tried fashioning a splint with my tripod so I might be able to get up and straddle the bike to push myself to my truck. The splint failed and the fracture worsened. I crawled around and eventually got a weak cell signal and was able to call 911. It took 3 hours for the ranger to find me and to get transported to the nearest hospital. Lesson learned: I do a lot of remote solo photography - I'm getting a satellite phone for emergencies.

Comments

16 comments

Comment posted by Tom Kualii on June 7, 2012 at 10:05 PM

Randall Smith, you are "The Edge Explorer". I am glad to know you are safe and awesome image out of it. Aloha

Registered on November 24, 2010, 53 Posts, 139 Comments

Comment posted by Yiming Hu on June 7, 2012 at 10:10 PM

Sorry to hear this and glad that you are safe. A SPOT communicator may also be useful.

The rock formations are fascinating and I like your processing. My nit is that blending needs a little bit more work (for example, near the water/rock edge on the left side).

Registered on April 28, 2011, 38 Posts, 733 Comments

Comment posted by Randall Smith on June 7, 2012 at 10:35 PM

Registered on June 13, 2009, 30 Posts, 69 Comments

Comment posted by Randall Smith on June 7, 2012 at 10:38 PM

I wanted to add that I've gotten invaluable tutorials from Mark Metternich over the last 6 months, and couldn't have conceptualized and implemented the post-processing without his assistance. Randall

Registered on June 13, 2009, 30 Posts, 69 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on June 7, 2012 at 10:59 PM

Unbelievable story. I really empathize with you on doing an end over on a mountain bike. It happened to me too long ago and I broke right eye socket in three places, and terribly bruised my elbow. I had to walk my bike back for two miles before I got help.

With regards to the photo, outstanding job on the foreground. You really captured its twisted and contorted shapes. The right side of the sky seems a bit dark to me compared to the brightness of the tafoni.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on June 8, 2012 at 2:20 AM

Crazy story. Beautiful image. Comp feels a little busy to me, but the rock patterns are fascinating. I think the whole right portion of the image could stand on its own even without the arch. Blend looks pretty good to my eyes. I hope you are having a speedy recovery.

Michael

Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on June 8, 2012 at 2:31 AM

Randall,

Great title as this certainly comes across as other-worldly. This is terrific! Only small nit would be wishing for a little more space up top just to give the rock a little room above.

Very glad to hear you're back and able to tell the story! Hope you're recovering well.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Marc Adamus on June 8, 2012 at 9:30 AM

Hey Randall, the HDR ended up working out well enough to show off those interesting rocks. That's one of the worst experiences I've heard of while out shooting, too! WOW! Glad you're OK. You could have easily severed an artery with that type of injury and not made it 3 hours! I try to usually at least carry a SPOT device on these trips, if not my Satellite Phone.

Registered on September 17, 2005, 780 Posts, 8091 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on June 8, 2012 at 9:55 AM

Great capture and story is better. I got into some trouble shooting alone in a desert area last summer and it took rangers looking for me, finding me and bringing me out alive. I will take a partner in the future to these type enviorns........

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Randall Smith on June 8, 2012 at 12:19 PM

Thanks for all your constructive input. Pain levels are down since surgery last Sunday. I agree that the overall image is "busy" and that the open sky on the top right needs work, but the panorama approach of 3 horizontal composite images (from 5 exposure bracketed shots at each position) captured the intensity of the detail in my field of vision. I plan to resume shooting in this area as soon as I'm ambulatory.
Equipment:
Nikon D3X
Nikon 14-24
no filters

Registered on June 13, 2009, 30 Posts, 69 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Hilton on June 8, 2012 at 2:40 PM

Randall,
thanks for the story and the excellent image.
Good luck, get better.

Registered on September 19, 2011, 68 Posts, 668 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on June 8, 2012 at 4:20 PM

An epic story - glad it had a happy ending. Lots of mystery in those rocks and the lighting really helps this. The right side seems a bit tight and too jammed packed for me. I might have just centered the attention on the arch and rock to the left, including the sea to help simplify. Very cool geology.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on June 9, 2012 at 12:09 PM

Beautiful image, harrowing story. They also make emergency locator beacons that can be activated in situation like this. Just love the colors and textures in the rock.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Smorra on June 9, 2012 at 8:14 PM

Awesome pano image Randall. I really like all of the textures and details here. That is crazy what happened on your way home. I'm glad you were able to get yourself to cell phone range and to the hospital. Definitely a scary experience! Hope your recovery is going well.

Registered on November 2, 2009, 161 Posts, 2143 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on June 9, 2012 at 9:03 PM

Ouch! Good to see that you at got a fine image out of your ordeal.

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

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on June 10, 2012 at 4:40 PM

Great shot Randy!!! Now, worth a broken leg?

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments