Among The Dead

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 19, 2012801 views15 comments

Thanks so much for the feedback on the sea star photo. Funny how such a small element in the photo can draw so much attention.

Moving on in time I now find myself on the East side of the Sierra Nevada in early October for the autumn color there. I'll get to some of the color shortly, but what I noticed on the first morning there, after photographing at Mono Lake as I was heading back to my camp along the road in the pumice fields surrounding the Panum Crater were these strange looking snags of what appeared to remnants of a burn.

In the strong light it was not appealing so I returned the next morning before sunrise and worked the area for a few hours.

The shapes of the burned and contorted mesquite or sage, not sure which, set against the stark white and cyan-blue pumice and black obsidian was alluring. I had a strange sense of standing in a waste land among the dead as the snags just stood there, lifeless.

So I offer up this composition, the first of three that I will share of this area.

4x5, 150mm, f64, 2 sec, Fuji Provia 100F, TK luminosity & saturation masks as well as Triple Play.

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on November 19, 2012 at 3:50 PM

The color is the only happy looking thing about this place. You conveyed the "lonely, abandoned, miles from anywhere" feeling with this for sure. Yes, a wasteland one would not want to dwell in for too long. Well done!

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on November 19, 2012 at 3:54 PM

This is as great as the sea star imagte. Well almost, cause as noted in the other one - it cannot get any better...

Really strong work again Youssef. The main subject matter works great (snags), but I also like the saturated orange sprinkled across the composition.

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on November 19, 2012 at 3:57 PM

I find myself quite draw to this image. I like the starkness and isolation. Your composition carries a powerful emotional punch. Nice job.

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Dayton on November 19, 2012 at 4:49 PM

Interesting, Youssef. I've never seen anything quite like this. Thanks for sharing.
I like it.

Registered on November 11, 2008, 281 Posts, 3958 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on November 19, 2012 at 6:41 PM

Repetition and well developed light always make for a strong image. It takes a good eye though to spot this in unlikely situations. This works quite nicely. The splashes of color, especially, add extra interest to the scene.

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

Comment posted by Justin Richardson on November 19, 2012 at 7:19 PM

Amazing sharpness and detail. I love the subject matter here; a couple of the mergers bother me a bit, but not enough to distract from the essence of this photo.

Registered on November 18, 2012, 28 Posts, 134 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on November 19, 2012 at 9:03 PM

So interesting and so well done! The light, color and texture along with your eye for composition and your expert work have made this stark scene in to something special!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on November 19, 2012 at 9:32 PM

wow, I love this Youssef. you display some beautiful and colorful patterns here. excellent work

Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 19, 2012 at 9:39 PM

Nice and desolate--works for me!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on November 19, 2012 at 10:31 PM

This is incredible, Youssef. Your use of the subtle diagonals is remarkable; that together with the placement of the trees in the foreground, as well as those branches in the direct foreground, give your exquisite composition such nice movement. Also love the contrast of the gray and black tree branches with the warm tones in the grasses. Stunning image.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Blakers on November 20, 2012 at 5:43 AM

Fine image but tragic subject. ANy idea if this was a wildfire or else a deliberate burn. What sort of age would the vegetation have been?

Registered on February 26, 2011, 8 Posts, 67 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on November 20, 2012 at 12:42 PM

Youssef,

Fantastic! I know this area around Panum Crater as well as that whole stretch on 120 east of 395 and also on the south side of 120 along the volcanic ridges. Endless areas of shrub, sage and rabbit brush, and nearly impossible to find a comprehensive composition! You've nailed this one! What a fascinating, almost mesmerizing area and you've nailed it. This is outstanding, I can't think of anything you need to do different here.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on November 21, 2012 at 12:12 AM

I noticed this area too, when I was there beginning of October. But, I didn't see it like this! Really good!!!!!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on November 21, 2012 at 1:24 PM

Such somber, forlorn beauty. The fg elements pull me into the image to explore the details.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on November 23, 2012 at 3:42 PM

excellent, almost abstract image. the elements are perfectly placed and the little bit of yellow in the lower right does it for me!

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments