The Dot District

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 22, 2013623 views27 comments

This was taken on the 6th day of my January trip to Death Valley. I shot this well after sunset as a storm was rolling through the valley. While making this exposure, a light rain began to fall, and it was getting quite dark.

I chose to leave my camera setup on the salt flats that night in hopes of a morning shot. I covered it with a trash bag, logged the location into my GPS, then returned to camp that night under a light but steady rain.

Please use the Purchase Print URL to view my video journal from this day for the story behind this shot. Also, I have included a larger version.

Fuji Velvia 50 8x10 | several minutes @ f/45 | Nikkor 150mm SW | Ebony RW810

Comments

27 comments

Comment posted by Scott Fricke on March 22, 2013 at 11:03 PM

Great mood to this Ben, I like how the salt adds some detail, texture, and spots of brightness to make the image pop. Really well done!

Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Cross on March 22, 2013 at 11:07 PM

Very intresting photo, Ben. I watched your video and learned a lot about how you envisioned it and some of the pros and cons of your setup. Certainly a unique posting.

Registered on April 3, 2010, 271 Posts, 1342 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Coskun on March 22, 2013 at 11:45 PM

Great eerie mood with the dark blues. The patterns in the foreground are very nice as well. Might have to make a side trip out to this area when I head to the sierras in a few weeks.

Registered on October 31, 2011, 170 Posts, 1240 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on March 23, 2013 at 4:15 AM

The dark processing works well here and give this image an great mood. Also the cold blue tones help create this mood. Great patterns in the foreground. Well done.

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Cristina Strudthof on March 23, 2013 at 8:53 AM

Excellent mood with this. It is so dark yet there is enough light so you know what the landscape looks like beyond the immediate area around the camera. The pattern is also unique in a night shot. You pulled this off very well.

Registered on January 14, 2011, 53 Posts, 363 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 23, 2013 at 9:14 AM

Ben, I just spent some time looking at the larger version of this and I find it quite intriguing. I kept looking at it and really enjoyed exploring every bit of this wonderful scene. I like the mood you captured while shooting in the near darkness and really enjoy the blue tones in this. These patterns look great and the detail and textures are fantastic. The sky really finishes this off beautifully.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Matt Anderson on March 23, 2013 at 9:38 AM

Three Thumbs Up!
Love it.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on March 23, 2013 at 10:30 AM

Is this the Racetrack? I've never seen it this way. Very beautiful.

- Dan

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on March 23, 2013 at 11:38 AM

very nice mood in this image, i can feell the darkness through it

great processing

Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments

Comment posted by Glenn Tunaley on March 23, 2013 at 12:19 PM

Great shot Ben! I really like the patterns in the foreground and the dark processing. I enjoyed the video journal too

Registered on March 1, 2013, 19 Posts, 93 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on March 23, 2013 at 12:39 PM

Very mystic and brooding atmosphere..nice work. Love that foreground.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on March 23, 2013 at 2:12 PM

Dark and deep and the mood of mystery and danger. Well done!

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

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on March 23, 2013 at 3:56 PM

Just love it Ben!!!! Needs to be viewed on black to appreciate it enough I think.

No nits. Question though... is the horizon straight? Feels slightly tilted cw.

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

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on March 23, 2013 at 5:23 PM

Moody and mysterious! The drama in the storm clouds compliments the somber mood perfectly, Ben.

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Mae on March 23, 2013 at 6:31 PM

This image goes no where...yet everywhere. Holding both in the same striking space becomes a gift from the artist to the viewer. Thank you. ;-)

Registered on March 22, 2013, 13 Posts, 58 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on March 23, 2013 at 9:53 PM

It probably aint gonna cheer many people up, but i really like this one, Ben! Terrific mood.

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

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on March 24, 2013 at 7:49 AM

I like the somber mood created by the blues tones and dark horizon. Wonderful textures and light on the foreground.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on March 24, 2013 at 8:19 PM

Outstanding Ben! Watching your video as well really helps bring this one home - especially excellent point and observation about the foreground perspective. And the salt patterns are not what we're used to, so this is a fresh look at Death Valley.

Dark, moody, erie and mysterious. No nits at all, wonderful imagery.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Ben Horne on March 24, 2013 at 9:49 PM

Thanks for the feedback everyone. This is one of the few shots I've taken that I feel accurately conveys the feel of the location. This is something I constantly struggle with.

Mark - I didn't check the horizon on the scan, so it may very well have a slight tilt. It's very difficult to tell with my browser since it's such a dark horizon. I learned a while ago that I should visually level shots rather than using a bubble level to make it actually level. In places like DV, there is often a slight slope to the salt flats. Now I just align the horizon on the grid lines of my ground glass and make sure it's visually level. Thanks for bringing that to my attention -- I'll be sure to make sure it's level whenever I get this baby drum scanned and print it.

Registered on August 27, 2009, 51 Posts, 959 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on March 24, 2013 at 11:00 PM

Love the dark presentation here Ben! Conveys a real sense of foreboding. Well done!

Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on March 25, 2013 at 8:44 AM

great colour and tones.i'm enjoying ....

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

Comment posted by Marc Adamus on March 25, 2013 at 10:43 AM

Love the dark, moody presentation and color tone.

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

Comment posted by Anil Rao on March 26, 2013 at 1:26 AM

Love how the composition and the moody light complement each other. A perfect match!

This image is a fine testament of your commitment to your art.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on March 27, 2013 at 11:23 AM

Truly a wonderful area to visit and photograph, Ben. This is an extremely unique look at this site and well captured here. The dark moody scene is excellent.

p.s.Congrats Ben for this fine image being picked for the WP in the Landscape Gallery too.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Fricke on March 27, 2013 at 6:42 PM

Congratluations on the EP Ben, well deserved

Enjoyed watching your video as well...

Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on March 31, 2013 at 7:00 PM

This is amazing. So very dark and sombre, and yet I can't take my eyes off of it! A mood of desolation, if I ever saw one! Congratulations!

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 25, 2013 at 12:34 AM

Stunning - love the dark mood and detail.
Congrats on a fine WP!
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments