Rock of Life....

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 3, 2017353 views24 comments

.... or if you can think of a better title, let me know. ;-)

Another image from the wall in the Merced River canyon. This is about a 50% crop from a vertical image. I thought the story here revolved around the little fern growing out of the mini cave opening. The variety of color, shapes, lines and graphics of the wall is just amazing. And as someone pointed out on the previous image from this wall, the colors here could be exploited for some quite different results. This version is even slightly more saturated than it is in real life, but my goal is to make an image look as best as it can be, while still maintaining some sense of reality. Hope this works for you.

This was also asked previously, and while I'm pretty sure, I've never gotten any confirmation, that this wall was blasted during road construction and that the hole here is actually left over from a drilled blast hole. Again, can't confirm that

Comments, critiques, suggestions always welcome.

Lon

Oh Yeah, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Comments

24 comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on January 3, 2017 at 5:44 PM

The angle plus the highlights give this a great feeling of depth. Beautiful colors and textures too. Really like this a lot.

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 3, 2017 at 5:45 PM

Very nice. I like the variety of colors and textures, plus the contrast of the plant to the lifeless stone. There's also a sense of a radial pattern to the dark tones surrounding the hole.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Enrique Vizcarra on January 3, 2017 at 5:59 PM

It is a pleasant visual journey

Great picture

devil

Registered on September 10, 2009, 223 Posts, 393 Comments

Comment posted by Prashant Khapane on January 3, 2017 at 6:04 PM

This is fantastic as is. However my eyes were drawn to the right more and find left part of the image superfluous.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 492 Posts, 4580 Comments

Comment posted by gary phillips on January 3, 2017 at 8:02 PM

Don't have any suggestions for a better title, Lon, but I love the image. I also think it works with a square crop of the ever expanding right side with the little plant anchoring the center. What a cool wall of stone.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by Stephen Stanton on January 3, 2017 at 9:01 PM

The color saturations are fine for me, Lon, some very vibrant tones that make the rock wall pop. When I first saw it, I thought a zoom focus was being used, but of course it is the radial lines from the cave/fern only giving the suggestion. Hole in the Wall as a title?

Registered on March 1, 2015, 54 Posts, 453 Comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on January 3, 2017 at 9:27 PM

This is excellent, Lon. The best of this subject and the best of your recent images, except for 'Piling On' maybe. It's interesting to compare this to your last tree image. That was beautifully composed but just doesn't have the emotional impact of this one. It's hard to explain why this is so powerful. It just is. The white frame really helps because I just don't get the same feeling from the larger images. The left plainer side is brilliant because it makes the right tumultuous side more so. The only suggestion I can think of is to darken the shine in the ulc a bit and I'm not sure how you can do that. Great work.

It's life emanating from something broken, something violent. Is it hope. Is it defiance? The gunshot comp draws us too the plant, giving it importance. It also shows the plant's power.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on January 3, 2017 at 9:50 PM

A beautiful work of art, Lon. devil

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Kearl on January 3, 2017 at 10:27 PM

Great find, well scene and executed. The comp puts the fern just where it needs to be...

Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Richter on January 4, 2017 at 12:00 PM

Lon, I always admire the urge of nature to develop life wherever it is possible. In your image you show this in an intriguing way, a real story teller to me.

Peter

Registered on November 10, 2010, 218 Posts, 2723 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on January 4, 2017 at 1:13 PM

This is excellent, Lon!! I love the comp and the plant nestled in there really pops. Great patterns and color. Real sweet.

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

Comment posted by Genny K. on January 4, 2017 at 1:17 PM

I like this; it's like the center is radiating out more energy and brightness than the edges, and it works really well. Cool.

Registered on June 5, 2006, 132 Posts, 2001 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on January 4, 2017 at 1:29 PM

Thank you so much for your comments on this one! there is definitely a sense or radiating lines and also depth. I didn't really notice this until I viewed the larger view, but this even has a 3D look to it; as if the left side is closer to the viewer and the rest of the scene moves away from you. A weird optical illusion I guess since this wall is pretty much flat and I'm not at much of an angle shooting this.

Also, I think a squarer crop removing much of the darker/bluer rock on the left is a valid alternative. Depth and that 3D feel would be lost, but then the "story" of the emerging fern from the hole would still be front and center, as well as the radiating look.

Great observations folks!

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

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on January 4, 2017 at 2:15 PM

There was a sense of explosion when I first saw this show up on my monitor. The patterns of color create a very dynamic image.

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

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on January 4, 2017 at 3:14 PM

I just want to say that my impression is that cropping off the left would simplify the image to it's detriment. The interplay between the left and right enriches this image.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments

Comment posted by Dave Dillemuth on January 4, 2017 at 5:33 PM

Wow, this is fantastic. Has to been the best of your rock wall images. The patterns of the rock fissures are very intriguing and give an incredible effect. I don't think I would have ever seen this potential - kudos to you for seeing this comp. I love the colors and your processing looks great. Comp. is fantastic as framed but I could also see experimenting with a square crop.

Registered on December 10, 2015, 104 Posts, 1112 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on January 4, 2017 at 9:59 PM

Very cool, Lon. I like how the warm color in the rocks seems to radiate from the fern. This is an interesting juxtaposition of subjects and the rock has great color and texture.

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on January 5, 2017 at 2:31 PM

Well done, Lon, well titled and nicely processed..

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on January 5, 2017 at 9:05 PM

Yep, really good!

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

Comment posted by Vance Gese on January 6, 2017 at 12:19 AM

Tremendous image, Lon. The subtle stellate pattern in the rock, emanating from the ledge with the ferns, could not be better. Love the colors and patterns of the rock throughout the image, and the composition could not be better. Fantastic.

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

Comment posted by Navin Sarma on January 6, 2017 at 2:40 PM

Love this Lon... the colors/shapes from the green area and crack in rock give an illusion of explosion and movement. Great comp and processing

Registered on July 17, 2011, 233 Posts, 1373 Comments

Comment posted by Gerald Emery on January 7, 2017 at 1:06 PM

I like this photo, a lot to explore.I wouldn't change a thing I just like it!
Jerry
P.S. Thanks for the welcome and comments Lon.

Registered on January 2, 2017, 65 Posts, 25 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on January 7, 2017 at 1:47 PM

I enjoy plants growing on a wall of rock, and this has a great pattern/color mix.

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

Comment posted by Bill Fach on March 6, 2017 at 10:24 PM

Lon: I don't know how I missed this and even though it is way late I could not help commenting. This is spectacular and may be one of if not my favorite images of yours. Just a great comp and colors to die for. Absolutely wonderful.>=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments