The low point of my day

[Jeffrey Sipress]

Only in one regard, it was the low point for me, as the elevation here is 282 feet below sea level. Other than that it was quite the high point of the day for me, and the shoot was over by 7AM.

This is the saltflat at Badwater Basin, in Death Valley NP, California.

Canon 1DsIII, and a wide lens that I can't recall at the moment (efix on another 'puter).



http://machinearts.com/bpnimages/saltflatssunset1.jpg

[Dave Mills]

Hey Jeff, Been there a number of times...Nice early capture. Your right, The light goes quickly.

[Fabs Forns]

Fantastic use of foreground for interest. Pattern expertly arranged. Good placement of the horizon and very nice colors.

[Robert Amoruso]

Well done Jeff for the reasons mentioned.

[Arthur Morris]

I love the image design and would have wished only for a more spectacular sunrise. Do you have any pure pattern images made without the mountains and the sky?

[Jeffrey Sipress]

Thanks, everyone.

Fabs, when you're there, you're wandering around all over the endless patterns looking for a comp, yet hardly stopping often hoping that the best arrangement is still to come. I was fighting that urge constantly, and am happy with this pattern grouping.

Art, yes, don't we all! I was there three mornings in a row. When you're in nature, you get what they give you when you're there...... I would liked to have had a tall stepladder to get above the playa and create a comp of just the surface lines. Maybe next time I'll strap one to the roof!

[Dave Mills]

Jeff, I actually went to this area in the late afternoon about 45 minutes before the sun went behind the mountains and got some great light. I learned something by seeing your image since I went there after sunrise and found most of the flats in shade since the sun works it's way over from the other side. Next time I go I'll try for the sunrise. Spent most early mornings on the dunes.

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Jeffrey,

re:
Art, yes, don't we all! I was there three mornings in a row. When you're in nature, you get what they give you when you're there....

Seriously???

.. I would liked to have had a tall stepladder to get above the playa and create a comp of just the surface lines. Maybe next time I'll strap one to the roof!

That would have worked to but what I was talking about was to simply have pointed a wide les down so as to exclude the mountains and sky.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Jeffrey,
I like this as presented. Show the starkenss and vastness of the basin very well distant mountains and the morning promise! Not sure Artie's idea would work well with just the patterns as then it may lack a center of interest. I have seen that with a plant or rock in a nice position......but I still like this one very much. Nicely done.

[Arthur Morris]

Not sure Artie's idea would work well with just the patterns as then it may lack a center of interest.

Roman, While pure pattern shots may not fit in the Landscape box are you saying that images that consist only of patterns cannot be successfull?????? Or beautiful. Or dramatic? Or win BBC prizes?

[Roman Kurywczak]

Roman, While pure pattern shots may not fit in the Landscape box are you saying that images that consist only of patterns cannot be successfull?????? Or beautiful. Or dramatic? Or win BBC prizes?
Nope, just don't think it would have worked here. Usually, they have some sort of center of interest.......dried mud with bloom comes to mind.......and don't get me started (or you again:D) on BBC prizes.

[Arthur Morris]

I disagree strongly. In the image above, the photographer skillfully selected the large almost South American-shaped outline as the center of interest.

[Roman Kurywczak]

OK, if that was the only thing......is that interesting? I S. America alone enough to carry interest? We are talking strictly a pattern shot here and not all the other elements correct?? If you look at my above response I liked the overall scene! I was responding to having only the sand/dirt without all the other elements.

[Arthur Morris]

Obviously we will have to agree to disagree here. I do believe that you are missing out on some good opps to create powerful images and images that can sell.

I do agree that having a point of interest can add to a pure pattern shot.