photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Two: Travel Incongruities > Nonconformist, Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, California, 2007
previous | next
20-FEB-2007

Nonconformist, Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, California, 2007

Instead of following the crowd shooting the effects of the rising sun, this lone photographer turns in the opposite direction to shoot the massive rock formations behind Zabriskie Point in softer light. The scale incongruity here – a small photographer contrasted to a vast landscape – is a perfect match for the idea I am trying to express. Landscape photography is a challenging art. The broader and more massive the landscape, the more difficult it becomes to interpret it. This photographer has a great subject to work with, but now he or she must try to go beyond the clichés and make an image that expresses the essence of the scene.

Leica V-Lux 1
1/100s f/3.6 at 31.8mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis15-Aug-2008 21:47
Thanks, Endre -- you sum up my intentions very well here. I wanted to speak of scale here, and the challenges photographers face when overwhelmed with the choices that scale provides.
endre novak15-Aug-2008 20:59
indeed, an ant with a piece of grass or a man with a tripod,- almost no difference to the immense size of our surroundings, mountains in this case. a brilliant example for proportions and on a wider thought importance.
compliments,-
Phil Douglis04-Apr-2007 07:13
As we often read here on pbase, photographers congratulate each other for their "captures." In this case, however, nature has captured man. We are quite insignificant in terms of both space and time.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)04-Apr-2007 00:35
How small we appear when juxtaposed against the grandness of nature. This image speaks to me of the awe and respect we should extend to our vast natural environment and points to our arrogance and smallness should we not choose that option.
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment