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Author Topic: Desert vanishing point  (Read 11512 times)

trainzman

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Desert vanishing point
« on: August 05, 2007, 11:10:49 pm »

At the end of a two week visit last April to some of the canyons of Utah, we made a short side trip to Death Valley before heading home. Upon leaving Badwater Basin, I was struck by the road pointing to the colorful mountains in the background. I was also fortunate to have some clouds to liven up an otherwise bland sky. The only PP was to rotate the image slightly to correct a bit of tilt due a fast hand held setup (I was standing in the middle of the road. Not much traffic but it would only take one other vehicle to ruin a good day)

1/500 @ f3.2  ISO 80
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Ray

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2007, 04:42:15 am »

My own impression is, there's too much dark grey bitumen in the foreground dominating the scene. Otherwise, the compositional idea is okay.
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Rob C

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2007, 05:27:24 am »

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My own impression is, there's too much dark grey bitumen in the foreground dominating the scene. Otherwise, the compositional idea is okay.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=131721\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

We are back to the dreaded seen it all before syndrome. Open any stock book and there you are, but better, with stronger road markings and better background too. It has been done to death with telephoto lenses as with wide-angles. All that´s missing to complete the cliche is the vanishing telegraph pole constituent. This is NOT an attack on the photographer, but just an extension of the discussion elsewhere and further proof that in this world of today, originality is impossible. Full stop.

Ciao - Rob C

trainzman

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2007, 07:19:32 pm »

The "right" amount of road in the foreground is debatable. It tells me that all "this" becomes insignificant once we put a little distance between it and ourselves.

As for the cliché aspect, yah but then, when you get right down to it, what image isn't just a variation on a theme? Whether it involves adding or removing some detail or changing the perspective.  A cliché? Sure. I must have seen countless images like it over a lifetime of looking at pictures and was probably strongly influenced by them all. When I saw the scene, it must have resonated since my image was seen and made in the space of about 10 seconds. It evoked a memory in me and because I made this one, I find it an interesting addition to the theme.
« Last Edit: August 06, 2007, 07:19:56 pm by trainzman »
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offissa

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2007, 03:25:05 pm »

"There is nothing new under the sun." A very old quote! This photo is a perfectly nice contribution to the great debate—it's not totally original, but you'd have to be a bit jaded to dismiss it as a cliche. Cropping off the bottom third would make a stronger—or maybe just more conventional composition. Personally I like it as is. It doesn't have any glaring weaknesses, and not every photo has to be some kind of revelation! It makes me want to go back to the USA for another look around. I missed SO much on my last visit...
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Don Libby

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #5 on: August 08, 2007, 07:02:56 pm »

I like it!  It gives the viewer a very clear understanding of the vastness of the area.  Tired of being in the rat race?  Go someplace like this and feel the loneliness.

Nicely done.


don

Rob C

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2007, 03:56:54 pm »

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I like it!  It gives the viewer a very clear understanding of the vastness of the area.  Tired of being in the rat race?  Go someplace like this and feel the loneliness.

Nicely done.
don
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132221\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Don, do they still produce Arizona Highways? I think that´s the correct title - I had some of those mags back in the 70s and I think it was all 4x5 or 5x7 stuff; very impressive at the time.

Ciao - Rob C

DarkPenguin

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2007, 11:34:01 pm »

http://www.arizonahighways.com/

I like this line from their submissions guidelines ...

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NO PRINTS, NEGATIVES, DIGITAL-CAPTURE PHOTOGRAPHS, OR DUPLICATE TRANSPARENCIES WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR REVIEW BY THE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
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Rob C

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2007, 01:26:47 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin,Aug 11 2007, 03:34 AM
http://www.arizonahighways.com/

I like this line from their submissions guidelines ...
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132605\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
[/quot

Mr P - many thanks for the link; I suppose if you have a sytem that works, gives you exactly what you want, then why fix what ain´t broke? I´ve felt the same way all along myself, but I do have to admit that I´ve reached a stage where I am happier to spend time in the lightroom rather than in the dark one, which I dismantled anyway!

I´ve been spending time getting my digital files properly ordered, a pretty thankless and very boring task which reminds me all too clearly how nice a sheet of transparencies can look!

Ciao - Rob C

Don Libby

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2007, 03:06:20 pm »

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Don, do they still produce Arizona Highways? I think that´s the correct title - I had some of those mags back in the 70s and I think it was all 4x5 or 5x7 stuff; very impressive at the time.

Ciao - Rob C
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132553\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Rob - Sorry the delay but I see that DarkPeguin has saved the day.  Yes they are still in business as a mater of fact tI do believe they will now actually take a digital file!  Great mag

don

Rob C

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2007, 06:48:55 am »

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Rob - Sorry the delay but I see that DarkPeguin has saved the day.  Yes they are still in business as a mater of fact tI do believe they will now actually take a digital file!  Great mag

don
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Don - thanks for the reply; I almost got to Arizona once - had researched doing a western-style calendar at Old Tucson (I think that was its name) and the people there were very helpful with brochures and so forth. I had also looked at doing it at Tabernas, near Almeria in Spain, where Sergio Leone did his spaghetti versions of the genre, versions which, to my mind, were far better than the real deal from Hollywood. But it was not to be, and the client elected for another theme.

I think what makes me prefer Leone´s version of the western is that he doesn´t seem to think a lot of heroes; Mr Clint was always a bit of a rotter at the same time as he was saving the weak, much more as real people tend to be. Mr Wayne, on the other hand, if not winning the war in Europe, the Pacific, Texas or even on Mars all by himself, never convinced me about what he was trying to portray. Whether this was his fault or that of the directors I shall never know - it just didn´t work after I passed the age of twelve. Maybe there just wasn´t enough sex in them thar films. And now it´s all gone too far in the other direction. Hey - maybe I just got older!

Ciao - Rob C

Nill Toulme

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2007, 01:25:10 pm »

The thing that is most interesting to me about this image is also the thing that is most bothersome.  That is that the road is cut off before it reaches the vanishing point, by what appears to be a rise and then dropoff before the mountains are reached.  There's such a pronounced line of demarcation there that it almost has the feel of two images pasted together.

Nill
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trainzman

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2007, 09:18:33 pm »

I never noticed it but now that you mention it, yea, there is a sudden cutoff. Since it wasn't planned that way, I can't say that there is a hidden meaning there but if there was, I'd say that it is like real life, you think you can go forever and then ... . Looks like the car in the image is about to find out.  

The image is as it was seen on that day, the only PP was to rotate it slightly to level the horizon.
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Robert Roaldi

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #13 on: August 13, 2007, 08:17:32 am »

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Since it wasn't planned that way, I can't say that there is a hidden meaning there but if there was, I'd say that it is like real life,

I heard an interview (or maybe read it) with the novelist Margaret Atwood a long time ago, so the memory of it is hazy. Someone asked her about some symbolism in one of her novels. Her reply was that she hadn't thought of that before, but if someone had found it in the novel she would be happy to take the credit for it.
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Robert

Rob C

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #14 on: August 13, 2007, 04:35:12 pm »

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I heard an interview (or maybe read it) with the novelist Margaret Atwood a long time ago, so the memory of it is hazy. Someone asked her about some symbolism in one of her novels. Her reply was that she hadn't thought of that before, but if someone had found it in the novel she would be happy to take the credit for it.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132956\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Robert - ´a long time ago...´ that´s because in a  different era people had the ability to be a little more honest.

I get the impression from just about every interview that crosses my path that the interviewee (?) is selling himself at full volume. It is all image, celebrity rating and assorted invention: the real person will hardly ever stand up and permit himself to be seen. Much as with a lot of what goes on in the internet, I guess: lies and gilding of not the lily but the weed.

Ciao - Rob C

Ray

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2007, 11:57:49 am »

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I never noticed it but now that you mention it, yea, there is a sudden cutoff. Since it wasn't planned that way, I can't say that there is a hidden meaning there but if there was, I'd say that it is like real life, you think you can go forever and then ... . Looks like the car in the image is about to find out.   

The image is as it was seen on that day, the only PP was to rotate it slightly to level the horizon.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132892\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

So really, this image should not be called 'vanishing point' but 'cut-off point'. Right?  
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Rob C

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Desert vanishing point
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2007, 03:58:20 pm »

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So really, this image should not be called 'vanishing point' but 'cut-off point'. Right? 
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Ray, Vanishing Point is already a movie as, of course, is Zabriskie Point. Fortunately, neither featured John Wayne. Whether Cut-off Point is going to make it is open to conjecture.

Ciao - Rob C
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