Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: Rajan Parrikar on January 14, 2016, 05:05:16 pm

Title: Cholla
Post by: Rajan Parrikar on January 14, 2016, 05:05:16 pm
Cholla (http://blog.parrikar.com/2016/01/14/cholla/) - Death Valley National Parik, California.


Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: polaris-14 on January 14, 2016, 05:47:29 pm
Wow, Rajan. These are really nice takes on the cactus. It pricked my feet once long time ago and I do not want to be near one anymore, but this is really pretty! :)
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: Colorado David on January 14, 2016, 06:29:54 pm
I have a photo (not mine so I won't post it) of a group of wilderness first responders working on a woman who is covered in Cholla. It is a very painful image to view.  These guys are examining her and look like they're thinking, "where do we start?"

Beautiful images by the way.
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on January 14, 2016, 07:04:32 pm
Having been warned about Cholla, I have managed to stay safely away from it whenever I come across it.
I have often thought that it would be beautiful back-lit, but I never had the right light.
You really nailed it, Rajan!
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: Rajan Parrikar on January 14, 2016, 07:18:07 pm
Adhika, David and Eric - thank you.

Wow, I didn't know of 'injury by Cholla.' They looked innocuous and were not clustered together.
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: shotupdave on January 14, 2016, 07:40:41 pm
i have cholla on my property in New Mexico, i removed all of it except in area that we do not usually go into. It can be very very painfull and if one of the needles break off under the skin, a infection can come about.
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: aduke on January 14, 2016, 08:08:05 pm
The needles of the cholla are very sharp and are barbed. They cannot be pulled out without additional damage to the skin. I've been told that the recommended removal procedure is to push them out the other side.

In Arizona, dogs and kids quickly learn to watch out for them.

That being said, I've been trying to photograph them backlit with very little to show for it. The posted images are wonderful.

Alan
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: polaris-14 on January 14, 2016, 08:30:49 pm
Rajan, my first encounter with the chollas was at the garden in Joshua Tree NP. I was foolish enough to wear a sandals and not a proper shoes.
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on January 14, 2016, 08:47:53 pm
Rajan, they look so cute and fuzzy that one is tempted to stroke those soft-looking balls of spines. Don't!

Consider your self fortunate that, like me, you learned about the danger from other's misfortunes rather than from first experience.

Eric
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: Paulo Bizarro on January 15, 2016, 04:07:02 am
#2 is quite nice, more balanced to me.
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: thierrylegros396 on January 15, 2016, 04:42:04 am
#2 is quite nice, more balanced to me.

+1

And better foreground for me.

Thierry
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: francois on January 15, 2016, 07:18:45 am
Very nice photos, you got the right light!
Well done again!

About the 'injury by Cholla', I can say that I experienced it just once and it was a good lesson, not need to repeat it.  ;)
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: Rajan Parrikar on January 15, 2016, 12:35:03 pm
Thank you, all!
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: Slobodan Blagojevic on January 15, 2016, 01:12:22 pm
Funny, it is also known as Teddy Bear Cactus...so huggable and cuddlesome ;)
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: churly on January 15, 2016, 02:11:39 pm
Very nice job with the light!  I have never encountered a cholla but have a lot of experience pulling prickly pear out of hands and feet.
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: John Koerner on January 15, 2016, 04:03:38 pm
Funny, it is also known as Teddy Bear Cactus...so huggable and cuddlesome ;)

(http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/thumbnails/1/1_thumb_0000001056_small.jpg) (http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/JohnKoerner/604/1056/medium)
Taxonomy (http://www.thenaturephotographer.club/image_tree.php?tsn=908133)

Nothing to fear  ;)
Title: Re: Cholla
Post by: MattBurt on January 15, 2016, 04:19:09 pm
Beautiful photos! Perfect backlight! I'm a big backlight fan.

I wound up with a ball of one of those stuck to my shin when mountain biking once. Not fun!  :o