Brandon,
Thanks for the compliment. I photographed this ruin four times to get exactly what I wanted. I noticed by moving the tripod just a few feet left or right changed the fire effect dramatically, or so it seemed to me. It was also critical to eliminate any direct sunlight as this dramatically changed the look as well.
I found out later, after my image was used for a magazine cover, that a well known photographer accused me of stealing his shot. That issue brought up to me the idea of whether certain scenes are owned by the first photographer that happened to have made it.
In a second instance I was asked to participate in a group showing and I submitted a small image of the Teardrop at Monument Valley. At the opening another well known photog, who writes a column for Outdoor Photographer, mentioned that David Muench might not like the fact that I submitted his well known image.
I suppose there is no credit for copying another's work but if that is the case then there is really nothing one can photograph that hasn't already been done, at least of the iconic images of the southwest.
cheers,
