The images above, which you've seen here before, were also included in a gallery and blog post I contributed to dearsusan.net earlier this month.
In the comments [which were fascinating to me] I was asked more than once to expand on how some of them were created. Below was one of my more breathy replies that touched on three in particular...repeated here for posterity. :)
In the comments [which were fascinating to me] I was asked more than once to expand on how some of them were created. Below was one of my more breathy replies that touched on three in particular...repeated here for posterity. :)
[On the sand photo] The ‘almost identical dents’ are simply runnels carved into the sand by receding water [waves]. I think the optical confusion folks are experiencing is created by the lack of any scale or familiar object. This was very intentional, and I think the reason the images works. I’d go so far as to say that all of my successful images [I can’t speak for anyone else] are missing some natural element [intentionally] that [allows? requires?] the viewer to fill in the blank from their memory or imagination. I think that’s what makes some images memorable…the viewer owns them via their personal input.
So, again, the image was taken from a relatively close range, which may be throwing your eye off. Also, the slope is quite shallow on this beach allowing for lots of time for the water to do its work on the super-saturated sand, and if you find a similar beach to walk someday I believe you’ll see a formation like this.
[The crows in snow] In the other shot the ‘stuff…drifting down the image’ is simply snow. Reviewers have suggested that flash was involved as well, but no. Just perfect snow and perfect light filtered through amazing clouds. It was just ‘one of those days’. I particularly like how the flakes appear white against the dark stone of the tower, yet gray against the lighter sky. Such was the weight and opacity of the flakes. Really quite remarkable.
It was mid-week in January in Newport, Rhode Island. My son had been born that month and I needed to get some paperwork from the town office. The snow was quite heavy and rather than drive I knew to grab the camera and take a walk. Keeping it under my coat and out of the snow was a priority, but as I came down the walkway of a park I saw crows, a favorite subject, playing around this stone tower. One shot was all I got, but it worked beautifully.
[The man in a t-shirt] The guy in the last shot is an amazing friend. He doesn’t complain, but he certainly does see.
So, again, the image was taken from a relatively close range, which may be throwing your eye off. Also, the slope is quite shallow on this beach allowing for lots of time for the water to do its work on the super-saturated sand, and if you find a similar beach to walk someday I believe you’ll see a formation like this.
[The crows in snow] In the other shot the ‘stuff…drifting down the image’ is simply snow. Reviewers have suggested that flash was involved as well, but no. Just perfect snow and perfect light filtered through amazing clouds. It was just ‘one of those days’. I particularly like how the flakes appear white against the dark stone of the tower, yet gray against the lighter sky. Such was the weight and opacity of the flakes. Really quite remarkable.
It was mid-week in January in Newport, Rhode Island. My son had been born that month and I needed to get some paperwork from the town office. The snow was quite heavy and rather than drive I knew to grab the camera and take a walk. Keeping it under my coat and out of the snow was a priority, but as I came down the walkway of a park I saw crows, a favorite subject, playing around this stone tower. One shot was all I got, but it worked beautifully.
[The man in a t-shirt] The guy in the last shot is an amazing friend. He doesn’t complain, but he certainly does see.
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