Hoodoos, Alberta Badlands

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All comments Welcome

Good subject, very nice b/w image and I like the crescent moon on the sky. Bravo.

 

Cheers; Bela

Very nice tone and texture. The sliver of the moon is a nice touch.

Wonderful subject, great capture. I love the low contrast b/w rendition, and the tiny crescent moon adds a lot of interest.

 

Paolo

Sophisticated and elegant! Love this in the square format, and the toning adds something too. Nicely done, Ian. Cheers! Chris

Thanks all. I've got to admit I'm a little surprised by how well this was received here -- I had pegged this as being my own personal indulgence.

 

I was so shocked upon arriving at these hoodoos that morning. I couldn't believe there were so few (about a half-dozen large ones). The sunrise was cloudless and plain too. I nearly didn't bother getting out and photographing. It seemed such a let down after Banff. But, I'm glad I stopped and I am thrilled that this is so enjoyed.

 

Thanks again everyone.

A wonderful subject for photography! Impressed. I prefer color however. The orange/yellow stone and the blue sky, what a combination. I am having a little trouble with the horizon on this image. I also am a little indoctrinated about having odd numbers of objects in a scene. Cheers from Canada! ( Armstrong BC ) Michael.

Michael, I want to first thank you for making your comment. I always enjoy being forced to completely re-think my images.

 

However, I must admit to being quite confused my a number of elements of your comment.

 

1) There is no horizon here. Is the absence of a horizon confusing you? Or are you confused by the upward looking perspective? The ridge-line on the left is the top of the slope that these hoodoos are eroding out of.

 

2) How do you know you'd prefer colour? I'll attach my original colour image. As you can see, the early pre-sunrise light is hardly giving much colour saturation at all. Everything is washed with the blue of the twilight.

 

Even other people's daytime shots from this location (like here: http://www.architecture.uwaterloo.ca/faculty_projects/terri/gallery/hoodoos.html ) hardly have any interesting colours. I certainly would still be inclined to make all of those images B&W.

 

Is it just that you always prefer colour to B&W? If so, it seems hardly fair to criticize my aesthetic sensibilities for choosing B&W here if you simply don't like B&W in general.

 

3) I feel that the idea of having odd numbers of objects is very much like the "rule" of thirds -- i.e. it is a handy concept to fall back upon when searching for a composition, but it should not bind us into only placing the horizon at 1/3 mark or only off-centering the subject. There are times when the best composition breaks these rules. There are times when a composition breaking the rule actually makes a stronger image.

 

I feel like this is one of those examples. The two hoodoos nicely frame the small crescent moon. If there was a third hoodoo you would not get the natural symmetry of the framed moon. I think a third hoodoo would upset the balanced and very static composition I have chosen here.

 

Anyways, if you drop back here, feel free to submit a rejoinder and continue the discussion.

 

Thanks again.

- and I guess a note to Michael too. I too am baffled by Michael's comments. Ian, I have to say that I like your color image too; it is quite mysterious, but I believe that you made the proper choice and your post-pro was spot-on. I stand by my original comment, this really is quite elegant. Cheers! Chris

It is a strong composition of a very unusual rock formation. I like a lot the way you have composed it. Seeing the colored version which is nice as well, I do think that the B/W has a strong presence of the detailed texture that took years and years, and weather changes to form. I like the semi moon that hints of the early time, I assum it was photographed. Impressive photo.

 

( btw, thanks for the link, it looks a very worth nature to visit ! even though I'm not a landscape photographer....)

Points well taken Ian. Thanks. I missed the point that this was taken in early predawn light. I too would have converted to B&W. When I was there it was full afternoon sun. The colors then were spectacular. I also know that rules are made to be broken! I still would have cropped making the top of the left hoodoo more horizontal. That's all I meant. I'm glad I provoked you! This is a fun site! Your portfolio is fantastic! Thanks for sharing! Cheers from Armstrong BC. Hope you have a wonderful time at University!

Thanks Pnina. I am so glad that you can feel the ancient nature of these in this image. That what I find most impressive about this -- to think that for centuries these towers have been worn away buy rain and wind are are only protected by these thin cap-stone of denser rock. I was really trying to bring out that timelessness -- both with my post-processing and with the very stable and static composition.

 

If you liked this hoodoo photo, click on Martin Quinn's name above and go see his shot from Utah. Very different composition and hence quite a different mood (plus its colour). Even the forms of the Hoodoos are quite a change from these which are in Alberta. But, it certainly is a very compelling image -- I love the textures in the ridges of sandstone in the foreground and also behind the main hoodoo.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

 

Michael, thanks for coming back.

 

"I still would have cropped making the top of the left hoodoo more horizontal. That's all I meant."

 

Thanks for elucidating your original comment. Actually, you make a valid and interesting point. This could be rotated CW just a tad without loss. Since there was no horizon here and since the layers in the sandstone are not exactly level either, I was VERY careful to check my bubble levels when taking these shots.

 

But, the appearance of being level is equally important to the reality of the original orientation of the camera. I'll give a slight rotation a try.

 

Thanks for the kind words about my portfolio as a whole and for taking my comments as I meant them (I was worried I had come across as defensive -- I was really only perplexed).

 

 

I looked at the hoodoo of MartinQ. and they are interesting as well in their formation, But I like the way you have photographed this one because it brings closer the process of formation.

 

I was in Turkey in 1991 with my husband ( my painting period...pre photography...) and we visited the Garame Valley that has hoodoos as well. it is the only personal photo I have , I will send it to you via email.

Congratulations for this image and for your amazing interview, you are a true master!

Warm regards.