Anasazi Ruins

I have seen this ruin a lot of times. Many of the greats have photographed this place; Adams, Sexton... However, this is the first time I've seen it in color. Wow! It looks like a bonfire. Did you enhance he colors digitally? I find difficult to believe such saturation and brilliance. Even if it's been done many times, what a great picture.

It was shot with Velvia. Maybe 1/3 f-stop underexposed. No color push in Photoshop.

The upper left corner was burned slightly to focus the viewpoint to the center of the flames. Many people would consider Velvia chemically enhanced color. :-)

Very beautifully done from an original perspective.

Very nice Miles ..............

Magnificent and incredibly original.

This location is getting popular. I have seen several new images of this area in the last 2-3 months. The very first one I saw was from John Sexton (couple of years ago?) and I thot it was out of this world ... almost like a Marsian landscape.

Now, about the image ... may be a slight use of PS gradient to give a little more hint of what's lurking in the bottom left corner would bring more out of the image? Just a thot ... beautiful colors, as expected from this area.

Icould not stop thinking that was a bon fire...great shot. PK.

I like the fact that the dark area on the lower left wedges the viewpoint up into the image towards the fire. I could lighten it to expose more detail but that would fight the composition as I view it.

Canyon de Chelly, Mesa Verde, or Chaco Culture where is this? I hope you can tell us, seems from the above discusion that this is a well known location. Where ever they are the Anasazi Ruins are well worth a trip to see. This one would look great in large format. Could the forground be improved?

Very nice! Indian ruins are one of my favorite subjects; I have photographed only but a few in Arizona but plan to do more in the future. At the risk of sounding ignorant Ill have to ask you where this location is, it seems to me that it could be either in southern Colorado or northern Arizona in the Navajo reservation but you say they are Anasazi, I cant quite figure it out. Would you please share with us exactly where these are?

 

Now for the photograph merits: its a toss-up between your preferred version (dark ruins to highlight the flames) and the suggestion to lighten up the lower section a little. I for one feel that the ruins should be the center of attention and need to be brightened up just a tad. Although I tend to like the brighter flame look of the rock, I still think a better capture can be achieved with a ND filter (on flames) and post exposure dodging/burning of ruins in order to have better control of the light to dark ratio. Im surprised at the lack of detail in the dwellings since this was taken with a 645 camera, but I suspect that it is due to a slight underexposure in which the shadow detail was increased post exposure. (Im not putting down your photograph, Im only trying to figure out why the lack of detail in the lower section). I still would have preferred the building to be a little brighter and have a little less grain. Excellent angle and framing reduced down to a 6/6 due to grain.

THIScombination is already very popular, too popular and as the whole 4 corners area has been displayed with hardly increaseable saturation the only original way to present this would be black and white, if, if, well if not the big dead master AA hadn't already done this decades ago. Tough situation.

 

I like the pic however for its not so run-of-the-mill depiction of the ruins and of course the illumination bonfire effect, but still it doesn't speak to me, not a bit.

 

If this were my shot I'd be happy but not proud and would feel uneasy with the nagging feeling that I didn't live up to my expectations and the opportunity

Stunning ankle. I love this picture.

I think this is a photo that will invite many more photographers to show what they can do with the ruins should they be the ones to hold the camera. Personally, I find it explosive with the feel of the southwest. It screams at me to come back and do more. In fact, I would like to see the exact photo done in black & white to see what play the shadows would perform for us. Of course, the time of day would be different, yes?, and the lighting on the lower section would be different, but still a wonderful challenge. Don't you agree?

For all of us critics who feel the overall best is not achieved yet, I say, GO FOR IT! Take up the challenge and do your best. I will look forward to seeing all the effort posted for everyone to view and appreciate.

 

As for this photo by Miles Hecker, I say, "Well done, my friend!" "Well done!"

This is a well-done capture of (for me) a now familiar subject. Michael arranged to be on location at the right time for the reflected light. I would appreciate some lightening of the foreground. The flames could be accentuated from a closer viewpoint and wider lens (difficult with MF). The ruins are leaning back just enough to be distracting.

 

Although this shot has been published by numerous well known photographers (Muench, Sexton,...), no one has managed to capture this place successfully. This photo - like my own - is high saturation reportage and does not capture the feeling of majesty *I* felt when at this site. The site is about more than the striata (flames). The image is a good capture of another South Western "oddity", no-more, no-less.

 

Finally, please could all visitors to this and similar sites observe proper site etiquette? These structures are fragile and unprotected, and their decline is noticeably accelerating with increasing visitation. It is easy for visitors to brush walls with backpacks, weakening the structure etc.

The angle is perfect. This is one of the more dramatic photos that I have seen of this familiar landmark.

I have a similar print on my wall here at home that I shot last summer (also on Velvia) with my Pentax 67II. I shot about 3 rolls at this ruin on a broiling hot day in late June about mid-day, which provided almost perfect and very even bounced light. It's one of my favorite shots- but here I was thinking that I had discovered something relatively new.....

Best use of 'velvia orange' since the late Galen Rowell.

This simple shot of an unmoving object (another no-no for me) is stunning and captivating - fire raging among ancient ruins, a show of colour and force that is both brutal and beautiful.

The thing that I always enjoy about these cliff dwellings and the like is that it shows people in harmony with nature, perhaps even a part of it.

I like the colors and 'fire' concept but I would like to see a little different balance of the photo. This place in fact is photographed quite often and very similar prints are offer for sale taken from the same spot in Mule Canyon, Cedar Mesa. The main attraction of Mule Canyon is the Anasazi Indian ruins that can be seen under the cliffs on the north side of the canyon. The Mule Canyon dwellings were built and occupied by the Anasazis about 1200 A.D. The ruins have never been excavated or restored. I don't understand why people say they know where it is but don't answer the posted question for exact location.

Truly awesome! A photo of the week that is awe inspiring and taken with real film in a real camera AND with no manipulation! Wonderful!

This is an amazing place! At first sight, i really thought it was taken by a Fireman ! I like the colour and the proportion of "flame" compared with the "house". I have also had a chance to look at the author's other images, i'm really impressed with the use of "Velvia" !

Splendid! The cliff seems fire!!

Unbelieveable! Fire or stone?

Great done.

Intense, bright, eye-catching. In those respects, surely this picture accomplishes the maker's intent. The composition emphasizes an upward flow of the striations in the rock very successfully, as well, reinforcing the firy feel to the bright colors and lines. Though I like the balance of shapes, I do find the lower left area a little dark and it feels like the color is slightly shifted in those shadow areas. I don't doubt that this is faithful to the slide, but here it would benefit (just my opinion, of course) from a little judicious dodging and a slight adjustment to the color balance to bring it more in line with the top part of the image.

 

Having recently shot many frames in Bryce Canyon, I feel little inclined to condemn Miles for having taken a shot in a recognizable place. Enjoy.