"A Perch, Above it All"

A view to die for, for sure!  This is spectacular, and it just goes on and on and on!  Really gives one a sense of the great tectonic forces at play here, as the Lagunas are the western boundary of the San Andreas Rift System that traverses the landscape from the Gulf of California, up through the Salton Sink, and then off to the northwest between the San Jacintos and the San Bernardinos.  In this image you are actually standing on the Pacific Plate and looking east across toward the western leading edge of the North American Plate.  Awesome image, Mark!  Cheers!  Chris

When I reached this vantage, I wanted to convey in my photograph the scale and elevation of the scene. My impression was one of immenseness, but so often we have felt this way, only to have our photographs fall short of communicating that quality. What I have learned over the years is when confronted with such a vast and epic viewpoint, the first, and most important order of business, is to choose a near foreground element that compliments the scene. From this precipice, I took special care while working along this sheer perch. After reading about so many untimely deaths in Yosemite this summer, I didn't want to become an obscure statistic (this remote location would not give me any fame, unlike Yosemite, because of it's lack of popularity). Working slowly, I made sure that the alluvial fan was completely inside the frame. The second factor that often helps the sense of scale is to shoot downward more and avoid capturing too much sky. This is actually a mini-pano, if you will, that has been stitched with another frame panned upward to include a little more sky. Still, most of the frame is filled with the downward view. Finally, combining receding layers of mountains offers the impression of distance. In this case, a larger mountain, followed by distant mountains, layers the scene from near to far. The combination of these compositional techniques often, yet not always, allows the viewer to experience the same exhilaration as the photographer, if only vicariously. 

Thanks Chris! I appreciate the comments and also the commentary! This is an area I can really sink my photographic teeth into. I was lucky that the three mornings I was out, there were at least some clouds to help the compositions. The balance of the time spent in the area was capped with bald blue skies. Of course, the last day as we were packing ushered in the best clouds of the week, yet I couldn't take advantage of it, and so it was. Thanks again!!

Mark... This is fantastic... a place to just sit for hours.  The valley leads our eyes from the junction of the foreground rocks all the way around to the soft sunset.  Because of that I catch myself pausing at the left border, trying to transition the curve a little more smoothly (see more of it).  A minor nitty comment on a beautiful landscape... Mike

dig the colors, composition's great.  don't change that.

Thanks Mike and Rebecca! Yes, a skosh more room on the left may have streamlined the path for the peepers. Funny thing, I only did one pano (this was a mini-pano). I usually do at least one, but I have grown weary of shooting level and setting up on my makeshift gear. I also have to blend multiple frames before I ever get to stitching. Alot of work for minimal returns at times, so I shot straight on throughout this trip. This one could have used a second frame on the left to open it up a little, but hindsight is 20/20!

Mark,

  Wow....breathtaking scene with powerful colors, details & lighting.  One to go in the gallery.  Thanks for sharing.  Take care, Patsy

wonderful image what a view, superb work well done.

Rich.

Hi Patsy and Richard, nice of you both to drop by! Thanks for the kind words!!