Reptilian Rocks

Gallery: LandscapePosted October 8, 20091,188 views54 comments

The cold, foggy, hidden coast of the arctic Barent Sea near Murmansk (Russia).
must be one of the weirdest, most colorful pieces of coastline I have ever seen. and the best is, I don't think this was photogrpahed very often before (if ever). sure enough it's a far flung place, hard to find, difficult to access. we photographed this maybe 1km long stretch of rocky shore, with twisted and turned sandstone formations for many days and in all kinds of weather and tides. if you like to see more versions of this place, we already have a few pics up on our website under "new work" - not much considered we exposed 200 4x5 trannies, but not too much time to scan and post these days...
plus I post one in NPN Photographers gallery, to give some sense of scale.
Verena
Toyo Field 45 AII, 75mm, Velvia 50, pol

Comments

54 comments

Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on October 8, 2009 at 6:06 AM

I'm speechless. What an amazing scene!

Registered on September 29, 2009, 137 Posts, 2659 Comments

Comment posted by Steve France on October 8, 2009 at 7:05 AM

oh my ! What on earth!?! This is crazy! What a coast!!!

Not only do the colours blow you away..the dymanic of this with those diagonals is wonderful.
Im going to your web site right now! One of your best!

Registered on September 26, 2007, 89 Posts, 1477 Comments

Comment posted by Bruno Silva on October 8, 2009 at 7:14 AM

I´ll go along with steve´s words..."this is crazy". impressive coast lines and textures, color range as well. excelent image.

Registered on May 6, 2009, 132 Posts, 1406 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on October 8, 2009 at 7:51 AM

Crazy colors indeed! I have spotted these recent abstracts on your website already some time ago and after having seen them for a while I think this one here works best. The best "flow" in the comp. The colors make up a lot of the appeal here of course. The blurred water is a nice add on too.

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Trinkner on October 8, 2009 at 8:07 AM

Wow, probably the best shoreline rock picture I've ever seen. The colors are amazing. This place must have been incredible in person. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on June 30, 2008, 203 Posts, 2641 Comments

Comment posted by Andreas Resch on October 8, 2009 at 8:14 AM

Definitely one of your best in the "new images" gallery of your webpage. The straight forward impact of the diagonals together with the colors and the clarity make this one stand out.

Registered on November 14, 2007, 322 Posts, 6101 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on October 8, 2009 at 8:30 AM

The colors, comp, and mood are fantastic Verena! Beautiful work!

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Moore on October 8, 2009 at 9:19 AM

Wow, incredible formations and colours for a coastline, this is amazing!. Really nice mood and composition in this scene!.

Registered on May 23, 2006, 93 Posts, 2228 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on October 8, 2009 at 9:28 AM

Magnificent! What a unique coastline, well captured.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments

Comment posted by Angela Classen on October 8, 2009 at 9:39 AM

Wow, the colors are amazing! Love the strong diagonals and the wispy waves add a touch of mystery and make me wonder if this was actually taken on Planet Earth.

Very well done.

Registered on June 13, 2007, 434 Posts, 2742 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Goldwasser on October 8, 2009 at 10:19 AM

Wow, that is some unique scenery, looks like a different planet! I'm going to your site to see more of this place.

Registered on May 10, 2009, 127 Posts, 970 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Simpson on October 8, 2009 at 10:22 AM

Wow, very cool formations and crazy colour! I like your comp here, very simple but dynamic. Great work!

Registered on December 11, 2006, 303 Posts, 924 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Dawson on October 8, 2009 at 10:24 AM

wow, this is just fantastic, what a great pallette of color and texture. One of my favorites of your work and that is saying a lot!

Registered on February 4, 2006, 364 Posts, 8872 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Kayne on October 8, 2009 at 10:25 AM

Marvelous, guys!!! Joe.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 573 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on October 8, 2009 at 10:39 AM

Wow, most incredible. This place is a Tony Kuyper wet dream! You exposed 200 sheets? Amazing. Great stuff, Verena!!!!

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Verena & Georg Pop on October 8, 2009 at 10:46 AM

Harley, funny we even had to think of the classic US- southwest sandstone scenes, especially by TK, when we were there. we thought if Arizona or Utah would have a coast, it would most likely look like this in certain places...

yep, 200 trannies (taken during ca. 10 days: hight tide, lowtide, sunrise/set/clouds, calm days, high waves etc.etc) - you don't get a chance to shoot in this setting all too often!
verena

Registered on July 5, 2006, 272 Posts, 2823 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Anderson on October 8, 2009 at 11:01 AM

Beautiful surreal colors here.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on October 8, 2009 at 11:20 AM

WOW! Awesome stuff.

Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on October 8, 2009 at 11:46 AM

Stunningly beautiful! Great colors, lines, and the misty ocean waters make this a magical shot.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on October 8, 2009 at 11:47 AM

Wow, what colors!!! This is gorgeous Verena.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Laurent Baig on October 8, 2009 at 11:47 AM

Wow, this is got to be the cotton candy of rock formations!

Registered on January 12, 2005, 206 Posts, 6784 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on October 8, 2009 at 11:48 AM

Stunningly beautiful. Great colors, lines, and the misty ocean waters make this one magical.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Wegemann on October 8, 2009 at 11:57 AM

I see why you spent many days here. Total eye candy! I love this one and I hope you'll post more as you get time.

Registered on December 14, 2006, 58 Posts, 1888 Comments

Comment posted by Trevor Anderson on October 8, 2009 at 2:18 PM

Wow. Very interesting and unusual stretch of coast. Amazing color palette here!

Registered on April 25, 2007, 64 Posts, 483 Comments

Comment posted by Carl Donohue on October 8, 2009 at 2:29 PM

Hey Verena

This is amazing, in every way. What a fantastic place, and your photo does it justice - really great photo.

Cheers

Carl

Registered on November 1, 2003, 46 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Dayton on October 8, 2009 at 2:42 PM

Beautiful, Verena and Georg! I've never seen anything like it. Great colors
and wonderful diagonal lines.

Registered on November 11, 2008, 281 Posts, 3958 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Good on October 8, 2009 at 3:13 PM

These are colors like I would expect to see in a desert setting, or something. Fascinating! Strong composition too, although I do wonder what an exposure with a little less wave action would look like in the fg. Nice find, a very unique and well-crafted image.

Registered on March 17, 2007, 116 Posts, 4764 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Gordon on October 8, 2009 at 3:43 PM

Stunning colours and certainly not what you generally expect to see. I browsed your site and youve made some great images at this location. Very different and very cool..

Registered on May 31, 2007, 224 Posts, 1490 Comments

Comment posted by Karsten Wrobel on October 8, 2009 at 3:44 PM

oh boy, this is totally amazing... mindblowing colours from such an out-of-the-way location... the waters in the fg almost look like rising fumes... thanks for sharing this cool place!

Registered on November 1, 2008, 117 Posts, 851 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on October 8, 2009 at 4:09 PM

Stunning array of colors Verena, and the forms and textures are just superb! Another spectacular scene from you and Georg!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on October 8, 2009 at 4:35 PM

Absolutely stunning, just some amazing photography, excellent find and a great job showing the beauty of this rugged place. Wonderful images on your website!

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Paulo A.Lopes on October 8, 2009 at 6:28 PM

One thing is for sure, i would never know if it wasn't for your image that exists such exquisite rocks.

Registered on October 14, 2008, 122 Posts, 836 Comments

Comment posted by Chip Phillips on October 8, 2009 at 6:37 PM

Wow! The coolest looking shoreline I have seen. The soft lighting is perfect for the colors in the rock.
Fantastic image.

Registered on November 26, 2007, 128 Posts, 1436 Comments

Comment posted by Kathy Odiorne on October 8, 2009 at 7:59 PM

The colors are just amazing. Nicely done.
Kathy

Registered on November 1, 2003, 211 Posts, 1471 Comments

Comment posted by Benjamin Olson on October 8, 2009 at 8:08 PM

Gorgeous, I love it!

Registered on April 7, 2007, 169 Posts, 725 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on October 8, 2009 at 11:21 PM

Wow! I'm panting so hard I fogged up my monitor. Let me wipe it off.

There, that's better. Now I just need to clean the drool off the keyboard.

Gosh darn, how did this piece of Arizona ever find it's way to Russia?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on October 8, 2009 at 11:54 PM

This is one phenomenal image Verena. More than phenomenal. Breathtaking. One of the most amazing images I've seen in a long time.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Vaughan on October 9, 2009 at 12:07 AM

Wow, what an outstanding image Verena.

Registered on April 29, 2009, 57 Posts, 670 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on October 9, 2009 at 12:12 AM

Definately one of the wildest things I've ever seen!! Rugged, and psychadelic. Beautiful color processing too!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Verena & Georg Pop on October 9, 2009 at 2:07 AM

Tony, haha, thanks! yes, I wondered what your experience in sanstone photography could carve out of this place. I'm not sure if I'll ever get a chance to shoot there again, but if I will, I'll think about attending a workshop with you before going there!

georg

Registered on July 5, 2006, 272 Posts, 2823 Comments

Comment posted by Adrian Klein on October 9, 2009 at 9:02 AM

Wickedly cool, the colors, texture and light all work so well here. Amazing place and this shows it off quite well!

Registered on June 10, 2007, 112 Posts, 1506 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Lundh on October 9, 2009 at 11:35 AM

Wierd and fantastic! Love the abstract that this large scale presents...

Registered on April 28, 2004, 774 Posts, 4351 Comments

Comment posted by Jesse Speer on October 9, 2009 at 11:44 AM

Wow. "Striking" is just a starting point. I'm mostly just speechless. Thank you for sharing this, as I could only dream of seeing this in person. Very humbling photograph.

Registered on September 18, 2004, 19 Posts, 339 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on October 9, 2009 at 1:44 PM

This will inspire any photographer! What an image, the tonality is amazing, the colors ranging from strong to subtle, and a comp that yells motion.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Adamus on October 9, 2009 at 6:28 PM

Absolutely my favorite image of yours ever, and probably the most incredible and unique seascape abstract I've ever seen. Totally stunning. Image of the year IMO. Nothing more I can say.

Registered on September 17, 2005, 780 Posts, 8091 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Edlund on October 9, 2009 at 9:59 PM

Wow thats some amazing rock formations, almost looks like something from a sci fi movie. Wonderful shot I love th color and texture

Registered on February 9, 2009, 21 Posts, 284 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on October 10, 2009 at 3:23 PM

This is insane!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Verena & Georg Pop on October 10, 2009 at 4:39 PM

thanks all - so many nice comments! glad the hard work to get this done resulted in an image that is so well received with you photogs out there!
gets me motivated to swap a few more trannies on the scanner soon...!

verena

Registered on July 5, 2006, 272 Posts, 2823 Comments

Comment posted by Jose Suro on October 11, 2009 at 9:06 AM

Outstanding staccato display of color - An excellent image!

Best,

Jose

Registered on June 24, 2006, 267 Posts, 2273 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on October 12, 2009 at 7:10 PM

Congrats on the EP. Not much I can add to all the well-deserved superlatives above :)