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Beautiful Badlands
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Beautiful Badlands

by gary phillips

Gallery: LandscapePosted May 12, 2014563 views36 comments
This is from a recent trip to the Utah badlands. An evening filled with immense opportunity to try to capture the essence of this wonderful country. I hope that I can display at least a small part of what I felt at the time. :cool:

5d2, iso 50, f/16, 80mm, .3s

Way better large.

Comments

36 comments
Comment posted by Lon Overacker on May 12, 2014 at 6:53 AM
Gary,

My first thought was this looks like a Guy Tal image.... this is a compliment. Excellent capture and presentation of the Utah Badlands. Sure looks like a place with any number of possibilities - you've nailed this one. No nits from me.

Lon
Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on May 12, 2014 at 9:13 AM
Very nice indeed Gary, beautifully seen and presented. Excellent work.
John
Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on May 12, 2014 at 11:34 AM
Love the comp with the lazy S-curve of flowers winding up through the frame to the butte Gary.
Techs looks right on the money & I agree "Way better large"! :toast: :toast:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by Harley Goldman on May 12, 2014 at 1:55 PM
Beautiful, Gary. Wonderful comp, colors and mood. I might consider a slight CCW rotation? But that might just be me, being a little unbalanced. Really nice image and feel for the place.
Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Bristol on May 12, 2014 at 2:04 PM
Gary, This is excellent! I really enjoy looking at the large version! :toast:

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI
Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on May 12, 2014 at 2:53 PM
An excellent tone throughout this scene, Gary. This area around Hanksville is a real treat to visit and photograph. I do like the low perspective on this scene and find it works very well here. I do think I would throw the grid on this as it feels right tipped just a bit, but hard to tell without checking....... :cool:
Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments
Comment posted by Navin Sarma on May 12, 2014 at 3:04 PM
Love this image Gary. Needs to be viewed large to be appreciated fully. The trickle up the frame is divine.
Registered on July 17, 2011, 233 Posts, 1373 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Reid on May 12, 2014 at 3:06 PM
The large version looks great Gary with nice detail and wonderful colors and tones especially in the back round. Really nice. :toast:
Registered on January 27, 2013, 65 Posts, 2460 Comments
Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on May 12, 2014 at 4:57 PM
very nice sinuous path of flowers :wavey:
Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments
Comment posted by Bruce King on May 12, 2014 at 6:05 PM
Really nice image Gary. A composition with a little more exposed on top might give it even more depth but not knowing what's up there? I agree it seems tipped very slightly until I look at the line of strata at the top of the frame and it looks dead level so I think if you turned it at all it would throw that off and look odd. Very cool shot.....I like it a lot. :toast:
Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Cothran on May 12, 2014 at 6:53 PM
Super nice. What a great, and creative, composition. Good DOF raises this image a few notches.
Registered on December 5, 2012, 31 Posts, 730 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Kearl on May 12, 2014 at 7:04 PM
I agree on a bit of CCW rotation, but waht a nice scene and comp you captured.......
Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments
Comment posted by Karsten Wrobel on May 12, 2014 at 7:35 PM
oh boy, what a cool shot. the fg sure looks nice, but the giant rock formations lurking in the back really make this shot for me... slightly menacing, but at the same time making me want to go there and explore :toast:
Registered on November 1, 2008, 117 Posts, 851 Comments
Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on May 12, 2014 at 10:01 PM
Like Lon, I thought it has a Tal-esque quality to it - and yes that is a great compliment. I love the leading line of the flowers how it takes you deep into the scene and the color contrast with the gray earth is wonderful. A really great image.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on May 12, 2014 at 11:35 PM
The trail of flowers leads my eye nicely into the scene and provides a nice contrast to the otherwise stark environment.
Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments
Comment posted by gary phillips on May 13, 2014 at 12:07 AM
Thanks everyone for the nice comments. Particularly the the Guy Tal references are very flattering. It is through Guys photographs and writings that I came to really appreciate what these badlands have to offer. I am a huge fan of Guy's work and philosophy. As far as the CCW goes, I tried it both ways . The striation line in the BG cliffs are essentially level and any adjustment looks a little off. Anyway, thanks again. :smile:
Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments
Comment posted by Kathy Barnhart on May 13, 2014 at 12:08 AM
This is really gorgeous, Gary, with the bluish hills and yellow flowers that lead the eye up to some special layered rock. Minimalist and simple--- completely perfect!
Registered on November 11, 2011, 404 Posts, 1639 Comments
Comment posted by Sairam Sundaresan on May 13, 2014 at 12:42 AM
A beautiful story you have here Gary!
Registered on March 14, 2013, 100 Posts, 643 Comments
Comment posted by Ian Cameron on May 13, 2014 at 1:13 AM
Gosh a big difference from thumbnail to normal size and an even bigger transformation when you see the full size image. Very nice shot and love the meandering path of flowers.
Registered on August 6, 2004, 1125 Posts, 3318 Comments
Comment posted by John Williams on May 13, 2014 at 2:44 AM
That's an almost esoteric comp, almost guaranteed to not be picked up by a swell of popularity at some of the larger photo posting sites, but I love it. The subtleties are magnificent here. I get and agree with what the others said about Guy's work, and totally agree about the larger version. I'd love to see a huge print. :toast:
Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments
Comment posted by Rick Turner on May 13, 2014 at 1:43 PM
Very nice find Gary. Must see larger version to appreicate :toast:
Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments
Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on May 13, 2014 at 4:31 PM
This is awesome Gary. Excellent work. Love the color contrast and all the details throughout the image. :toast:
Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments
Comment posted by Jared Warren on May 13, 2014 at 6:29 PM
Very nice comp and interesting detail. :toast:
Registered on May 11, 2012, 84 Posts, 931 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Leggett on May 13, 2014 at 9:55 PM
Nicely shown, Gary. I'm currently in Utah and have photographed similar formations, but none with such nice flora. Well done.
Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Chambers on May 14, 2014 at 5:50 PM
I love this Gary. Great elements and composition; large version is a treat.
Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments
Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on May 15, 2014 at 2:34 AM
Beautiful !! :toast:
Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments
Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on May 15, 2014 at 3:14 AM
I like the stream of yellow blooms meandering across the floor.
Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on May 16, 2014 at 4:42 AM
Don't know if I can deal with a color shot from you, Gary. :biggrin: That's a lovely zig-zag of flowers leading back to some fascinating shape, that I'd love to explore. This is a neat combination of warm and harsh.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Roel Wijtmans on May 16, 2014 at 2:23 PM
Stunning picture, Gary!
Registered on September 30, 2012, 116 Posts, 2257 Comments
Comment posted by David Chauvin on May 17, 2014 at 2:08 PM
Love it! This has a feeling of quiet beauty that is hard to achieve. Would love to see this printed. :toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments
Comment posted by Vance Gese on May 18, 2014 at 9:27 PM
A little late in commenting, Gary, but wanted to say that this is exquisite. The lead in of the flowers, and the graceful forms and lines in background really make this outstanding.
Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on May 22, 2014 at 8:13 PM
Congratulations on the WP honor in this gallery last week, Gary. A wonderful take on this vast area. .......... :toast:

Always enjoy your photos from this area, Gary. I've been BY here several times during mid day usually, not good for photo time. Still like the visual feast when driving through...... :cool:
Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on May 23, 2014 at 12:14 PM
See what happens when you use color. :biggrin: Congrats on a well deserved WP.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Smith on May 24, 2014 at 3:43 PM
I gotta say, this seems like a visit to Jurassic Park to view massive dinosaurs or dragons at rest. Cropped nicely it grabs the topo-transition to emphasize almost a wall.. I wonder what are the geologic origins. I love it. Congrats on WP!
Registered on September 5, 2008, 449 Posts, 2444 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Fach on May 26, 2014 at 2:22 PM
Gary: One must view the larger version to get any proper sense of how good this is. Marvelous comp and capture. Congrats on the WP. >=))>
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments
Comment posted by Pat Sampson on May 27, 2014 at 2:50 PM
Congrats Gary. I love this.

pat
Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments