Midway Geyser Abstract

Beautiful shot Chet, I like the comp and the colored mist is really interesting. I might have preferred a little more room at the top, and it looks like it needs a slight CCW rotation.

This is a familiar view, Chet, since I posted a vaguely similar view in Landscape back in early June. Because of that, I know why you haven't included more up top and agree completely with your choice. You've caught some strong color in the mist and lots of interesting texture in the foreground.

I love Yellowstone geyser abstracts. This image has very nice elements including the pattern in the fg, mist in the bg, and the bg color. Beautiful image, Chet.

Hi Chet A delightful geyser abstract.. i too love the colored mist and the interesting patterns


Albert Darmo
Canada

What a unique place, and it looks like you have captured it perfectly, Chet. The colored mist seems so unreal, as if it is lit by some fire that is emerging from the depths of the Earth.

I wonder... what is the source of the color in the mist?

... And since I am asking questions, the other comments have got me wondering:
(1) Thomas suggests a CCW rotation, which would make it slope even more downhill to the left. Is this geyser really on a fairly noticeable slope?
(2) Mark knows why you did not include more at the top of the frame. Anyone care to share the secret?

Wayne, the colors in the mist are reflections of the colors in the hot springs. In this case, the blues are from the deeper hottest water and the orange/red from slightly cooler waters near the edge where colored bacteria and/or algae grow.

There's a hillside behind the springs that is covered with new growth pines and standing burned snags from the fires in 1988 and there is a power line. While the mist from the hot springs often obscures the the power poles, the hillside is only okay scenery wise and to include it (at least in my opinion) you have to take a much wider view, which gives up the abstract and makes it much harder to emphasize the interesting colors and textures in the runoff.

This pool is quite flat, if you look at the overhead views of Grand Prismatic Springs, you can see that the runoff goes in all directions. I'd say the in Chet's image the tilted horizon is an illusion that comes from the front edge of the pool and in this view that edge is running away from the photographer at nearly 90 degrees. The real horizon (bottom of the trees) looks level on the right and is completely hidden in the left half of the image.

Wayne, Thanks for your comments. The geyser pools in this area lie on a flat plain as I remember and I think the mist itself causes an appearance of a slant to the left. I would guess the color is caused by refraction as the light moves the through the heavier mist. Anyway it is a wonderful place to do abstract images. Chet