Life On The Edge

Gallery: LandscapePosted September 18, 2016240 views13 comments

I was not really sure where to post this so here as a 'micro-landscape' (thanks Jim) ...

Taken at the Rio Tinto, Andalusia. This is a very special location: The water derives from old mine workings where sulfide minerals are oxidized by microorganisms to sulfuric acid. The river has in places a pH of 1.7-2.5 and as well as a lot of iron (hence the colour) contains cobalt, manganese and cadmium. No plants, no fish, no amphibians and insects die pretty soon after contact, which means that despite the near 40°C, wellies are 'a must' ... The only organic structures in the water are very fragile strands made by the microorganisms which are able to survive in these very extreme conditions. Fascinating to me as a chemist, the resulting reds, yellows, oranges and greens which glow intensely in the Spanish sun are a dream for a photographer ...

Sigma DP3 Merrill (50mm), ISO100, F2.8, !7125 sec.

A larger image can be viewed HERE

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Krunal Janani on September 18, 2016 at 7:36 AM

Mesmerising micro landscape Mark devil

which ever gallery it may be classified you got a winner sad

Registered on September 16, 2010, 60 Posts, 1370 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Cameron on September 18, 2016 at 12:06 PM

Very beautiful Mark. I have always wanted to see the Rio Tinto for myself and this certainly reawakens my interest in it. Love the spreading rainbow of colours in radial pattern from lower right corner.

Registered on August 6, 2004, 1125 Posts, 3318 Comments

Comment posted by Mark James Ford on September 18, 2016 at 4:38 PM

Thanks for the compliments - The river really is something special (for detail / colour / structure work) even when the conditions (in August) are not so easy for black bodied cameras (or the photographers either) and certainly worth the trip.

Ian, I have just put out a blog about the trip (together with Ines) ... which may well wet your appetite a little more enlightened

http://www.blauvista.com/html/rio-tinto-the-red-river/

Registered on January 16, 2015, 60 Posts, 430 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on September 18, 2016 at 6:49 PM

This is incredible. I have no idea sense of scale. Bravo.

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Jeffrey Sipress on September 18, 2016 at 10:17 PM

Nice imaging, Mark. I like these intimate scenes of biological diversity and chemical deviation.

Registered on February 17, 2004, 236 Posts, 1197 Comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on September 19, 2016 at 1:57 AM

This is a very beautiful creative image. I particularly like the reds and how they get darker as they approach the ulc. Even though I can see the rocks and plants I prefer to look at this as swaths of color that flow into one another. The portion to the right of the plant is the weakest in my opinion and doesn't work well with the rest except to provide a balance to the central green. This composition is about as strong as you can get with these subjects, though. Would love to see a larger version of this because the details may take this to another level.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on September 19, 2016 at 8:34 AM

Stunning abstract Mark. I love the rich color and forms.

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on September 20, 2016 at 8:02 AM

Wow! This is Fantastic! Beautiful to look at! Cheers.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on September 20, 2016 at 5:51 PM

This is an intense abstract. Wild colors and real nice patterns. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on September 21, 2016 at 9:44 PM

The flow and the colors alone make this a very pleasing image with great impact. After looking at your website I'm looking forward to you sharing more of these on NPN.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on September 22, 2016 at 10:01 AM

Looks very much like an aerial but I couldn't be sure. The colours and abstract design are wonderful.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Navin Sarma on September 24, 2016 at 3:58 PM

This is a beautiful shot. Amazing composition and the colors work very well together. However my favorite aspect is the texture... wavy and directional. This is a 10 piece. Very well done

Registered on July 17, 2011, 233 Posts, 1373 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on September 25, 2016 at 3:28 PM

Mark: Superbly seen and captured. Most excellent! >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments