Stone Abstract

Gallery: LandscapePosted July 25, 200511,711 views37 comments

A couple of weeks ago I visited the Eastern Sierra region. The highlight of my trip was a long hike in the John Muir Wilderness. I started out above Lake Sabrina and spent 7 hours wandering through some of the most beautiful back country I have ever seen. Being there, alone, among the snow covered mountains and alpine lakes was just what I needed. At times like these I hardly see the need to pull out the camera. Why interrupt a good thing?

I did make this one composition though, which in many ways captures the essence of my trek. I plan to make it a part of my on-going "Rocks and Stones" series. This photo may be a little different than most images posted here in ESS, but hopefully it will interest some of you. I would love to hear your reaction to the image and also any general thoughts/comments you may want to share.

Pentax 67ii, 105mm, UV + Polarizer, Fuji Velvia 100F

Thanks for looking.

Regards.

Comments

37 comments

Comment posted by Bart Breet on July 25, 2005 at 5:22 PM

ART!!!

Registered on November 12, 2003, 28 Posts, 66 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Kayne on July 25, 2005 at 5:39 PM

Exceptional image! Reminds me of Wynn Bullock..but in color. Mysterious and fresh.

Joe.

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

Comment posted by Stephen Weaver on July 25, 2005 at 5:46 PM

Very Very Nice Anil! Natural art for sure! The composition is intriguing. Is that pine pollen on the water?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 226 Posts, 623 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Jirka on July 25, 2005 at 5:46 PM

Anil,
I just don't know what to say about this image. While I love all of your images, I believe you have just stepped to a new level.
Keep inspiring me.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 254 Posts, 1620 Comments

Comment posted by Alice Scoggins on July 25, 2005 at 5:49 PM

Fantastic!

Wonderful swirling lines and the color in the rocks is really unusual. Great capture!

Registered on February 21, 2005, 430 Posts, 5959 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Ludwick on July 25, 2005 at 6:07 PM

Anil,

This is outstanding. Reminds me of an oriental painting of a tidal wave.

Bob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 51 Posts, 407 Comments

Comment posted by renae sandberg on July 25, 2005 at 6:47 PM

I'm amazed. This looks like an oil painting. The geometric design and colors here are simply wonderful. Fantastic, a work or art.

Registered on December 29, 2004, 313 Posts, 2476 Comments

Comment posted by Dane Glueck on July 25, 2005 at 7:01 PM

I'm glad you did "pull out the camera" to share some of your experience with us. Would like to hear more about the scene - what's making the swirl pattern etc?.

Registered on November 10, 2003, 193 Posts, 1748 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on July 25, 2005 at 9:00 PM

Is this granite?

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

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on July 25, 2005 at 9:18 PM

I love how the above water rock anchors the rest of the composition. Really nice composition; different than what we usually see-refreshing and thought provoking.

Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments

Comment posted by Anil Rao on July 25, 2005 at 11:09 PM

Thanks for the comments posted so far.

Stephen: You guessed right, it is pine pollen floating on water.

Tony: I am not sure if the rocks are granite or not. Why?

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on July 25, 2005 at 11:46 PM

Anil: Great vision, great technique, great image. One of the best I've seen in quite a while. >-))>

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

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on July 25, 2005 at 11:55 PM

I had received a suggestion to consider photographing granite in addition to sandstone.

I definitely think this is superb.

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

Comment posted by Prashant Khapane on July 26, 2005 at 2:32 AM

Love it Anil!
I'm still wondering what are all those 'things' in the picture.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 492 Posts, 4580 Comments

Comment posted by Slavomir Dzieciatk on July 26, 2005 at 3:07 AM

Anil, this image is just stunning! As others have said, total art! I really like how only the tips of the rocks are poking out of the water, and the swirls on the surface. Excellent!!!

Registered on November 24, 2004, 61 Posts, 708 Comments

Comment posted by Juza on July 26, 2005 at 4:36 AM

Hi Anil,
I agree with the other enthusiastic comment. Very unusual, fascinating and inspiring image.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 374 Posts, 10466 Comments

Comment posted by INGOMA on July 26, 2005 at 4:52 AM

Yes Anil, this is spectacular. Amazing what patterns you see.Very nice!

Registered on July 2, 2004, 231 Posts, 3110 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Tal on July 26, 2005 at 9:23 AM

Anil, this has to be one of your best works yet if not THE best that I've seen. Absolutely incredible.

Guy

Registered on November 1, 2003, 566 Posts, 15507 Comments

Comment posted by Mary Dennis on July 26, 2005 at 9:38 AM

Hi Anil,

This is amazing. Solidity and fluidity all at once and a feast for my eyes and brain. Sounds as if it was a great personal and photographic experience in the John Muir Wilderness. What more could one ask for?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 290 Posts, 2897 Comments

Comment posted by Christopher Jordan on July 26, 2005 at 10:16 AM

Anil,

Lot's of comments already, but this is simply amazing. Definitely one of my top 5 favorite images I've ever seen on this site, or anywhere for that matter. If you ever display this as a large print anywhere, I'd LOVE to see it....

Outstanding,
CJ

Registered on November 1, 2003, 62 Posts, 475 Comments

Comment posted by Michel Legendre on July 26, 2005 at 10:20 AM

Inspiring Anil, really...
It's not only an intimate view but it also shows an intimate 'relation ship' between those 'natural' elements.
Great sensual compo...

Salut

Registered on November 1, 2003, 93 Posts, 668 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on July 26, 2005 at 11:28 AM

Comment posted by Guy Tal on 07/26/05 at 09:23 am EST

Anil, this has to be one of your best works yet if not THE best that I've seen. Absolutely incredible.

The only think I have to add is I'd love to see this as a large print.

- Dan.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Michael E. Gordon on July 26, 2005 at 12:46 PM

It's a KILLER, Anil. Just awesome. I'd be remiss if I didn't say that I'd like to see this in b/w

I love it in color, but IMO the two focal rocks could use some radical desaturation. They're quite blue/purple.

Per Mr. Kayne's comment, you should check out Wynn Bullock's 'Tide Pool, 1957'. It's an incredible image, too.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 90 Posts, 2482 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on July 26, 2005 at 2:21 PM

Anil,

In all honesty, I am nearly speechless! I will venture to say that this is a pinnacle of your work.

The rock is granite, and is typical of the basement rock of this portion of the Sierra.

Best rgards, Anil,

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Brent Stovall on July 26, 2005 at 3:08 PM

Yep!!!!!!

B.

Registered on December 6, 2004, 54 Posts, 568 Comments

Comment posted by Anil Rao on July 27, 2005 at 1:12 PM

Thanks everyone. Your thoughts mean a lot to me and I appreciate the feedback. I have to say I am overwhelmed by the response, specially since I was skeptical about the interest an off-beat image like this would generate on NPN.

I plan to get the chrome drum-scanned soon and then look forward to printing.

Regards.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Michelle C. Parent on July 27, 2005 at 3:10 PM

Anil,
This is incredibly Awesome! I love this! It looks like the beginnings of a galaxy! It is very Wynn-like to me and he is my all time favorite photographer!

Registered on June 23, 2004, 453 Posts, 5551 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Dunn on July 27, 2005 at 10:34 PM

This is remarkable, Anil. Perhaps one of the most intriguing abstracts I've seen a while. I could look at this for a VERY long time and enjoy every moment.

Registered on February 22, 2004, 35 Posts, 1311 Comments

Comment posted by Jeffrey Sipress on July 28, 2005 at 7:27 PM

Fantastic. Pond scum as art! I go up there often and see these patterns. Nice catch.

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

Comment posted by Eric Fredine on July 29, 2005 at 9:51 PM

A very striking image Anil. I think that often the best images come when we are relaxed and not 'looking' to collect a trophy. There is something almost animated about the lines here.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 148 Posts, 1464 Comments

Comment posted by Reno DiTullio on August 2, 2005 at 9:33 PM

An outstanding image, Anil, well done

Registered on November 14, 2003, 130 Posts, 1644 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Moats on January 5, 2006 at 3:02 PM

Hey Anil, congrats on a awesome image.

Registered on October 20, 2004, 892 Posts, 6324 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Cordes on January 5, 2006 at 4:59 PM

Anil, this is a super image and well deserving of the EP award. Congratulations

Registered on November 1, 2003, 451 Posts, 3366 Comments

Comment posted by Alice Scoggins on January 5, 2006 at 8:44 PM

I loved this the first time and it certainly deserves the annual EP award! Congrats!

Registered on February 21, 2005, 430 Posts, 5959 Comments

Comment posted by fernando brito on May 18, 2008 at 11:58 AM

This is really fantastic Anil!!! This is the kind of imagery that REALLY goes beyond the mainstream!! Very, very good!!
Congrats!!

Fernando Brito

Registered on December 21, 2003, 124 Posts, 486 Comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on July 13, 2016 at 11:41 AM

Fascinating image Anil. Aside from everything all have stated the simple color pattern works so well here, the dull yellow and the muted blue rock.

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

Comment posted by Marylynne Diggs on July 14, 2016 at 12:24 PM

Just fabulous! No nits.

Registered on December 14, 2010, 122 Posts, 1034 Comments