Posted by John Mumaw on October 13, 2009 at 11:53 AM
During the last 3 days, I got to complete a journey that I've longed to take for years now...a traverse of the Manti-LaSal Nat'l. Forest lands just west of Monticello, Utah.
The M-LS forest contains everything from pinyon/juniper/cedar forests to lush stands of ponderosa pines and aspen, and is crowned by one of the great laccolithic mountain ranges of the Colorado Plateau...the Blue (Abajo) Mountains.
This area also contain the origins of many of the great canyon systems of SE Utah, incl. the Grand Gulch, Salt Creek Canyon (Needles area of Canyonlands), Dark Canyon, White Canyon and numerous single deep defiles in the surrounding sandstone plateaulands.
Needless to say, the viewpoints into these areas are spectacular. If I hadn't spent most of the 'magic hours' crawling in and out of canyons, I might have even taken a few classic landscape shots.
Just gives me reason to return again (..and again and again).
This Anasazi granary is located in Beef Basin near the Canyonlands border, an area rich with archaeological sites. Unlike most ancient granaries, this one had no constructed sides or top. Just a wall covering a cavelike opening. That, and the vortex like rock walls leading ones eye into the black maw of the entrance, produced an almost chilling effect and reminded me of a Bob Dylan song, which I cheerfully nicked for the title here.
Canon 5DII w/17-40 lens @ 17mm
1/20 sec. @ f8 ISO 100
B&W Adjustment Layer with the opacity lessened slightly
in order to reintroduce just a hint of original color.
Posted by Stan Rose on October 13, 2009 at 11:59 AM
What a fabulous comp, John--that window just pulls me right in! Hope you can share some more--sounds like an awesome trip.
Posted by Joseph Kayne on October 13, 2009 at 12:12 PM
I photographed this ruin many years ago and even went into Bobby's Hole....Neat area. Neat photograph! email me with your address and I will send my photo to you.
Joe.
Posted by Guy Schmickle on October 13, 2009 at 12:27 PM
What a wonderful little granary! I've never seen one built into the wall like that. I also like how almost all the lines in the surrounding rock lead to the opening. Excellent b&w treatment as well.
Posted by Joe Rogers on October 13, 2009 at 12:37 PM
A fantasic treatment, John. Almost has a spellbinding effect if you look at it long enough......would make a terrific cover photogrpah for a subject dealing with some sort of spirtualism or science fiction. Very apporpriate title, also.
Joe Rogers
Posted by Kurt Bowman on October 13, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Beautiful John! I love the comp and the tonality of this shot!
Terrific John!!! You captured this just perfectly and your mostly BW works wonderfully. As others have said, it pulls you right in. Can't wait to hear more about your trip and be inspired by your other images.
Posted by Kurt Bowman on October 13, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Beautiful John! I love the comp and the tonality of this shot!
Posted by Brett Deacon on October 13, 2009 at 3:30 PM
WOW! Amazing shot! Very graphic and intriguing. I love the B&W conversion. I'd be proud to hang this in my living room.
Posted by Ken Wyatt on October 13, 2009 at 4:22 PM
Nice shot! Beef Basin and Bobbie's Hole areas are one of my favorite places to explore. Have you been able to photograph some of the pictographs in the area - Five Faces, Thirteen Faces and All American Man?
Ken
Posted by Brian Jackson on October 13, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Nice shot and like the title.
Posted by John Mumaw on October 13, 2009 at 4:38 PM
Thanks for the kind words, folks!
More images to dribble out over the coming weeks...
Have you been able to photograph some of the pictographs in the area - Five Faces, Thirteen Faces and All American Man?
I sure did, Ken.
Captured those about 15 years ago when a 15 mile round trip hike in one day's time didn't faze me and one could still drive in the Salt River Canyon inside of Canyonlands to capture the others without a long slog through the river.
Just outstanding, John! The image has the rarity, intrigue, comp and texture to really make me want to study it for awhile. And your trip sounds amazing. Congrats!
Posted by Kalin Wilson on October 13, 2009 at 5:07 PM
Nice find and beautiful treatment of the image! This is an area that I've driven through and wondered about for years. Great motivation to do some exploration!
Posted by Scott Bacon on October 13, 2009 at 5:11 PM
John, this is fantastic. The composition, light, and toning are perfection, IMHO.
Posted by Phillip Noll on October 13, 2009 at 6:36 PM
Very cool, John! Looks like a doorway to another dimension!
Posted by Jeff Beard on October 13, 2009 at 7:47 PM
This is one of the more impactful images I've seen recently. The shape of the space and the black of the entry way give a real sense of "pulling" you into the image. The choice of processing was a very good one, IMHO.
Posted by Nat Coalson on October 13, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Really great work, John! Thanks for your descriptive text as well.
Posted by Paul Wegemann on October 13, 2009 at 9:53 PM
Love this, as I do your other images of similar subjects that I've seen here. Please post more!
Posted by Paul Beiser on October 14, 2009 at 8:33 AM
ohh.. nice John.. actually VERY VERY nice . Passing through Monticello numerous times, I have always looked west to these lands.. look forward to your photos of them
Posted by Jesse Speer on October 14, 2009 at 11:11 AM
This is stunning. And your technique works very well for the subject matter.
Posted by Bob Falcone on October 14, 2009 at 1:32 PM
I'm trying to think of adjectives that haven't already been used...and I can't.
'Nuff said!
Posted by Laurent Baig on October 14, 2009 at 2:02 PM
Nice! Can't wait to see the rest of your images.
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on October 14, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Such a unique structure! I love how all the bedding planes converge on the subject.
Discussion
29 repliesThe M-LS forest contains everything from pinyon/juniper/cedar forests to lush stands of ponderosa pines and aspen, and is crowned by one of the great laccolithic mountain ranges of the Colorado Plateau...the Blue (Abajo) Mountains.
This area also contain the origins of many of the great canyon systems of SE Utah, incl. the Grand Gulch, Salt Creek Canyon (Needles area of Canyonlands), Dark Canyon, White Canyon and numerous single deep defiles in the surrounding sandstone plateaulands.
Needless to say, the viewpoints into these areas are spectacular. If I hadn't spent most of the 'magic hours' crawling in and out of canyons, I might have even taken a few classic landscape shots.
Just gives me reason to return again (..and again and again).
This Anasazi granary is located in Beef Basin near the Canyonlands border, an area rich with archaeological sites. Unlike most ancient granaries, this one had no constructed sides or top. Just a wall covering a cavelike opening. That, and the vortex like rock walls leading ones eye into the black maw of the entrance, produced an almost chilling effect and reminded me of a Bob Dylan song, which I cheerfully nicked for the title here.
Canon 5DII w/17-40 lens @ 17mm
1/20 sec. @ f8 ISO 100
B&W Adjustment Layer with the opacity lessened slightly
in order to reintroduce just a hint of original color.
Joe.
Joe Rogers
RichieV
Ken
More images to dribble out over the coming weeks...
I sure did, Ken.
Captured those about 15 years ago when a 15 mile round trip hike in one day's time didn't faze me and one could still drive in the Salt River Canyon inside of Canyonlands to capture the others without a long slog through the river.
'Nuff said!