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Walkway to ....?

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Charles L Webster

pro member
This is the second of a series of "Boardwalk" pictures that I'm working on. I wanted to eliminate as many distracting elements as possible to convey only the unanswered question "Where does the boardwalk lead?"

This was shot during a break between showers at the Painted Hills Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in central Oregon. It was captured using my Canon Digital Rebel with a 17-85mm IS lens at 24mm f/16 at 1/20 ISO 200 hand held.

4708698-lg.jpg


This picture took 3rd place in a recent juried exhibition of over 300 photos.
 
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Erik DeBill

New member
It's intriguing. I like your use of mystery.

The colors seem false, though I suspect they're actually pretty close to the real ones - that looks like a rather surreal landscape.
 
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Charles L Webster

pro member
It is indeed a very surreal landscape. The volcanic ash formed a clay-like substance in which nothing will grow. The colors are very close to real. You can see the red footprints on the walkway from tourists who disregarded the "Stay on the boardwalk" signs.

Thanks for the comment,
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Charles,

I must say this distracted me!

Did your original have clear details of the hills?

It is very focussed. It cannot be in B&W! I can see that it is unique as most people would have sought to render a clean B&W image with all the detail of the wood and the granularity of the stones on the hillsides becoming indistinct in the distance with perhaps some morning mist. The picture would have been impressive. However, that has been done and although always technically excellent and impressive, is not so interesting to me.

This image of yours is unexpected and once again, I'd like to see it printed. I'll make a point of seeing these 3 pictures, the Mandolin, The sunset and the Boardwalk, the next time we're in San Francisco. Since we'll meet you hopefully for the L.F. shoot, in the next 8 weeks.

Will Thompson and I just have to get another 8x10 camera ready and test everything!

Asher
 
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Charles L Webster

pro member
This picture is very close to what came out of the camera, cropped only a little to square up the boards of the boardwalk with the bottom of the frame. The "stones" are actually lines of texture similar to that created when mud dries and cracks. Coming from many years of shooting film, I try very hard to "get it right" in the camera. Most of the pictures I share here are full frame or very close, and most have very little digital manipulation.

I hadn't thought of this in B&W, perhaps I'll try a conversion this weekend and post the results for comparison. I no longer "see in B&W" very well, a skill that I developed when I shot exclusively B&W film. In that regard, digital has spoiled me.

A 12 X 18 print of this has "pride of place" on my dining room wall, mostly because it did so well in the exhibition. Neither the mandolin nor the sunset reflection have been printed larger than 6 X 9, though I expect that I'll have the sunset picture printed large soon.

I look forward to meeting you when you next visit the SF Bay Area.
 
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Rachel Foster

New member
Chas, I'm so new I don't know my telephoto from my wide angle. What sort of lens did you use? I was out shooting with my brand new Canon Rebel today but wanted a telephoto. Looking for a decent, affordable one, if such a critter exists.
 
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Duke Beattie

Member
Very nice.. It would probably look good as a b&w.. In my misspent youth I shot nothing but b&w.. I know the feeling of not seeing that way anymore.. I also can't get to get a conversion that I like.. I know it can be done because I have seen it done.. I will figure out a method I like eventually..
Anyway I like this and think it does what you want... It makes me want to know what is beyond..
 
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Marian Howell

New member
i'm so glad this thread got hit again, as i missed this fabulous shot from chas the first time around :)
and a testament to the is of the 17-85 since you shot at 1/20 hh! (rachael: just above the image he lists the shooting info) there is nice dof in the receding hills too - i'll bet that 12x18 print looks good on the wall!
sometimes a simple statement/image says more :)
 
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