Rock Wall Details

I was on my way back from visiting a favorite Eastern Sierra creek. Most people don't know it's whereabouts and drive right on by en route to other nearby more popular destinations. I like to photograph here early in the morning before too much sunlight floods this drainage. Hence the timing of my early morning arrival (and departure.)

On this morning, with my photographic mission complete at the creek I was making my usual lazy drive along the narrow mountain road back towards the main highway looking for more photographic opportunities.

We had a good soaking rain overnight accompanied by several nice rumbles of thunder and bright flashes of lightning. I love sleeping in a good solid tent during those kinds of conditions. I find it both humbling and invigorating all in the same steamy breath.

I have driven by this rather large rock outcropping countless times. It actually sits right along the side of the road. But, I have never been drawn to it photographically until this morning. I stopped in the middle of the road and studied the formation. I immediately saw several potential compositions. So, I rolled slowly up the road and found a place to park where I could get my vehicle most of the way off the road, engaged my flashers, grabbed my gear and walked back to the rocks.

Standing in some roadside brush I reached out and ran my right hand along the cool smooth and scratchy surface of this section of the formation. Why had I not stopped here before? I thought to myself. What is different about today? Is it me? My mindset? Did last night's storm alter my capability of perception in a way that has drawn me to these rocks? I started looking for a composition. That's when I noticed a little puddle of standing water on small ledge. I nodded in the affirmative. Last night's rain must have washed the rocks clean and now coupled with this morning's diffused light caused by the 100% cloud coverage the colors, patterns and textures of the rocks were begging for my attention.

I made two photographs here. They both have an abstract look and feel about them. I usually refer to this type of photograph as my Jackson Pollock parody.

As I composed this photograph I was fighting to include a lot of the stunning colors (especially the turquoise), but I also went out of my way to include the well defined crack. I thought it added an interesting bit of graphical contrast. I might have even discovered a new yoga pose in the process.

I hope you enjoy.

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