EQ2002_1158AF
Vulture City Ghost Town
Wickenburg, Arizona
Apr, 2023Views
650
Likes
Awards
Contender in the Photography Awards
Summer Views Award
Contender in the Visual Poetry Project
Flawless Summer Award
Spring 23 Award
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Ranks
Top 10 rank
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Top 20 rank week 1
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
Ghost towns are such wonderful places to capture interesting images and the American Southwest is littered with them, especially old mining towns. This particular image was captured within the old Vulture City Ghost Town outside Wickenburg, Arizona.Time
As the lighting from the off scene doorway indicates, this indoor shot was taken during a bright afternoon. The light streaming in from that doorway provides the only available light for this image which fades into the darker recesses of the room to the right.Lighting
The side lighting provided a lot of natural contrast to the image which added to the vintage effect of the scene.Equipment
The image was shot with a Canon EOS 70D with an all-in-one zoom lens. I never carry a tripod and I only shoot with available light.Inspiration
I haunt the ghost towns and ancient Native American ruins of the American Southwest -- usually during the rainy seasons, which tend to be few and afar between in the desert. Long departed cultural remains are my favorite subject, whether I seek them out specifically or stumble across them by accident.I always come home with wonderful memories of the places I visit and hopefully I also capture some wonderful images along the way as was the case at this location.Editing
The light coming from the off scene doorway was a bit harsh so I reduced the highlights, increased the contrast and added some sharpening to resurrect the details.In my camera bag
I hand carry a camera with a 16-300mm lens because I hate changing lenses in the dust filled environments of the desert southwest. While I own a range of tripods, I never did get the hang of using one correctly. Unfortunately, given my age now holding the camera steady is becoming an issue so I may need to learn that skill (helpful hints appreciated). My very unusual camera bag is actually a canvas computer case that turns into a backpack. Pockets hold extra cards, batteries, a charger and card reader. I also throw in filters mounted on hinged flip-up frames, a macro lens and cleaning kit. More importantly I always make room for water and a first aid kit.Feedback
Enjoy the journey and if you like old relics as I do, look for a scene that captures some aspect of a time long gone.
