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Waiting on "Trickle Down..."
(c) Duffy Doherty
Nov, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this shot out in the Mohave Desert, when I was out wandering, somewhere north of route 62 in the Joshua Tree/Twentynine Palms area, far from the national park and where the detritus of past lives, lives on...Time
If I remember correctly, I believe I took this shot early to mid morning and the length of the shadow would seem to confirm that. I do remember it was late enough in the day that I needed to be alert to rattlesnakes out sunning themselves in the warmth of the sun.Lighting
Sunlight in the desert southwest can be very harsh, often with flat, clear blue skies. I was fortunate on this day as there were a couple of wisps and contrails to soften it a touch. I chose a cool white balance to emphasize the cold reality of failure.Equipment
This image was taken with a Nikon D600 (a severely underrated performer I might add, especially for low light shooting) mounted with a Nikon 16-35mm F/4 lens. I was actually quite close to the building, and as is often the case with ultra wide angle shots, I did a fair amount of focusing with my feet, side to side, front to back to get the composition I sought... so no tripod, just an old guy on his knees...!Inspiration
Abandoned places, ruins, and rusting hulks attract me. Much as an archeologist can read items removed from a dig site and tell us something of the lives of those who came before, abandoned places are like notebooks, diaries and fingerprints of the economy. They tell us the stories of the defeats, flops, failures and calamities, experienced by people just like ourselves. I'm interested in them, and possibly re-telling them through my imagery.Editing
I developed the RAW image with the standard sharpening and lens correction. The shot was pretty much right, so I didn't feel the need to change its outfit...In my camera bag
My bag is pretty big. In fact I have three! When heading out to shoot I take most of my gear: 3 Nikon bodies, D810, D600, D7200 6 zooms, DX10-24, DX16-80, FX16-35, FX24-70, FX70-200, FX200-500, all Nikon except the Tamron G2 70-200, and 5 primes, 20mm, 40mm, 58mm, 85mm, 105mm, all Nikon except the 40 & 85 are Sigma Art. The Sigma 40mm is the most perfect lens, I have ever used...but the Tamron G2 and the Nikon 16-80, are the two I enjoy them most! I also carry two tripods, a heavy duty and a light weight cheapie, and two Nikon SB_700 flashes. When I arrive at a place where I think I might find something photo worthy, I select what I believe suits the circumstances and take that. I have a single and a double Black Rapid strap and I have modified the double to be able to carry a third body if I so choose. I hate changing lenses in the field, especially in the dusty southwest, so I try to plan accordingly...!Feedback
From a philosophical perspective I think you have to decide if you are trying to please yourself or please someone else with your images. If you are going for likes, trying to win awards, or satisfy a paying customer, you have to consider the tastes and desires of the entities you intend to please. In my opinion this often leads to a honing of craft, the ability to deliver an image that ranges from commercially acceptable, to commercially exceptional. If you choose pleasing yourself, then do that to the exclusion of the good opinion of others. I have a motto: "Not seeking approval," that I try to live by. In walking your own path, you may eschew receiving recognition, but you have a better chance of creating Art...
