Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Sunset on Highway 58
Comments:
I must say it didn't look so shockingly bright and orange, until I saw it in this context. I hope everyone has sunglasses. Whoo! I should have posted a warning first.
I'd like to think that I would recognise this scene even without the title, such a simple and effective design with enough variation in the orange to hint at a setting sun and keep it from a purely graphical picture.
Robert - and I included the title just for you! Seriously, I had included it to help me keep straight on what I posted (I am the typical sucker for sunsets) and wouldn't you know I got the highway wrong. I have only gotten to see sunset at this location twice, but I hope to catch a few more.
Rex - Strangely, I didn't have the thought until I got home and saw the photo on my monitor.
It's certainly bright - and very orange: is it in the right county?! Its visual qualities intrigue because, if one looks long enough, the black tries to reshape itself as if to say: you might think that I am this shape but really I am something else.
I'm not sure that Highway 58 is relevant and are you now saying that it is somewhere else anyway?
Yes, John, I did at least manage to get the county right. I had forgotten that by that point we had turned off the 58 and on to the 223. (I need a GPS grafted to my body.)
I might be tempted to blame the geographical mistake on being in a hurry when I prepped the post, but I have no excuse for the lack of an imaginative title. I just gave it an identifier (flawed it turns out) for my files.
The very bright and the very orange is fairly common for sunsets in southern California. Very interesting point about the shape of that hilltop.
I've seen this on a number of screens over the past few days. Although the graphic element doesn't change the colours do. Changing the intensity of the orange alters the impact a lot.
So simple and smooth yet it's those slight imperfections in the slope that bring this home...as does the faintest of white glows. I am glad you avoided the temptation of filling the sky with anything but colour. Well seen.
A very flat abstract color field, reminds me of the "Abstract Expressionist" exhibit at the Orange County Museum of Art about the 1950's.
I'll echo Colin's comment; viewing conditions have a large impact on this, but the same can often be said for simple compositions that depend on light and shading. Regardless of the viewing conditions it does work. It just changes.
I'm intrigued as to why you set the right hand boundary of the frame where you did. I don't think I'd have thought to include any more than the crest of the hill, and I'm not sure if that wouldn't have been a mistake.
Robert, I wish I could tell you more about what I was thinking when came to that right hand boundary, but truth is "it just felt right."
I probably don't do nearly enough thinking when I shoot.
Post a Comment
Rex - Strangely, I didn't have the thought until I got home and saw the photo on my monitor.
I'm not sure that Highway 58 is relevant and are you now saying that it is somewhere else anyway?
I might be tempted to blame the geographical mistake on being in a hurry when I prepped the post, but I have no excuse for the lack of an imaginative title. I just gave it an identifier (flawed it turns out) for my files.
The very bright and the very orange is fairly common for sunsets in southern California. Very interesting point about the shape of that hilltop.
I'm intrigued as to why you set the right hand boundary of the frame where you did. I don't think I'd have thought to include any more than the crest of the hill, and I'm not sure if that wouldn't have been a mistake.
I probably don't do nearly enough thinking when I shoot.