Sunrise & Petroglyph 2 - 6 April 2012
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Petroglyph at Sunrise 2 - 6 April 2012
Petroglyph at Sunrise - Three Rivers Petroglyph Site, NM, File# 1215707
I have many many images of this particular rock. All taken in many different seasons and sets of circumstances. Even though I've been here so often, each of those images look different. For example, the image below was taken in almost the precise location as the title image of this blog yet, the perspective, the relationships between the objects in the image are different making the entire image different. The difference in tripod location between the title image and the one below is perhaps a foot or two. It's further away from the petroglyph and maybe a little to the left.
ORIGINAL FULL SIZED IMAGE: http://www.tom-hill.biz/Galleries/Scenics/New-Mexico/20953542_PwbVsq#!i=1783012118&k=NRxkFWw&lb=1&s=A
Three Rivers Sunrise - Three Rivers Petroglyph, NM, File # 0703929 Link To Original Image While I typically try not to repeat images at the risk of competing with myself or being redundant, I do like to return to places I hadn't been to in years just to see what else might be made. You might be thinking to yourself, what difference could there be if you shoot from practically the same location using just about the same subjects? What could you change? In this case, the images where shot four years apart from each other. The first was just last week. The second four years ago almost exactly. I think the images are substantially different in their portrayal of the scene. While the major elements are essentially the same with the large rock petroglyph in the foreground and Salinas peak in the background, there's an obvious difference in weather--snow in one scene and not the other. While there are clear skies in both images, the timing of the shots are different with the sun not quite illuminating the mountains in the lower image. None of these difference are radical. Yet, combined they make a completely different feeling image. The details make the images completely different. When I set my tripod up for the title image I did not reference the second image. I did not have that image in my mind. I simply knew I'd shot here previously which seemed to be the only connection between the two. The differences between the two were my own prejudices, my own emotions, the thoughts occupying my brain that helped me make the choices I made to create the image. Here's an interesting observation which really you all will need to help me assess. I think the casual observer could tell both images were shot by the same photographer. With the major elements begin similar, you might be able to conclude or guess both images were shot by the same person. This leads to the idea there's a common thread between the two--i.e. me. Even though I'm the common thread, these are two entirely different images simply because my mood was different. This leads to a core theme I promote on this website that you the artist are the key in all this. Without you, the artistry will not materialize. Cheers Tom