It was in Cappadocia, Turkey. I was very hesitant to fly because I am afraid of height. But it was quite OK and grate opportunity to take pictures from this perspective.
It was in Cappadocia, Turkey. I was very hesitant to fly because I am afraid of height. But it was quite OK and grate opportunity to take pictures from this perspective.
@Fireplace33 has written: @tprevatt has written:And the Land Was on Fire
Yellowstone National Park
It's so sad to see these forest fires. This shot really shows the devastating aftermath.
Right now in Europe fires are raging in Spain and France (Link)
Quotes from that BBC link:
"220,000 people have been evacuated already"
"Wildfires have burned more land in Europe already this year than the annual average for the past two decades"
"climate change has increased forest fire risk across Europe"
"Europe is the fastest-warming continent, heating at more than twice the global average since the 1980s"
"Hotter, drier conditions are leaving vegetation with less moisture, creating fuel that enables wildfires to ignite and spread more quickly" (with high speed winds, constantly changing direction)While I agree with you on forest fires and the American West is having a very bad season this year. Forest fires are common place in the US West because of the hot dry semi-arid nature of the US West , they are not in Europe. Climate change will probably change that.
However, this image is not from a fire alone. This is from Mother earth. The trees try to grow but they are growing on hostile acid soil among vents and geysers ( ranging from Old Faithful spouting off over 100 feet in the air every 90 +/- minutes down to thousands of smaller ones spouting eruptions a of few feet at random ) - a geothermal wonderland known as Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is still a very active volcano.
However, fire is Mother nature's way of renewal. In the vast area of the Southeaster US, particularly Florida before man settled on average every area was burned every third year. The case was the dry seasons in the spring and early summer ignited by lightning strikes for summer thunderstonreus. In fact the native longleaf pines that dominated the forest in the Southeast required fire for the cones to open and drop their seeds. The Lodgepole pines of the US West which are primary tree in Yellowstone also require fire to drop their seeds. I the land is allowed to burn off periodically the pines will survive and the brush undergrowth will be burned. A healthy longleaf pine or lodgepole pine forest is open large mature healthy trees, most of them will burn marks on their large trunks. A healthy forest is one that is easy to walk through.
Mother Nature had reached a harmony long before man showed up. As man insists moving closer to nature, Mother Nature is not going to change her ways. In the Southeastern US man still insist in moving onto the Atlantic coast - an area that has been lashed by massive tropical storms and hurricanes. In the US West, man insists on living in "fire country."
Very interesting background. Lots of good points.
From the Hot Air Balloon
Great shot from a great perspective up there in the basket.
I've been in a hot air balloon a few times, great experience, but I've never seen so many in the air at the same time
Stark and compelling. Great IQ and overall tone/balance. In the background, is that fog/clouds? Steam from a geyser? Was this shot taken immediately after the fire or maybe a year later? Where in Yellowstone?
The background is steam from multiple thermal vents. This image was taken in Norris Basin - a basin of very active geothermal activity,
Interesting shot with the two rivers taking us up to the bridge. The sky looks great!
If it were mine, I'd brighten it the shadows and mid-tones a bit. At the moment it looks quite sombre, but perhaps that was your intention?
Very good point -- here ya go!
I really like this. Where?
From a train on the way to Tokyo in Japan.
A couple from early this year.
Wow, the colours in these two are both vibrant but strikingly different.
The first looks a bit like the steps up into a red/yellow fantasy forest, while the rock in the second is standing in a gently flowing turquoise/blue river.
That blue might have been so abundant in that place that both the rock and the forest took on the same hue, but it could also be just a blue cast in the image?
I made an edit to reduce the blue on the rock & forest but keep in full strength it in the river. Not sure what you'll think of that ?
@Meeces has written:A couple from early this year.
Wow, the colours in these two are both vibrant but strikingly different.
The first looks a bit like the steps up into a red/yellow fantasy forest, while the rock in the second is standing in a gently flowing turquoise/blue river.That blue might have been so abundant in that place that both the rock and the forest took on the same hue, but it could also be just a blue cast in the image?
I made an edit to reduce the blue on the rock & forest but keep in full strength it in the river. Not sure what you'll think of that ?
I like the improvement for sure. The colors are pretty accurate in both, but I do think the blue took over a bit too much in the second one. The rock in the middle/bottom is actually part a tree/tree stump.
From the Hot Air Balloon
Great image. I keep coming back to it with all the layers and interesting compositional elements- the colors, roads/trails, clouds, and land shapes.