Sahara Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Desert near Streatley, Oxfordshire.

OK, it's not really the Sahara desert, just a ploughed field near Streatley in Oxfordshire. Perhaps this is a nightmarish vision of the future and we'll really see the desertification of Oxfordshire in our lifetimes; rather unlikely though.

I was trying a few compositions, using just the field and sky in varying proportions, but when these two walkers came along I knew they would give the shot just the bit of extra zing it needed. Thanks, whoever you were!
By the way, that dark line along the horizon in the centre of the image isn't a result of sharpening, it's actually the footpath, which was on a raised bank above the level of the field.

Floydian, Sanderson-Brown, sunilshukla, triptych2003, Wanda1, scobert, tcht, leo61, ribeiroantonio, branley, Photo65Net, john_c, riclopes has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Floydian (30970) 2007-05-22 7:50

Standing at the window
A farmer's wife in Oxfordshire
Glances at the clock it's nearly time for tea
She doesn't see
The phantom in the hedgerow dip its wings
Doesn't hear the engine sing
But in the cockpit's techno glow
Behind the Ray Ban shine
The kid from Cleveland
In the comfort of routine
Scans his dials and smiles
Secure in the beauty of military life
There is no right or wrong
Only tin cans and cordite and white cliffs
And blue skies and flight flight flight

It reminded me on this song when i saw your picture and the title from Oxfordshire.
Fantastic red and blue, what else to say...perfect contrast. The two peolle give perfect scaling and a very good point of interest.
Those airplane lines in the sky is the last punch...perfect..!!!
Regards, Henk

Sanderson-Brown (1697) 2007-05-22 7:55

Hey Ben!
Wonderful! Lovely, and great note to go with it. The people really make the photo, without them it may seem alot smaller.
Nice!
Paul

pitboy (230) 2007-05-22 7:56

Hi Ben,
a very great shot. Colors are perfec.

gilad33 (14090) 2007-05-22 7:58

Beautiful!
I love the way the sky compliments the land. Great composition with the tiny people there

sunilshukla (844) 2007-05-22 8:05

Oh u fooled me here, nice colors and the sky looks gr8 2.
Sunil

bwiti (402) 2007-05-22 8:06

Une belle composition merveilleusement bien structurée avec ce ciel de toute beauté et ces deux individus écrasés de chaleur... Félicitations...

triptych2003 (1396) 2007-05-22 8:25

hey ben

that's awesome. great colours and pov. is that another photographer on the horizon? either way, it's a fine composition that i hope you're happy with. i certainly am... well done!

JoseMiguel (860) 2007-05-22 9:00

Hi Ben,
Never thought this landscape could be in the UK!
You got such a beautiful warm tones on the ground as well as very intense on the blue sky, the polarizer worked great.
I can see it is a very transited air space, by the traces left by the planes. Are the place near an airport?
Congratulations and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM

Wanda1 (10886) 2007-05-22 10:47

Hi Ben,
The huge amount of sky and the small amount of land gives a really good sense of wide open space. I love the saturated and contrasting colour. The people definately add that bit of extra interest, but the streaks in the sky are what makes it for me.
Regards
Wanda

bantonbuju (48334) 2007-05-22 12:16

absolutely amazing what one may find in that land of the u.k......:-))
fascinating scenery, a rare finding...and the way you show the place - basically with just two strongly saturated colours - seems to be most effective...
and the lonely traveller is a good addition to the scene...
best wishes, j.

scobert (5333) 2007-05-22 13:05

Hello Ben,
You have a great photo here! Normally contrails are a detriment to a photo but they add a sense of drama to this image. The tiny person on the left is a vital element of the composition. I fascinating photo with a great dramatic flair! Not your typical English countryside scenic.
Stan

tcht (7280) 2007-05-22 17:21

Hi Ben
Quite extraordinary to see such a desert in the UK ;) that person (or not?) shows the scale perfectly and you've a very fine sky with the clouds and plane.. this is something I'd expect to see in the US or Australia with the golden fields...never imagined to see this in Oxfordshire.
Regards
CheukHin

leo61 (42868) 2007-05-22 17:25

Hi Ben!
Great shot and I`M sure you show us the best one of your many tries.Good composition with this quantity of sky with interesting traffic and the low horizon.This is the first image of a british desert I view and the person walking at the horizon makes your comoposition perfect.
Regards,Leo

ribeiroantonio (21749) 2007-05-22 20:26

The vastness of the view is perfectly demonstrated by the two people walking that path and by the huge sky you choose for the composition. The sky seems very busy at that time of the day as we can see several aircraft tracks in all directions. Well done.
Antonio

branley (3681) 2007-05-23 3:48

Hi Ben,

you've got this spot on, it's a beautiful shot of rural Oxfordshire, not that we'd have known that if it wasn't for your note! It just goes to prove that quite often 'less is more.' The colours contrast so well and as you said the people give it that bit extra. A superb capture, well spotted.

Regards

Stephen

ktanska (16414) 2007-05-23 5:28

Hi Ben,
Again condensation trails. This time it's interesting to see one sharp and many slowly disappearing. The field looks huge with hill hiding the horizon and small people walking far away. Well I'd forecast floods for England rather than desertification.
Kari

Mikos (4324) 2007-05-23 9:05

Hi Ben

Hey your title really confused me! The colours seem to be suitable to this Sahara you mention on your title.
Along with these vivid and intense colours, is the pov you have chosen to create, the most valuable weapon of your image, and a master piece detail: yes, the two walkers, as you say in your note, they make a great composition to this beautiful scenario!

Cheers and appreciated for your pricelles words about my last image, Ben!

Take care!

Miguel

Photo65Net (43084) 2007-05-24 14:07

Ben,
The compo is minimalist, but the colors are so contrasted that it works like a true eyecatcher.
Your compo choices are great, letting a large place for the sky balances the compo, as the red of the foreground has more impact.
Regards,
JB.

Dragonheart (8393) 2007-05-25 14:45

Dear Ben,
Amazing and outstanding work, contrasting colours and the open space covering most of the frame with deep blue sky, givse a feeling ofand freedom.
Excellent.
TFS
Vivek

john_c (24635) 2007-05-27 1:38

Hi Ben,
The vastness of the sky with its interesting cloud and jet stream formations really makes this work. The addition of the the two walkers enhances, as does the gently curving arc of the land. I spent a week of my recent vacation walking in the Cotswolds, as well as part of Oxfordshire. I might have cropped just a little on the right, but that is a minor irritation. Well captured.
John

riclopes (32865) 2007-05-28 6:25

Wow, this an amazing image, Ben. A good one for an exhibition or contest. Even without the people, it would be very good, but with them...well, it's incredible how a little detail can improve so much the impact of an image. I love minimalist compositions and the colors (and textures) on this one really makes it an outstanding one. Congratulations on this one!
Cheers,
ricardo

Polonaise (5627) 2007-06-10 19:56

Futuristic vision ?
Not very likely.
They rather try to scare us with something quite the opposite nowadays. The water from thawing glaciers will take our lands. Another 3-4 thousand years and we're screwed… Oh, brothers & sister !!!
But...I remember several years ago, all the leading experts tried to convince us that the desertation of our planet is unavoidable, due to lack of water.
Ha !!!
And just before that: The icing ere has just begun.
And yet another years back:
There is enough of crude oil for the next 30 years.
In 1999 the last drop of oil will be consumed ! Finito !!!
Food ??
Our planet earth is able to feed only 3 billion people !!! No more côtelette d'voile for me…Dammit !
------------------------
Interesting photo, Ben.
And certainly evokes some questions …(:-))
All the best, good buddy .