Tufa City Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

A tufa is the name given to these limestone formations which occur when the underwater freshwater springs that contain calcium mix with the carbonates in the lake water. All of these tufas formed while underwater and since the lake has dropped over the last 70 years they stop forming after they are exposed. This is Mono Lake near Lee Vining California and it is the second largerst lake in the state next to Lake Tahoe.

dmarizz, LamCam, asajernigan, dareco, xavis, crckt, Giorgos_P, Wandering_Dan, gracious, clio, Bjostad, ssv, gunbud has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

taypejka (1059) 2007-09-06 9:09

Dear Phil,

Incredible place, marvelous light and colours.
best regards
emi

Gustaw (21670) 2007-09-06 9:17

Hi, friend!
It is very interesting view! Very interesting and very beautiful wild nature. Good composition. I like your strong colours. Light is interesting to. It must be very interesting place? Well done.
Marek

Giorgos_P (133) 2007-09-06 9:18

Hi Phil.
Very nice photograph, With exellent colors.
Regards
George

Zolive (1654) 2007-09-06 10:53

Hi Phil
very nice shot. These stones are amazing and the yellow is very intense. Well done.
Olivier

wadd99 (220) 2007-09-06 11:43

Thanks for posting this photograph.. I'm planning my vacation for the fall and hum this looks like a good place

P.S. good photo

LamCam (3603) 2007-09-06 13:13

Hello Phil
What a weird place! I was unsure of the scale of these coral-like formations until I saw the few small black birds perched on them. The low lighting and misty background add a lot to the mysterious atmosphere.
Best Wishes Maggie

SamB (1948) 2007-09-06 13:53

Hello, Phil--
Nice work here, the lighting is fantastic and the composition is nice as well, letting the foreground inlet lead out to the tufa islands. It seems that your horizon is a little bit tilted, but other than that this is a great picture... Did you bracket exposures? i'd be interested in seeing what a stop or two underexposed from here would look like.
Thanks!
sam

gneufeld (15285) 2007-09-06 18:14

Hi Phil,
An unusual image of a most unusual place. Interesting that the horizon disappears on the right but you have achieved good image balance by placing the golden treed ridge on the opposite side. Great work in what I think may have been a challenging photo opportunity. Great work and TFS. Gerald

asajernigan (14368) 2007-09-06 18:51

Phil,
This is an amazing place and you have presented it well. Your composition is great showing the limestone formations on the left and the expanse of the lake to the right. The low angle lighting brings out amazing colors throughout the photo.
TFS,
Asa

dareco (17104) 2007-09-07 0:24

Wow! I have never seen this before. Very interesting note. A beautiful picture, I really like the lighting here. Thanks for sharing this place.

xavis (3176) 2007-09-07 1:09

Hola,
Great composition in colours (yellow, blue and black) and contrast betwen light and shadows. The depth is really good, like sharpness.

Beautifoul,

Hasta la vista,

Javier

crckt (7102) 2007-09-07 6:15

Hi Phil,
This looks like a lost city from a couple of centuries ago! You have handled the light brilliantly here. Beautiful shot!
Well done,
Shaeri

Wandering_Dan (3321) 2007-09-08 8:46

Now that's an otherworldly shot! The tilt on the horizon doesn't bother me at all. Good use of colors and shadows.

gracious (20017) 2007-09-08 10:36

Hello Phil,
My compliment to this excellent photo!
perfect pov, sharpness, exposure and focus with details
very well composed and well seen
cheers
Tony

testmaniac (12334) 2007-09-10 10:35

Hi Phil.
Good shot but light may be better. The place is wonderful and deserve better photo who I am sure you can get it.

Philip

clio (23405) 2007-09-11 4:01

Hello Phil
It's a very strange place and your photo is beautiful. Nice contrast, nice colours. I like very much the opposition between these very cut rocks and the peace of the water with the reflections.
Regards
Diane

eev99 (1198) 2007-09-13 8:39

Hi Phil

The light is superb here. This has a very extraterrestrial feel.

kensimage (8543) 2007-09-14 23:49

Nice misty morning light, Phil. You're shooting more into the sun than would be usual for this type of shot, but it works fine, I think. The golden morning glow is there! The horizon looks tilted, but the tufa seem vertical, so I'm not sure what's happening there. Regards, Ken.

daddo (11641) 2007-10-03 5:27

Hi Phil. Is this on our planet? Quite an incredible sight. I do like the warm colours and the light that bathes the scene. Nice addition of the shaded section. Regards. Klaudio.

ahmetgedikli (22235) 2007-10-05 14:42

Hi Phil,
Very nice view... Excellent POV, good contrast and light. Well done.
Have a nice weekend.
Ahmet

AROBN54 (10797) 2007-11-05 12:38

Hi, Phil,
WOWEE!! What wonderful light! I especially enjoy the way the forground is darker and then well lit center and darker into the background. Beautiful shapes and nice detail. I Like that misty kind of thing going on, too. This is great!! Thanks and warm regards,
Shelly

dmarizz (2444) 2008-01-02 3:22

Hi Phil,
this is an incredible place, really. Golden lighting and that diagonal slice given by the shadow create a perfect balanced composition of volumes and light. Without doubt, you know as to use your 20D! Ciao, Dario.

gunbud (28247) 2008-02-05 7:52

Hi Phil,
Wonderful light gives these rugged spiers a golden hue that lends a dream like quality to this unique image. The reflection in the brimey lake makes gives this photo an ancient feel.
Regards, Tom

photoray (1419) 2009-01-11 7:48

Hi Phil,
Nice image capturing the morning glow on the tufa. One of my favorite tufa formations is the one in the background. When the wind is still, the mirror images are fantastic.
Thanks for sharing and congratulations.

PS: Actually the largest lake (surface area) totally within California is Clearlake. Lake Tahoe is larger but also within Nevada. My parents lived at Clearlake and I learned to sail there.