Travelling Rocks Photo

Photographer’s Note

Here another shot of the amazing and mysterious moving rocks. Judging from the track, Looks like these two have traveled a long distance and they have been moving back and forth.

Moving Rocks
To see the moving rocks, (on a high clearance vehicle) drive two miles south of the Grandstand parking area. Walk at least a half mile toward the southeast corner of the playa for the best views of rocks and their tracks on the playa. Erosional forces cause rocks from the surrounding mountains to tumble to the surface of the Racetrack. Once on the floor of the playa the rocks move across the level surface leaving trails as records of their movements. Some of the moving rocks are large and have traveled as far as 1,500 feet. Throughout the years many theories have been suggested to explain the mystery of these rock movements. A research project has suggested that a rare combination of rain and wind conditions enable the rocks to move. A rain of about 1/2 inch, will wet the surface of the playa, providing a firm but extremely slippery surface. Strong winds of 50 mph or more, may skid the large boulders along the slick mud.

Please Help!
The surface of the playa is very fragile and driving on it or anywhere off established roads is prohibited. Please do not move or remove any of the rocks. This prevents others from enjoying this unique area.

BilboCA, CLODO, shevchenko, sevy, bakes888, eversmile, danos, MarianneS, Kielia, Angshu, avene, pauloog, Bluejeans, xuaxo, Silversnow, nazirbadar has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

rodgerg (23793) 2009-07-02 11:22

Hello Way,

A very good use of vertical format and an original presentation of this landscape. Original but very efficience and very nice. The xecllent FG very well selecetd give a great depht to this image. Great propsect to the mountains in the BG.
Best regards,
Roger

scalerman (25729) 2009-07-02 11:28

Way: I like this fine composition and your very complete note. Best regards, c

Deepforest (8813) 2009-07-02 11:46

Hi Way,
Amazing shot and fantastic severe landscape... I like vertical composition here as well as skyline of the mountains in the background. Very interesting and comprehensive note.
Best regards,
Andrzej

CLODO (4106) 2009-07-02 12:13

Hi way
interesting nature subject well taken. high colour contrast between the orange mud and blue moutains at the horizon
Regards
CLODO

yquem46 (7836) 2009-07-02 13:47

incredible story of these rocks Way !!
I like the way you've composed withe a large room for the cracked earth and the tracks left by the rocks
i like also the color contrast between the yellow earth and the blue sky, well matched to one another
best to you way
patrick

jonathan_hart (22570) 2009-07-02 16:18

or maybe a man is paid to move the rocks ? ;P
i remember a sunset shot of this by Peter, who removed all his photos :(
the rule of thirds works well, but a lower POV would provide more depth
the detail of textures are amazing, it's a unique place, must to be seen
the color contrast of yellow and blue is great
jc

rlrad (1187) 2009-07-02 17:53

Hi Way,

This is an interesting forced perspective shot here. I want to think the moving rocks are larger, but I really believe they are smaller, say the size of bricks? I like the use of the vertical format and the long paths in the foreground, emphasizing the traveling these mysterious stones do. Overall the photograph is very well exposed, too, great color on the playa and a real interesting clouded up sky. Very nice. I would like to experience that place myself someday.

Thanks for sharing!
Reed

gneufeld (15167) 2009-07-02 18:34

Hi Way,
I marvel each time I see images of this unusual act of nature. Good vertical capture with excellent depth, clarity, and sharpness. Well done and TFS. GErald

shevchenko (9862) 2009-07-02 22:04

Hello Way,
Interesting composition to show these moving rocks, really intriguing, clear to show the surface of arid land and traces, fatastic rainy sky against death land, good perspective effect, good shoot.
Ally

emka (21217) 2009-07-02 22:48

Hi Way, I remember this mystery from your earlier shot. this is very interesting indeed. the surfuce of the playa is so amazing flat. great depth, one can see some other rocks on the distance.

regards

Malgorzata

Bartleby (4826) 2009-07-03 0:07

Hi Way,
interesting note and phenomenon....the vertical framing was a really good idea. This is carefully composed, leaving enough space for the tracks and the mountain range in the back.

Best,

Philippe

phwall (5542) 2009-07-03 0:41

Hello Way,
Aren't these rocks the most fantastic spectacle. I've been thinking about the theory in your note regarding the movement of the rocks being caused by the strong wind and the slight amount of rain making the surface very slippery. The trouble is, wouldn't the rock with the higher profile (the foreground rock) travel further because it would have more windage than the low rock in the background. Have a think about that one.
I like the way you have got so much definition in the clouds, the background with the cloud and the blue hills is very beautiful.
Regards
Peter

sevy (13302) 2009-07-03 1:19

Hello Way,

I heard about those stones, but it is the first time I see them in photo.
Nice presentation in the vertical frame to show the stones, the tracks and the landscape all around.
Very good note.

Yves.

bakes888 (18137) 2009-07-03 1:40

Hello Way. Excellent photo, not only the fascinating racing rocks but the beautiful landscape from which they belong. I’m really impressed by the sky you have captured to cap off your scene, excellent texture and light. Nice work and thanks for sharing.
Have a good weekend, Paul.

eversmile (6017) 2009-07-03 1:53

Hi, Way!

Your very informative note makes me discover something!
This is a fascinating phenomenon!
Beyond this, the strength of the picture is in your choice of POV, with the 3/4 accorded to the soil, and the last part showing the threatening sky. This would-be rain while the earth is so dry, is an excellent illustration of your explanations. Good colors!
Regards
Marine

baba_flies (7969) 2009-07-03 5:13

Hello Way! This is an interesting phenomena, obviously also the salt flats have the same, according to someone that is a geologist we met. A little sad that it lost the mystery part :))) I like that you chose a vertical format for this one, it leads us out, following the tracks ... and finding stone. The grey sky makes this place even stranger but it has a special beauty that I love. Important note by the way about not stepping or driving on everything. Same in Goblin (I was there again ... and had a similar grey sky as last year but it cleard a little and left some blue), they have a sign that the area is under watch and that they might put in some borad walk but people don't care. Kids but also adults everywhere. The stone is so fragile, even walking by has an impact. Oh anyway, let's enjoy the beauty of this photo, a special one for sure with the dark sky. Have a great weekend, Barbara.

pablominto (40488) 2009-07-03 23:01

Hello Way,

This is an interesting documentary of a strange phenomenon!
Unless someone is pulling your leg there's got to be a logical explanation, not that I have any suggestions...
A beautiful image to show this strange happenings!

Greetings,
Pablo -

patdeph (17722) 2009-07-06 2:32

hello Way
the depth is impressive and the sky is wonderful!The story about the moving rocks is incredible,but we can clearly seee their tracks left on the ground! Very interesting!
Regards
Pascale

danos (32250) 2009-07-06 7:13

Hi Way,
really exceptional and strange these moving rocks of this arid area.I like the perspective as to looks like that a truck push them on the ground.Informative your note as usual.Well done.

Regards,Danos

MarianneS (14262) 2009-07-06 11:56

Hello Way,
I hope that one day I will have the opportunity to see this with my own eyes. It is fantastic!
Your photo shows the long way made by these two rocks.
It is incredible!
I like your note. I repeat what I already said: I can't believe that some people are stupid enough to take these incredible rocks away from their natural environment!
Cheers,
Marianne

delkoo (34220) 2009-07-07 3:48

hi way
amazing place and unique Movement of stones on the ground, the vertical composition you have built is perfect.
great note too.

best regards
didier

Kielia (8397) 2009-07-07 11:30

Hello Way,
this image is even more beautiful than the previous one from this fantastic place. The sky and the beautiful clouds make it very attractive. It is unbelievable that these heavy rocks are able to travel such a distance. A great feature and a great photo! Definitely a highlight in your impressing gallery. My compliments!
Warm regards
Harriet

Angshu (33585) 2009-07-08 2:19

Sabaidie Way
These moving rocks are quite amazing, almost a freak natural element, but there's of course a good science underlying such movement. But the fact is this is so unique for this place! Like the POV as you stood behind the rocks with the path created by them in their wake, & it appears as if they are really moving as we see. Good BG of the hills & even though the light was not the best, the contrast has come out well here.
Best regards
Angshu

pauloog (6406) 2009-07-10 2:44

Hello Way,
This astonishing phenomena well captured with fine detail of the broken dried out soil, and displaying the wider landscape. Thje rocks have still some way to go!
Regards,
Paul

Greg1949 (8507) 2009-07-10 3:19

Way, you do get around. I was in Death Valley 30 years ago but didn't know to look for or at these stones; this is the real value of TE to me. Nice work, clear and very nicely composed, great work.

Greg

avene (10944) 2009-07-10 14:58

hello Way,
this shot is all about the textures - the dry soil, the clouds. the vertical format works really well to create a feeling that the rocks are still moving forward. the soft clouds contrast nicely with the background. great shot, my compliments.

best,
Kristine

ManuMay (10672) 2009-07-17 0:35

Hello Way!!

Really a strange one!!

Very interesting history, thanks for your good and informative note...
The image has an special cadrage and colour levels that I like it very much...Nicely done,...Yes!

Have a nice week end...

Best regards

Manuel

Bluejeans (32053) 2009-07-28 12:41

Ola Way,
São fantásticas estas pedras que caminhão pelo deserto com o seu magnetisno , gostei muito dos detalhes do chão , boa profundidade de foto , o céu deu bastante dramatismo a foto , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

xuaxo (5703) 2009-08-03 13:18

Hello Way!
Very good composition, with the rocks and the amazing background.
I was in Death Valley but I missed this. I had supposed that it was somewhere else (maybe there are more).
Very good advice in the last part of the note.
Greetings,
Francisco

sacimar (7381) 2009-08-05 12:31

Hi Way,

I've read about this curious and mysterious moving rocks before, I like the composition showing the path of the rocks, it was a good idea to focus on two of them, well done!

Best regards

Sergio

BilboCA (734) 2009-08-05 21:40

Hi, Way,

This is a great example for "learning about the world through photography."

Your note is wonderfully descriptive about this most interesting phenomenon. The photo combines strong technical qualities with high information content.

We can see very clearly the tracks formed by these rocks. One limitation is that the viewer doesn't have a very clear sense of their scale (although the cracks in the clay surface are certainly suggestive).

I like how you have used 2/3 of the frame for the main subject, even though its intrinsic visual qualities are not so profoundly interesting. The upper third, with a pregnant sky and topographically complex hills tops off the photo nicely.

Well done!

Regards,
- Bill

Silversnow (2107) 2009-08-10 9:59

Oh yeah, Very nice sight of the famous Death Valley, that composition is very interesting in also showing the distant stormclouds looming in the distance, the rainy source of the ground's occasional slipperiness is right there ;)

kato (323) 2009-08-18 4:36

Hi Way,

Well composed and a good color tone/contrast!
It's interesting in two stone and white trace running the desert of the foreground for me. And, I think that sparing 3/4 to the area in the desert leads the work to the success in the point to draw out the charm of this place.

Regards,
mikio