Orbiting the Sun Photo

Photographer’s Note

Another shot from Moeraki Boulders on the Otago coast. I was trying to find a composition that would allow me to get a boulder in the foreground and then at least one in the middle. When I found this composition I was very pleased as it gave me 4 boulders which lead towards the sunrise.

It was when I looked at the shot on the computer that I came up with the title. These really could be planets in a solar system - well apart from that they are stuck in sand that is!

F22, 6 secs, ISO 100, ND Grad, Polariser, Tripod, RAW. No manipulation

Floydian, tehanu_f, giorgimer, jean11-3, jassy, balatrek, p_m_geraldes, Aliine, wishlist, Signal-Womb, whereami, danielswalsh, colibriav has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Floydian (30970) 2007-06-01 13:52

Hi Adam,
First impression when i open the picture was; Hey, this looks like a David Munch picture. Most of his pictures there is a big stone in the foreground. A big compliment, because i like his work a lot.
Second what came up to me...a giant leatherback turtle on the beach ;-)
It's not you best shot, can't be everyday superb, isn't it? But the overal composition, with the bright beach, nice clouds and excellent sharpness with high detail is something i still like.
Have a nice weekend, Henk

bwiti (402) 2007-06-01 14:04

Je l'aime bien cette succession de rochers... cela donne l'impression que l'on est dans un monde irréel... On dirait des tortues ou des oeufs géants... En tout cas la composition est ingenieuse avec cette mise à la verticale, félicitations...

tehanu_f (6874) 2007-06-01 14:24

Hi Adam,
These boulders look like giant turtles indeed. Well seen and well shot. Congrats.
Fusun

sacavem (8525) 2007-06-01 14:27

Hello Adam,
Excellent composition, very nice colors, and sharpness. Pretty and very interesting postcard of Moeraki.Excellent POV, very well managed the time exposure and the light.
Very well done
Regards,
Filipe

angelsimon (2466) 2007-06-01 14:49

Hi Adam.
GUAUUUUU!!! Yes, i agree with you. I thought these were turtles. But when I opened the picture... It seems like a different planet.
You have look for a composition and you have found a very very good one. Colors are wonderful and i like very much textures on the sand and stones. Congratulations for this nice work.
Angel.

cdmonson (2769) 2007-06-01 15:24

Hi Adam:

This is quite possibly my favorite of your New Zealand shots so far. I love the depth created by the boulders here, and the zig-zag, diagonal composition leading to the sun is superb. Colors are quite nice as well. I agree with Henk that it looks a bit like David Muench (definitely a compliment). But it's also definitely an Adam Burton! Fantastic job.

Clark

NicoleP (520) 2007-06-01 15:35

bonjour Adam
belle photo, belle lumière, les roches sont splendides et ressemblent, au premier coup d'oeil, à des carapaces de tortues.
Nicole

giorgimer (21478) 2007-06-01 15:47

Hi Adam,

excellent image, perfect DOV and well chosen POV. Compliments for sharpness too.

Well done

Giorgio

droop13400 (113) 2007-06-01 17:18

Salut Adam,

Bravo pour cette photo.
Compo au top, couleurs magnifiques rien à dire

Encore bravo

euryan (8351) 2007-06-01 18:14

There are several reasons why I consider your landscapes to be among the best, if not the best on Trekearth. Timing, lighting, composition are always flawless. But what really sets you apart is that you travel far and wide to bring us only the most striking, and beautiful landscapes on God's green earth. Its almost as if God set these rocks here like this knowing that you would someday find them and figure out this composition. There is only one suggestion I could make for this shot. The amount of space between the first and second boulder is a little much for me. I’m wondering if a slightly lower angle might have been better. I think if the amount of space between the bottom edge of the frame and the first boulder were equal or greater than the amount of space between the first and second boulder it might suite me better. But that’s just my taste. Your photos are always a joy and inspiration. I love the title by the way.
P.S. Besides the greater pixel count and the full frame sensor, are there any other great advantages of the 5D over your old 20D? Is it just a matter of size and quality of the photograph, or do they read colors differently or anything like that?

daddo (11567) 2007-06-01 20:03

Hi Adsam. Another masterpiece capturing the sense of eons that have preceded us.Yes, planets, but also some mythical sea creatures or bones of such, washed ashore from a distant past, from unknown worlds/depths. Your work inspires reactions on many a level: artistic, metaphysical, imaginative, contemplative. Always a pleasure. And that is not even mentioning the mastery over the medium. Regards. Klaudio.

cak (3902) 2007-06-01 23:05

a different natur area.well done

jassy (1065) 2007-06-01 23:51

Hello,
At first I did not really focus on your thumbnail. But then I read the title and looked again -- how appropriate!! Now that I have seen the full-sized image, I must say that it is really striking (in a very good way ). A really excellent POV, with very good technical aspects (great sharpness and color). I guess titles are important after all . Congratulations!
Regards, Jackie

designsoul (21394) 2007-06-02 9:51

Hi Adam, pure delight! THey look like some giant turtles to me... the scene is indeed otherworldly, and your composition is nothing short of superb. Simply breathtaking! I am not going a lot for landscapes on TE but this one is a true stunner.
Bravo,
sasa

Cormac (26455) 2007-06-02 10:54

These rocks are really something else. I've seen individual rocks that where round, but never a collection of them. The composition is jsut right, with the rocks leading us in a gradual progression to the sun, which is the greatest sphere of all. Great work!

chicken (1781) 2007-06-02 16:50

Love that cracked rock in the foreground and I also like the perspective you've choosen. Personally I think the colorful sunrise is not really required, this image would work just as well without.

balatrek (7419) 2007-06-03 14:25

Hi Adam,

Interesting and different landscape, I like the composition that you have created with these rocks, great depth and an excellent light, an atmosphere of another planet, beautiful and mysterious. Good work!

Regards
José

ollie59 (776) 2007-06-04 18:19

nature always amazes me and this is no exception ,very well spotted Adam and a real nice composition .I should imagine this would look fantastic with the waves being caught in a slow exposure retreating from the rocks.
great work fella
ollie

cadel (1857) 2007-06-05 6:50

A damned-good composition...I am so admirative of your talent. Congrats !
I makes me think of ancient-time soldiers statues helmets burried in sand, desperately trying to reach the sun.
But your suggestion of planets is the best idea.

Aliine (1905) 2007-06-05 13:10

Hello Adam,
Woooooow, that's beautiful ;D
I like the colours and the composition.
These stones are amazing...
Regards
Aline

jongibbs (363) 2007-06-11 17:44

Very nice Adam.Simple yet so carefully arranged-great that the wave is breaking on the opposite side to the furthest rock-just adds another dimension.
cheers
jon

jdomingues (583) 2007-06-15 14:09

Hi Adam, when I first saw it I thought that your foreground boulder was a turtle due to all those cracks. Very beautiful image as usual. Congratualations! :)

Danysub (708) 2007-06-25 4:57 [Comment]

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wishlist (4133) 2007-07-11 1:11

Hi Adam,
I'm amazed by the details you managed to get through the whole pic..the rock in the foreground is simply amazing and looking at the 4 stones they looks like giant turtles..they are a sort of guiding line direct to that amazing sunrise..compo si perfect as well as the pov..stunning colours..
Regards
Igor

deud (1841) 2007-07-16 22:37

wow! like the giant turtles comes to the ocean! great place. good pov. tfs

evarol (192) 2007-07-16 22:42

Hi Adam,
How in earth did you find rocks shaped so perfectly? Nevertheless, this is an impressive composition with great colors. Nice job.

-Erdem

Signal-Womb (11755) 2007-07-22 12:04

Hi Adam, I seen these stones posted before on the Trek sites but never with this unique composition. You have a keen eye for these close compositions which sets you apart. I am seriously thinking of traveling to NZ- Australia next year, hopfully Il see this location myself. I have been thinking lately of the upgrade to 5D and after reading your reply to Euryan I may take that next step. Very beautiful work.

rgarrigus (0) 2007-07-29 13:33 [Comment]

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VincentFavre (148) 2007-08-28 11:30

Nice composition.
A regret, the cut stone^^

danielswalsh (13330) 2007-09-09 23:18

Well, there I am sitting in the office at lunchtime having just picked up the latest issue of Photography Monthly, only to see Wanderlust are advertising a photo competition and advertising the fact that 'this shot of Enys Dodnan at Land's End, Cornwall scooped Adam Burton first prize in the Landscape category last year'.
Seeing that, I realised that it's been awhile since I last saw some of your postings.

Another great shot of these bizare Kiwi boulders. What really catch my eye are the dark crevasses' on the forground boulders surface. Amazing contrast, and alien looking.

Were you quite close to the ground for this shot Adam?
- Dan

colibriav (1568) 2007-09-19 17:53

Curiosas formas en la playa, me gusta por que se sale de lo corriente.
Un saludo desde España:
Pablo

jonzzz (457) 2009-07-31 3:17 [Comment]

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