What's in the Box? Photo

Photographer’s Note

What's is the Box?
Box Canyon Falls, Ouray, Colorado, USA

A little privately run tourist hot-spot, the Box Canyon Falls complex occupies a small area of land nestled above the town of Ouray. The main attraction is the falls which thunder into this enclosed "box" canyon making more of an aural, rather than a visual impression.

This photo shows part of the steel structures erected within the canyon to allow easy access to the falls. In the spring, I've no doubt that the small recess from which I took this shot would be well under water.

Regards

avene, jean11-3, tomescuc, CMJC, Angshu, jbemmels has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

jean11-3 (2799) 2008-05-08 13:54

Hello Colin,yet another place which few people will be aware of.
The staircase, we cannot see the top or the bottom,leading up/down in this vast space takes us who knows where?
I am pleased that you photographed people on the stairs, as it gives us a reference point for size.The b/w format suits the subject perfectly.
Good notes.
Tfs, regards Jean.

wolf38 (12899) 2008-05-08 20:55

Hello Colin. An interesting b&w picture. Exemplary composes. Above all the grey tones are excellent. The people on the stairs bring lives into the picture. Worth seeing. Best regards, Wolfgang.

avene (11052) 2008-05-09 3:06

overwhelming WOW-effect in this photo, Colin. almost post-apocalyptic mood, feels these are the first people to climb to the surface of the Earth after years and years spent underground. love the play of lights and shadows, and how the B&W focuses attention on shapes and textures of the rock. superb work, my compliments.

with best regards,
Kristine

tomescuc (2837) 2008-05-09 16:22

Very good monochrome tones in this image, and an unusual composition mixing industrial and natural elements.
cheers,
Cristian

Angshu (33795) 2008-05-13 20:43

Hello Colin
This is a view, I haven't seen in any picture. Almost like the 'backstage' of the waterfalls. The B&W is a perfect choice, infact I cannot think of this in colour. The stairs, graphical & diagonal against the rocks, with the vertical columns looks great in B&W as does the contrast between the light & shaded portions of the rocks. Do we see fine threads of waterfalls in the corners? A really fine work Colin...thanks for sharing
Regards
Angshu

brandstaetter (14202) 2008-05-17 13:35

Hi Colin,
a phantastic scene, seems like they´re going down into the underworld...
well balanced light, compliments, Chris

jbemmels (327) 2009-08-06 13:10

Hey Colin,

Beautiful! This photo is doing things for me right now that few photos do: that is, I am seeing, hearing, smelling and feeling something unfold before me in real time. I am seeing the humans trudge ever so slowly up the stairs, hearing their heavy footsteps resound through the metal structure and echo throughout the canyon above the sound of the roaring water, smelling the underground vapours and the smell of wet rock, and feeling the cold mist from the falls condense on my skin. Photos that other people have taken are usually completely visual for me, but this one is evoking all my senses and challenging my imagination.

Jordan

P.S. I guess I should say something about the photo itself though? I think the overall darkness is contributing to the dream-like effect, and the contrast between human and nature is one of the (many) particularly powerful motifs. Great handling of the lighting!

Silversnow (2121) 2009-08-18 5:55

Very unique perspective here, and the people walking the stairs add a sense of scale and motion to the very nice composition. I like the way the close crop conveys the claustrophobic ambiance better than a wide angle would.