Behind The Lens – The Last Dance

If you’ve seen one pine tree you’ve seen them all. That pretty much sums up my shooting preferences in a nutshell. Make no mistake, for me, there is no place like home – deep in the desert. And to be sure, I’m not talkin’ high-desert-slickrock, I’m talkin’ lush-vegetation-Sonoran-Desert. My true love has lush vegetation, an amazing variety of weird shaped cactus, and in a good year during the springtime, is covered with wildflowers.

It was not a good year for the spring flowers in the desert. In fact, it was a bad year, a really bad year. But Ian had just arrived for a shoot so we dropped in on the Kofa Mts because, well we have to be somewhere, and it was on our way to joshua Tree. To be honest, it was the best I have ever seen the Sonoran Desert look. The brittlebush and scorpion weed were crazy, but the topper to the cake was that the ocotillo cactus were in the red stage, just before they lose their leaves. Ocotillos are one of those cactus that will look like a dead stick for years, then start growing leaves the instant it gets water. Remove the water and the leaves die and fall off, much like on a deciduous tree. The desert was electric.

: Canon 5DMII, 17-40 @ 22mm; 1 second @ f 11

I call this “The Last Dance” for a reason. I will get into that in a second. I was amazed when I found the ocotillo “wagon-wheel” in the red stage embraced by brittlebush, and contemplated using it for my last light shot. I had one very real problem. The sun was directly behind me, and my shadow and the shadow of my tripod was in my shot.

Now thats a deal breaker for sure. But thinking a little more, I decided I could pull it off. First thing, I carefully arranged my tripod so that two of the tripod legs cast only one shadow. That left only 2 tripod leg shadows on the ocotillo. It was becoming apparent that the trip od head/camera shadow fell into the shadowed mid-ground (the terrain in front of me was lower than the ridge I was on), and would cause no problem.

That left me and my shadow. I simply stood to the right slightly stooped over holding the cable release as far as it would extend, kinda making it look like I was dancing with the camera. Hence the title of the image. (Since I don’t actually dance, clearly it was an illusion.)

Looking at the image at 100%, the two tripod shadows clearly cross the image, but merely look like shadows from other ocotillos cactus. I pulled it off.

Compositionally, you can see I embraced the symmetry, down to the ocotillo branches leaning in from either side.

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About George Stocking (17 Posts)

George Stocking is a professional freelance photographer, residing in Phoenix, AZ. He works regularly as a contract photographer for Arizona Highways, and his work often graces the pages of Arizona Highways Magazine, Calendars and Books. In addition to capturing the natural beauty of the Arizona Landscape, George also photographs the western United States and Canada. His work has appeared in numerous national publications, such as: Backpacker, Outdoor Photographer, USGA Golf Journal, Country Magazine, Audubon Calendars, Adventure West, America West Airlines Magazine, Portal Publications (posters), Impact, Towery Publications (books) and Smith Southwestern. Other publications include: Oregon Outside, Arizona Foothills, Arizona Adventure, and Plateau Magazine

11 Comments

Kurt Budliger March 1, 2012 at 11:26 am

Very cool shot George. There’s nothing worse than having to clone your own shadow out of a shot, except maybe having to clone out Ian? Just got back from Belize, left Ian down there to feed the sand flies some more…
- George Stocking March 1, 2012 at 11:46 am
  
  Kurt, good to hear from you.
  
  Dude, you nailed that one. If I had a dime for every time I had to clone Ian out of a shot….lets just say I have a photoshop action with his name on it.
  
  glad your trip turned out OK. Last time I was there (Belize), I was denied entry. True story. Although technically, since I was denied entry, I was never actually there…tell you that one sometime over some open-sky-tekillyas
Ian Plant March 1, 2012 at 1:18 pm

Guys, my ears are burning even all the way down here. Of course, its because of all the sun, not anything you guys have said …
Kurt Budliger March 1, 2012 at 1:32 pm

Funny George! Could you send me that action, I’ve got a couple of shots in need. As cool as Ian is he makes a lousy foreground subject.

Ian – how come you’re not out snorkeling?
Ian Plant March 1, 2012 at 8:21 pm

Just got back from snorkeling and sunset at Silk Cay, you’re going to hate me
Kurt Budliger March 1, 2012 at 9:08 pm

You’re assuming I don’t already…

Can’t wait to see. Were the turtles still there? Sunset rock? Don’t leave me hangin’. Safe travels tomorrow, don’t forget to take some T.
Van March 2, 2012 at 4:18 am

Very cool shot! I really like the way the ocotillio leaves create a lit sort of look. I also like how the mountains kind of give off a glowing look. It helps frame the overall composition. I even like how you used the ocotillios in the middle ground to frame the one in the foreground. Excellent shot!
- George Stocking March 3, 2012 at 1:01 am
  
  Van, many thanks..
Chris Gin March 5, 2012 at 2:10 am

Very nice shot. The plant looks like some sort of alien.

Regarding the problem with your own shadow appearing…. using the self-timer would’ve been another option, but not as fun as dancing with the camera
Michael Greene March 6, 2012 at 9:50 am

Awesome shot George – I love it and thanks for your story behind. It’s very interesting.
- George Stocking March 6, 2012 at 1:33 pm
  
  Michael, good to hear from you. Thanks for the kind word..