photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Eight: Light and shadow shape meaning > Spruce Tree Cliff Dwelling, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, 2007
previous | next
10-NOV-2007

Spruce Tree Cliff Dwelling, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, 2007

A flare of light grazes the ruins of Mesa Verde's Spruce Tree House, a cliff dwelling built during the 11th century. It had more than 100 rooms, and is in excellent condition because it is protected from weather by an overhanging cliff. I grazed the sun with the upper right hand corner of my frame to create the flare of light. Using my spot-metering mode, I exposed for the light, which throws much of the image into deep, mysterious shadows.

Leica D-Lux 3
1/250s f/5.6 at 6.3mm iso100 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time10-Nov-2007 14:18:36
MakeLeica
ModelD-LUX 3
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length6.3 mm
Exposure Time1/250 sec
Aperturef/5.6
ISO Equivalent100
Exposure Bias-0.33
White Balance
Metering Modemulti spot (3)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programprogram (2)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis30-Apr-2008 00:40
Thanks, Iris, for putting this image into the context of Mesa Verde's history. It makes that flare of light all that much more meaningful.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)29-Apr-2008 21:00
Mesa Verde was the first national park in the U.S. dedicated to the preservation of the works of man. As such, it is an historical park dedicated to the Anasazi who resided in these cliff dwellings. The Anasazi started to leave the mesa in the 11th Century. Why they left is open to speculation, but eventually the mesa was completely abandoned and the Anasazi never returned. For me, your image is a very powerful statement that even though the Anasazi never returned physically, their spirt remains and their dwellings are still imbued with their life force. This is a brilliant image, Phil.
Phil Douglis11-Dec-2007 19:40
Thanks, Patricia, for noting the symbolic value of that shaft of light. Anytime we can introduce a shaft of light into an image, we create a symbolic spiritual force. There actually was no shaft of light present -- I simply shot into the sun, placing it in corner of the frame, and that shaft of light is actually flare. Most people hate lens flare, but I often use it to inject a spiritual force. Flare can also express an energetic force -- see my shot of ground zero at Hiroshima, Japan, athttp://www.pbase.com/image/58759156 for an example.
Patricia Lay-Dorsey11-Dec-2007 17:26
Phil, with your choice of focus being the shaft of sun rather than the cliff dwelling itself you have created a masterpiece of meaning. Here I experience the presence of Spirit in which the lives of these cliff dwellers were imbued.
Phil Douglis20-Nov-2007 16:44
Without the ray of light, there is only description here. And I made that ray "happen" by deliberately creating "flare" at the edge of my frame.
monique jansen20-Nov-2007 13:54
Wonderful play with that ray of light
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment