HOW I GOT THE SHOT: The Dead
Sea, for all its lack of life, certainly has a lot to give: therapeutic
minerals, a booming tourist trade, breath taking vistas. Recently nominated as
one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (it lost in the final, public vote)
the region is a bounty of inspiring photo opportunities.
Since we are nearing the end of
the month of Elul, the final month of the Jewish year, which is devoted to
inner reflection and accounting, I thought this photo seemed seasonally
appropriate as I reprise my column following a summer respite. Like many images
found in nature, the difficulty often lies in accessing a safe vantage point
from which to photograph. Stopping my car at the side of the road, I hiked
through the heat and around sinkholes, kicked up a little dust and glided past
a scorpion or two. I found stable ground to rest my tripod and frame the image,
careful to add just a drop of exposure so the salt crystals would remain true
to their bright, white color. In the end, it was worth it. I mean, really, how
many countries smaller than New Jersey can boast a Wonder of the World
finalist?
TECHNICAL DATA: Camera:
Nikon D70, tripod mounted, manual exposure, center-weighted metering mode, f9
at 1/1,000th sec., ISO 200. Raw file converted to Jpeg. Lens: Nikon 70-300mm zoom
at 145mm. Date:
Dec. 25, 2006, 2:02 p.m. Location:
Dead Sea shoreline near Ein Boqeq.
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1 comment:
You can be very proud of this photo, simply a stunning picture! Just wondering about the trees though, did they grow there in spite of the salt water, or did the water rise and cause their death?
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