Whence come this image? Quite dramatic, stark, and exultant. A good banner image for a site dedicated to the artistry of the female form. But what is it?
Back in the northwest corner of the American union of states I frequented a footpath alongside a large port dock. Along one of my travels I noticed the appearance of enormous, svelte, delicately curved objects, exquisite in their form, stacked in rows. Every visit discovered ever more, now forming an oddly aesthetic visual. As a former engineer, I recognized them for the blades of those absolutely gigantic wind turbines you see strewn about the open plains and hillsides. Rarely does one see them this close up however, and they seemed sensuously beautiful.
After a number of walks admiring them I finally summoned the courage to ask the security guard if he'd be willing to let me photograph them. Luckily as an amateur photographer himself he was intrigued at the opportunity to see a professional artist at work. So I conjured a willing muse to act as humanity's interlocutor to this foreign blade-scape and we made our way between them. It is certainly a privilege to walk among the giants.
To some degree it's intellectually interesting from the air. But it's visually compelling between them.
Action Shots
Sometimes getting a great shot means getting down and dirty on the ground. The perspective from this vantage point is what gives the model stature and the blades that expansive fanning effect.
The stand next to me is holding additional lighting. I chose the time of day to give subdued, sunset type lighting so I could control the light on her with my own light. Light control is a critical part of great photography.
Photographers will also note the very short lens I'm using -- in fact, a fish eye lens. This lens creates the extreme barrel distortion that helps with bending the blades into even more elegant curves.
Is it art? I don't know. I like what I got. But would someone put it on the wall to enjoy? Perhaps the wind turbine manufacturer would. How about you?
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