Montana Agate
by Mark ~ May 17th, 2009. Filed under: abstracts, art, macro, nature photography, rock, stone.
Montana Agate
I have added a couple images of Montana agate to my rock abstracts gallery. This agate is found near the Yellowstone river and believed to be from the Pleistocene age. (1.8 Million to 10,000 years before present).
For me, dendrite inclusions really give character to certain stones, and the dancing dendrites in this particular sample are no exception. I found the bird-like one a particularly strong graphical element, so I chose the compositions based upon that particular dendrite. Lighting also plays an important role in portraying agates. With cross-polarized flashes for front lighting, and some slight backlighting – I was able to give these abstracts more depth. I think it also helps with the luminous quality to the images. Both images made with a Nikon D700, ISO200, Nikon 200mm f4 macro lens with polarizer at f11, and two SB-R200 macro flashes, with polarizing film on each.
Montana Agate
The rock is photographed wet with a light coating of vitamin E oil. I sometimes have to use oil because water starts to evaporate in spots creating uneven surface reflectance. Both have a fantasy world feel to them. Interpretation is what is most exciting with abstract photography for me. People formulate their own interpretations depending on their own experiences and moods – and it may change from day to day.
I am interested in your own interpretations of or reactions to these images – so please feel free to leave a comment describing it.
May 17th, 2009 at
No disrespect, but it almost looks like marshmallows that have been left in the sunny window of a closed car which have melted & started to mold.
May 17th, 2009 at
Mmmmm… moldy smores…
May 17th, 2009 at
Mark, very interesting–it resembles some type of fleshy fungi.
If you would not have told, I would never have guessed rock. For a sense of perspective, how large was the rock you used in this photo?
May 17th, 2009 at
Earl, the entire piece is about 2 inches by 3 inches – and these images were shot at nearly 1:1 magnification of the lens – so appx. 0.5-1.0 inch on the short side.
May 17th, 2009 at
Mark, these photos are fascinating and the sense of depth you achieved was amazing–impressive!
May 17th, 2009 at
[...] Originally posted here: Graf Nature Photography | Notes from the woods » Montana Agate [...]
May 18th, 2009 at
Those are beautiful Mark, I love the patterns and translucent glow!
Ron
May 18th, 2009 at
What’s really interesting to me is the 3D feeling of the images. I like the dendrite inclusions as well, they almost look like footprints in snow/sand. I also see where these images may be seen as rather sensual.
May 19th, 2009 at
Mark. These are truly impressive. You lighting adds quite a bit of depth to them. Fabulous!
May 19th, 2009 at
Thanks Ron, Paul’s — hmmm, where have I heard that name…
May 20th, 2009 at
“There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion,” Sir Francis Bacon.
May 20th, 2009 at
Thanks for the great and fitting quote Chris.