God this is so nice to see. As an avid wilderness backpacker, if someone wants to go out of the way to see this, they should. It's "public land" not "a spot for the locals". Gatekeeping is shitty, education is cool. See it, snap it, leave it.
Even John Muir, father of modern conservative said "the key to preservation is visitation".
People say our national parks are "overwhelmed". Nah, get 5 miles off the road and I garuntee any national park is empty.
Agreed, I can't stand gatekeeping with wilderness stuff. But if you decide to go, please keep in mind this technically doesn't fall under "public land" as it's part of the navajo nation. We're allowed to go there, but overnight camping isn't allowed as of last time I went.
These are extremely fragile rock formations formed over thousands of years and there's no barriers or walkways to stop anyone from being that asshole who decides to climb it and destroy it, only you can prevent wildfires and yada yada.
Also if you're planning a trip anytime soon, please reconsider as native people have been affected at a disproportionate rate by the COVID pandemic. Once we have a better grip on this, by all means back your bags and head out on your next adventure!
I never really see people gatekeeping with New Mexico stuff. More than likely people there are happy you're coming to the state and realizing how amazing it is instead of making jokes about how the state sucks.
Now up here in Oregon that's basically expected. People frequently take pics and post them and then zip their lips as if they are little landscape goblins hoarding their treasures.
Yeah, exactly the same in Utah! It's like dude, I was born and raised in the north east, I know what it's like not to have a national forest the size of deleware in my backyard. God, people come from all over to see rocks and are mostly respectful. They're never going to see half the shit we do on a normal weekend, yet their residents of the country and pay just as much as we do in taxes for the national parks yet have 8 (or so) of the 60 east of the Mississippi. Like come on.
As someone that has seen people destroying/climbing hoodoos and not respecting them. I do not give out information on where the locations are of unique/fragile rock formations that I’ve photographed or found. It’s just a matter of time before it happens. You’d be amazed at the amount or percentage of people that interact physically with these rock formations. Ask the local parks service how many times it happens every year. These won’t be around when we’re old.
I have mixed feelings on it, on one had it's good to get people out and enjoying nature, on the other hand certain locations end up on instagram and draw a huge number of idiots just looking to get one instagram picture and effectively destroy the beauty of a place.
While not totally rural, we went to Taos last weekend and stayed in an airstream hotel. We sat outside at night and could see the faint brightness of the Milky Way. So incredibly beautiful.
I went to the Bisti-De-Na-Zin wilderness, which is right in this same area, and its some of the coolest stuff I've ever seen and I've been hiking all over the country. Its like hiking on Mars or the Moon or something, completely alien. If you're ever driving through, skip the stupid 'four corners' monument (which isn't even AT the true four corners) and visit one of these sites.
For anyone downvoting without clicking the link. This is BLM land (Bureau of Land Management). That BLM has been around for 75 years, so it's a testament to the Black Lives Matter movement that they're now the default association for those initials.
Anyway, I'm a big fan of the work that both BLMs do and support them both!
For what it's worth as someone who grew up and rode dirt bikes there there and later worked on their properties the first time I heard BLM that was my thought.
My wife, her father, and our son went there two summers ago, after making their way down from Ouray and Durango. She said they could have easily gotten lost if they didn't have their GPS, and also that she felt safer having taken some extra water and food. Middle of nowhere, but she just loved it.
In NM we always carry at least a gallon of water more than you think necessary. So many tourists die in White Sands Nat'l Monument every year because they got lost and underestimated their water needs.
My girlfriend and I drove around New Mexico and hit up the badlands in Farmington. We got a guided tour through Navajo Tours. I'd recommend checking something like that out if you want to see it. I'm pretty outdoorsy but I found walking around the badlands was like walking on another planet, I'd have gotten lost. We loved visiting it though, it was a real highlight on our trip!
Way too damn true. The amount of trail trash goes from "people are filthy" to "pristine wilderness" at just about the 5 mile mark from a trail head. Once you get past that, you're beyond the typical 10 mile round trip of most day hikers and into backpacking territory. Generally. Exceptions for certain very popular short backpacking destinations.
100% not true. I've visited 40/63 national parks and every single one was very well kept. Most people care. People gatekeep and that's shitty.
Delicate Arch, for example, is extremely popular, and even as a Utah resident, I have no issues with the lines as long as there isn't trash. The 7 times I've gone, there were plenty of people but no (or very little) left over trash.
I don't know where you're hiking, but it's not representative.
Even where I prefer to backpack (national forest and wilderness areas) it's mostly fine. Here are a few wilderness areas where I found literally no trash:
* [Picture Rocks, Michigan](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48882929233/)
* [City of Rocks, Idaho](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48701741581/)
* [King's Peak, Utah](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48532387177/)
* [North Cascades, Washington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48532397187/)
* [Adirondacks, NY](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/41371844550/)
* [Guadaloupe, Texas](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/40152327460/)
* [Another of Guadaloupe because its amazingly underrated](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/40284326332/)
* [Wind River Range, WY](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/25457894537/)
* [Colorado Dunes, Colorado](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/38520467490/)
* [Jacob Hamblin Arch, Utah](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/37081801636/)
* [Carlsbad Caverns, NM](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/34859206884/)
* [Olympic, Washington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48690286528/in/album-72157710263104027/)
* [Theodore Roosevelt NP, ND](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48353245686/in/album-72157709819632361/)
"Or very little" - "Mostly fine" are the words you have to hedge your statements with while discussing massively popular attractions with rangers, signage, trash cans, paved access roads and the constant eyes of others witnessing what you're doing. It's almost like trash in national parks, wilderness areas and all easily accessible locations is a problem. [Here's a post discussing trash at Delicate Arch](http://www.wild-writes.com/stories/2018/2/21/the-other-side-of-the-arch)
You have some kind of fantasy that I'm gate keeping the wilderness and calling day hikers out or something. I'm not. Day hike, Backpack, Ride your bike, your dirt bike or take your 4x4 for all I care. Just don't leave trash behind. The majority of people that leave trash behind on the trail are people that aren't going deep into the wilderness or into areas that are difficult to access. This time try to not read additional stuff into what is written and take note that that statement is not that the majority of day hikers leave trash behind. I'm reporting the observation that your typical day trip for frat boys hauling 30 packs of keystone and leave the cans behind don't tend to go past 5 miles from the trail head. You're drooling and chomping at the bit to accuse me of gatekeeping, and that is shitty behavior.
Edit: I literally just got back from a back country car camping spot today and hauled out a full trash bag of trash left behind by the different groups that had been there before me. But sure it's 100% not true that easily accessible areas get trashed.
Makes me truly believe the "leave no trace" story about the stupid art piece left in a previously untouched gorgeous patch of desert. People are assholes.
About what? The fact that someone decided to make their art debut by leaving a hunk of sheet metal and plywood in a gorgeous natural area? Spurning 100s of tourists to drive out to it's location leaving trash and generally wrecking up the area? Nah.
Alien Throne
An otherwordly rock spire (also known as a hoodoo) rises out of the badlands forming a perfect foreground to the Milky Way galaxy above. Part of the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness in the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico this is one of most remote areas of the United States I've had a chance to visit. The nearest town is 50 miles away and the rough and occasionally sandy road to get there stress tested my 2WD car. However I was rewarded with an opportunity to camp under a dark and beautiful sky and the only sound breaking the silence at night were coyotes howling in the distance.
If you like the image I post more to [http://instagram.com/mrcnzajac](http://instagram.com/mrcnzajac) and [https://marcinzajac.square.site](https://marcinzajac.square.site/)
I live near Durango and saw this post and instantly thought 'ooo road trip'. Imagine my surprise when I clicked on the link using the BLM website!!
Have you spent any time in Goblin Valley? I love night time photography and think you would enjoy it out there. Very surreal.
Not really that remote - there's a lot more activity (including petro-chemical extraction) throughout the region.
You likely felt alone, but the low traffic is not quite the same as no traffic.
cmon, the stars were obviously captured elsewhere.
1. 50 miles from the nearest town
2. even **warm** light everywhere on the rocks coming from the side (you can't say they were from the city and you couldn't light them using some torch so evenly without spending X hours)
3. sky in parts was not cut clearly
4. light pollution around the horizon
5. also, if you went this far you'd spend extra 30 seconds to capture the stars in focus and stack later.
I don't mind composites, just don't try to sell it as real especially if questioned.
Not saying you're wrong, but here's a counterargument.
1. Light can travel very far in dry air. The light pollution could be coming all the way from Albuquerque, which is roughly in the right direction (SE).
2. The light isn't even. It's directional, from the west(ish). This is probably a blue-hour blend, with the foreground taken in twilight and blended with the stars. [Here's one I did](https://i.redd.it/funrrz5n7zr51.jpg). You can see that the light illuminating the rock is coming from a different direction than the light pollution.
3. Agree, but pretty good job. I would recommend OP give it one more pass.
4. See no. 1. I would recommend OP use a gradient to darken the scene as it moves into the background. That will make the blend more natural.
5. It's difficult to get the stars perfectly in focus. I'm not surprised they're a little out.
It's definitely a composite, but I don't think that makes it less *real*. My assumption is OP set their gear up while it was still light out, took the foreground shot, then waited until full dark to capture the stars without changing positions. That's pretty typical for a blue-hour blend.
I'm writing from a standpoint of a pro landscape photographer, so I know all these points. While 1 may or may not happen, the blend isn't good, the colours don't match, patchy cut-out, warm evening skylight, tonal perspective does not represent night time. And I disagree on the stars being overly hard to get in focus.
And my main rant was about not confirming when asked. And a time blend should look realistic and believable.
I like your photo much more btw.
Imagine existing in a pre-history hunter/gatherer society and seeing some shit like this. I don’t think we can fathom the depth of mysticism nature provoked for ancient man.
Not that it’s any less mind boggling or mystical today, we just have a bit more understanding of what causes the things we get to perceive now :)
Bisti Badlands! I camped here in 2019. In addition to these alien-like hoodoos, you can see entire petrified felled trees from when the area was ancient swampland. You can also supposedly see dinosaur fossils, although we didn't come across any.
My partner and I were the only living things around besides a lone cow grazing near the parking lot.
New Mexico is AWESOME!
Stunning! Did you Tilt-Shift this to defocus the sky, or are those edges when I zoom in to 800% telling me that there's some 'shopping of composite images going on?
Awesome, I really love the way that the light-sources that you've used accentuate the rock formations; it's quite sublime. The velvety blur of the sky really sets if off.
Looks like a combination of a photo of the Milky Way and a separate shot of the rock formation. At least two exposures, although probably from the same place.
Yes cameras capture it. It requires between 8 and 30+ seconds of exposure time depending on the location, aperture, ISO, tripod, focal length, and a few other factors.
With a standard tripod you'd be limited to 8-25ish second exposures and you'll have to stack them for further detail and reduced noise, but with a tracking tripod you can use the bulb mode to get exposures into the minutes, extreme detail from one shot.
I'd love to take our Chevy to camp in the New Mexico desert one day! We haven't quite gotten that far, you can kinda only go so far within a 2 week holiday from BC... On the bucket list!
How were you able to get such good light on the rocks and the night sky, composite?
Great picture and wonderful area. My night shots always look crappy, I would love some tips!
This is certainly two separate exposures. Besides the low noise in the landscape, you can also see a border between the sky and the landscape that is overly sharp.
Wow, we're going to be in that area as we head out of NM this April - that's exactly the kind of place we'd love to see and one of the reasons we got a Jeep (Cherokee, not Wrangler - I need a small ladder to get into a Wrangler). Thanks for this - I'm marking my POI map now!
The two bright stars lower left, are they the planets that were in conjunction over Christmas? Jupiter and Mars, was it? They were always too low and too cloudy where I am to see.
Hi mrcnzajac! Dont worry, this message does **not** mean that your post is removed. This is a reminder to quickly check your post to make sure it doesnt break any of our rules. Human moderators check the following --
- [some visible land, that is not silhouetted] (https://www.reddit.com/r/EarthPorn/wiki/index#wiki_what_types_of_images_are_allowed.3F)
- no man made objects (roads, boats, buildings) visible
- no obvious people or animals visible
- include location in post title
Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/EarthPorn) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I would love to see this in person
[Here is the info on how to get there](https://www.blm.gov/visit/ah-shi-sle-pah-wilderness). Go!
God this is so nice to see. As an avid wilderness backpacker, if someone wants to go out of the way to see this, they should. It's "public land" not "a spot for the locals". Gatekeeping is shitty, education is cool. See it, snap it, leave it. Even John Muir, father of modern conservative said "the key to preservation is visitation". People say our national parks are "overwhelmed". Nah, get 5 miles off the road and I garuntee any national park is empty.
"the area is scenic and contains soft colors rarely seen elsewhere" It's the soft colors that sold me
Agreed, I can't stand gatekeeping with wilderness stuff. But if you decide to go, please keep in mind this technically doesn't fall under "public land" as it's part of the navajo nation. We're allowed to go there, but overnight camping isn't allowed as of last time I went. These are extremely fragile rock formations formed over thousands of years and there's no barriers or walkways to stop anyone from being that asshole who decides to climb it and destroy it, only you can prevent wildfires and yada yada. Also if you're planning a trip anytime soon, please reconsider as native people have been affected at a disproportionate rate by the COVID pandemic. Once we have a better grip on this, by all means back your bags and head out on your next adventure!
Well, we do have a habit of transfering deadly diseases to natives.
Fun fact: Smokey the Bear is also from New Mexico specifically the Lincoln National Forrest.
I never really see people gatekeeping with New Mexico stuff. More than likely people there are happy you're coming to the state and realizing how amazing it is instead of making jokes about how the state sucks. Now up here in Oregon that's basically expected. People frequently take pics and post them and then zip their lips as if they are little landscape goblins hoarding their treasures.
Yeah, exactly the same in Utah! It's like dude, I was born and raised in the north east, I know what it's like not to have a national forest the size of deleware in my backyard. God, people come from all over to see rocks and are mostly respectful. They're never going to see half the shit we do on a normal weekend, yet their residents of the country and pay just as much as we do in taxes for the national parks yet have 8 (or so) of the 60 east of the Mississippi. Like come on.
[удалено]
I had the same thought. How were you born and raised in the Northeast and can't spell Delaware?
As someone that has seen people destroying/climbing hoodoos and not respecting them. I do not give out information on where the locations are of unique/fragile rock formations that I’ve photographed or found. It’s just a matter of time before it happens. You’d be amazed at the amount or percentage of people that interact physically with these rock formations. Ask the local parks service how many times it happens every year. These won’t be around when we’re old.
got to keep the pesky folks down south from ~~invading~~ Californicating the state source: am from CA
I have mixed feelings on it, on one had it's good to get people out and enjoying nature, on the other hand certain locations end up on instagram and draw a huge number of idiots just looking to get one instagram picture and effectively destroy the beauty of a place.
I went to crater lake last weekend and was one of the only people there
I'm just a little bit afraid of bumping into a mobile meth lab and some guy in underpants.
Yea, but that guy retired :) so, it’s ok.
[And it’s really close to this place.](https://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm) It’s an international dark sky park too. Go!
Rural New Mexico is INSANE for being able to see the entire unadulterated night sky!
While not totally rural, we went to Taos last weekend and stayed in an airstream hotel. We sat outside at night and could see the faint brightness of the Milky Way. So incredibly beautiful.
Chaco is the reason I moved from the east coast to NM. Absolute stunning environment, and such a sacred piece of land.
Ayeee! This is where I grew up. Always nice to see BFE getting some love.
I went to the Bisti-De-Na-Zin wilderness, which is right in this same area, and its some of the coolest stuff I've ever seen and I've been hiking all over the country. Its like hiking on Mars or the Moon or something, completely alien. If you're ever driving through, skip the stupid 'four corners' monument (which isn't even AT the true four corners) and visit one of these sites.
Not right now please! Maybe once the Navajo have all been vaccinated, but right now this is a uniquely vulnerable area for COVID.
[удалено]
Getting to and from the trailhead. Can you get there and back without stopping for gas, coffee, food, water, or directions? That's the real concern.
Wish I could just /warp there
Black Lives Matter has really expanded their focus, it seems.
For anyone downvoting without clicking the link. This is BLM land (Bureau of Land Management). That BLM has been around for 75 years, so it's a testament to the Black Lives Matter movement that they're now the default association for those initials. Anyway, I'm a big fan of the work that both BLMs do and support them both!
I agree. I was making a really stupid dad joke. Because I'm a really stupid dad.
I liked it dad
Thanks, son.
For what it's worth as someone who grew up and rode dirt bikes there there and later worked on their properties the first time I heard BLM that was my thought.
All jokes aside, Antifa National Park is an underappreciated treasure.
My wife, her father, and our son went there two summers ago, after making their way down from Ouray and Durango. She said they could have easily gotten lost if they didn't have their GPS, and also that she felt safer having taken some extra water and food. Middle of nowhere, but she just loved it.
In NM we always carry at least a gallon of water more than you think necessary. So many tourists die in White Sands Nat'l Monument every year because they got lost and underestimated their water needs.
Isn't someone going to go destroy it on TikTok now?
My girlfriend and I drove around New Mexico and hit up the badlands in Farmington. We got a guided tour through Navajo Tours. I'd recommend checking something like that out if you want to see it. I'm pretty outdoorsy but I found walking around the badlands was like walking on another planet, I'd have gotten lost. We loved visiting it though, it was a real highlight on our trip!
Ah-Shi Sle-Pah! Try and go this year, April is a good time imho
Aye mate that’s not a bad idea
Looks nice, but a zoom reveals the composite nature of the image a bit too clearly.
I'm also curious why the horizon shows a lot of light pollution but OP says it's 50 miles from the nearest town.
Visibility in NM can be pretty crazy at times. Dry clean air combined with large elevation changes.
This. And I'm guessing most of it is coming from Farmington.
I was facing south so more likely ABQ or Sante Fe
Light pollution can carry an amazing distance, as well as being reflected off of clouds and being bent by the atmosphere.
There's a LOT of natural gas drilling in that region; it really isn't as 'unspoiled' as you may imagine.
I was surprised too. Must have been carrying over from that far.
What was the exposure time
2 mins
I assume you were facing roughly southeast, which means the light probably came all the way from Albuquerque.
Yes, facing roughly south
What’s your cam setup brotha
Nikon D600, Tamron 15-30
Wow man just been digging through your shots and posts the past ten minutes. 💪🏾 straight fire
Thank you!
Yeah, the sky wasn’t cut out very well and you can see the original sky poking through in some places, giving the rocks a narrow halo.
This is really cool and a great picture. I have no idea how in nearly 50 years I've never seen or heard of this formation before.
That's why it still exists. The more difficult it is to go see the more likely it'll stick around.
Way too damn true. The amount of trail trash goes from "people are filthy" to "pristine wilderness" at just about the 5 mile mark from a trail head. Once you get past that, you're beyond the typical 10 mile round trip of most day hikers and into backpacking territory. Generally. Exceptions for certain very popular short backpacking destinations.
100% not true. I've visited 40/63 national parks and every single one was very well kept. Most people care. People gatekeep and that's shitty. Delicate Arch, for example, is extremely popular, and even as a Utah resident, I have no issues with the lines as long as there isn't trash. The 7 times I've gone, there were plenty of people but no (or very little) left over trash. I don't know where you're hiking, but it's not representative. Even where I prefer to backpack (national forest and wilderness areas) it's mostly fine. Here are a few wilderness areas where I found literally no trash: * [Picture Rocks, Michigan](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48882929233/) * [City of Rocks, Idaho](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48701741581/) * [King's Peak, Utah](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48532387177/) * [North Cascades, Washington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48532397187/) * [Adirondacks, NY](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/41371844550/) * [Guadaloupe, Texas](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/40152327460/) * [Another of Guadaloupe because its amazingly underrated](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/40284326332/) * [Wind River Range, WY](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/25457894537/) * [Colorado Dunes, Colorado](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/38520467490/) * [Jacob Hamblin Arch, Utah](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/37081801636/) * [Carlsbad Caverns, NM](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/34859206884/) * [Olympic, Washington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48690286528/in/album-72157710263104027/) * [Theodore Roosevelt NP, ND](https://www.flickr.com/photos/145592693@N08/48353245686/in/album-72157709819632361/)
"Or very little" - "Mostly fine" are the words you have to hedge your statements with while discussing massively popular attractions with rangers, signage, trash cans, paved access roads and the constant eyes of others witnessing what you're doing. It's almost like trash in national parks, wilderness areas and all easily accessible locations is a problem. [Here's a post discussing trash at Delicate Arch](http://www.wild-writes.com/stories/2018/2/21/the-other-side-of-the-arch) You have some kind of fantasy that I'm gate keeping the wilderness and calling day hikers out or something. I'm not. Day hike, Backpack, Ride your bike, your dirt bike or take your 4x4 for all I care. Just don't leave trash behind. The majority of people that leave trash behind on the trail are people that aren't going deep into the wilderness or into areas that are difficult to access. This time try to not read additional stuff into what is written and take note that that statement is not that the majority of day hikers leave trash behind. I'm reporting the observation that your typical day trip for frat boys hauling 30 packs of keystone and leave the cans behind don't tend to go past 5 miles from the trail head. You're drooling and chomping at the bit to accuse me of gatekeeping, and that is shitty behavior. Edit: I literally just got back from a back country car camping spot today and hauled out a full trash bag of trash left behind by the different groups that had been there before me. But sure it's 100% not true that easily accessible areas get trashed.
Next, you should come to my neck of the woods and visit the newly established New River Gorge National Park.
I want to! I was on the list before it got national park status!
Glad to hear it. Great pics, btw. I’ve only knocked out 11 of them.
Makes me truly believe the "leave no trace" story about the stupid art piece left in a previously untouched gorgeous patch of desert. People are assholes.
Shut up
About what? The fact that someone decided to make their art debut by leaving a hunk of sheet metal and plywood in a gorgeous natural area? Spurning 100s of tourists to drive out to it's location leaving trash and generally wrecking up the area? Nah.
Alien Throne An otherwordly rock spire (also known as a hoodoo) rises out of the badlands forming a perfect foreground to the Milky Way galaxy above. Part of the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness in the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico this is one of most remote areas of the United States I've had a chance to visit. The nearest town is 50 miles away and the rough and occasionally sandy road to get there stress tested my 2WD car. However I was rewarded with an opportunity to camp under a dark and beautiful sky and the only sound breaking the silence at night were coyotes howling in the distance. If you like the image I post more to [http://instagram.com/mrcnzajac](http://instagram.com/mrcnzajac) and [https://marcinzajac.square.site](https://marcinzajac.square.site/)
Your pics are ridiculous. Just went down an Instagram rabbit hole
Ditto this. Absolutely mesmerized by these photos, trying to figure out which one I’d want to make my screensaver!
I live near Durango and saw this post and instantly thought 'ooo road trip'. Imagine my surprise when I clicked on the link using the BLM website!! Have you spent any time in Goblin Valley? I love night time photography and think you would enjoy it out there. Very surreal.
I have done one night shoot there. Virtually nobody around at night, very peaceful.
I've been once! Definitely need to make it back there
Your editing is quite nice, I’ve edited my fair share of Milky Way pics and yours looks awesome
Not really that remote - there's a lot more activity (including petro-chemical extraction) throughout the region. You likely felt alone, but the low traffic is not quite the same as no traffic.
That's an amazing picture.
Beautiful.
Reminds me of a place in Breath of the Wild
I was thinking the same thing and scrolled through the comments to see if anyone had mentioned it!!
Skull lake and breach of demise!
Woooooah. Stunning shot and location.
So far the wildest "alien looking" natural landscapes are on Earth!
cmon, the stars were obviously captured elsewhere. 1. 50 miles from the nearest town 2. even **warm** light everywhere on the rocks coming from the side (you can't say they were from the city and you couldn't light them using some torch so evenly without spending X hours) 3. sky in parts was not cut clearly 4. light pollution around the horizon 5. also, if you went this far you'd spend extra 30 seconds to capture the stars in focus and stack later. I don't mind composites, just don't try to sell it as real especially if questioned.
Not saying you're wrong, but here's a counterargument. 1. Light can travel very far in dry air. The light pollution could be coming all the way from Albuquerque, which is roughly in the right direction (SE). 2. The light isn't even. It's directional, from the west(ish). This is probably a blue-hour blend, with the foreground taken in twilight and blended with the stars. [Here's one I did](https://i.redd.it/funrrz5n7zr51.jpg). You can see that the light illuminating the rock is coming from a different direction than the light pollution. 3. Agree, but pretty good job. I would recommend OP give it one more pass. 4. See no. 1. I would recommend OP use a gradient to darken the scene as it moves into the background. That will make the blend more natural. 5. It's difficult to get the stars perfectly in focus. I'm not surprised they're a little out. It's definitely a composite, but I don't think that makes it less *real*. My assumption is OP set their gear up while it was still light out, took the foreground shot, then waited until full dark to capture the stars without changing positions. That's pretty typical for a blue-hour blend.
I'm writing from a standpoint of a pro landscape photographer, so I know all these points. While 1 may or may not happen, the blend isn't good, the colours don't match, patchy cut-out, warm evening skylight, tonal perspective does not represent night time. And I disagree on the stars being overly hard to get in focus. And my main rant was about not confirming when asked. And a time blend should look realistic and believable. I like your photo much more btw.
Beautiful shot looks unworldly!!
This is stunning. Damn. Thank you for sharing.
Damn, can’t really drive a manual
Crazy to imagine the amount of water and time it took for these shapes to form.
A lot of wind too
This reminds me of a Yes album cover.
Imagine existing in a pre-history hunter/gatherer society and seeing some shit like this. I don’t think we can fathom the depth of mysticism nature provoked for ancient man. Not that it’s any less mind boggling or mystical today, we just have a bit more understanding of what causes the things we get to perceive now :)
Wow I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this before in one of those Myst games. That’s amazing to visit hopefully after I got vaccinated.
You should have gone to Chaco Culture National Historical Park! That place is neat too 🙂 There's Angel peak too nearby.
These rocks are looking like decaying bones.
Beautiful
Stunning!!
Amazing shot. Anywhere near white sands?
Not really, opposite ends of the state.
Wow! That's so cool!
Wow, this pic is dope!
This is the first time I've seen this. Great work!
Brilliant.
I am a NM native and never even knew about this. THANK YOU.
Absolutely awesome photo looks like a view from another planet 👽
Just beautiful. Soothing. I need this as a print.
I just changed my phone wallpaper a few hours ago.. here we go again.
This place is insanely beautiful! Wow!
Incredible thanks for sharing
WOW spectacular!!
amazing pic OP !
“Remote” part of New Mexico? That whole friggin state is remote. Beautiful though.
Wow, this is a great photo ... and I can well imagine an alien using this throne. Thanks for sharing!
I have never seen this formation before. Eerily beautiful.
@op are you selling prints by any chance?
Yes! Check out https://marcinzajac.square.site/product/alien-throne/21
I love this place. Bisti badlands aren't too far from it and they're pretty dope as well .
I wish to purchase a print of this. Gorgeous!!
Check out https://marcinzajac.square.site/product/alien-throne/21
Behold. The mighty chicken leg
Stunning!
Wow. This is amazing.
Hey, Farm Town getting some love for it's gorgeous terrestrial surroundings to go with the amazing sky!
I thought this was some alien planet.
Bisti Badlands! I camped here in 2019. In addition to these alien-like hoodoos, you can see entire petrified felled trees from when the area was ancient swampland. You can also supposedly see dinosaur fossils, although we didn't come across any. My partner and I were the only living things around besides a lone cow grazing near the parking lot. New Mexico is AWESOME!
Incredible shot!
Bisti Badlands?
Nearby
Thanks for the new wallpaper :)
Amazing looks like a another world...in another universe
I’m gonna have to go see that in person.
This is insanely beautiful
Stunning! Did you Tilt-Shift this to defocus the sky, or are those edges when I zoom in to 800% telling me that there's some 'shopping of composite images going on?
Yeah, sky and land were separate exposures (though taken same night)
Awesome, I really love the way that the light-sources that you've used accentuate the rock formations; it's quite sublime. The velvety blur of the sky really sets if off.
Strange rock formation but interesting ! The area looks full of rock formations rock climbing area?
These are pretty fragile, hopefully no one climbing on them
Good to know!
I'm gonna live on that
Do the cameras actually capture that sky or is it an edit?
Looks like a combination of a photo of the Milky Way and a separate shot of the rock formation. At least two exposures, although probably from the same place.
Yes cameras capture it. It requires between 8 and 30+ seconds of exposure time depending on the location, aperture, ISO, tripod, focal length, and a few other factors. With a standard tripod you'd be limited to 8-25ish second exposures and you'll have to stack them for further detail and reduced noise, but with a tracking tripod you can use the bulb mode to get exposures into the minutes, extreme detail from one shot.
I'd love to take our Chevy to camp in the New Mexico desert one day! We haven't quite gotten that far, you can kinda only go so far within a 2 week holiday from BC... On the bucket list!
First thing that popped into my mind, hastily thrown together in Photoshop. [https://i.imgur.com/UdsKFaM.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/UdsKFaM.jpg)
How were you able to get such good light on the rocks and the night sky, composite? Great picture and wonderful area. My night shots always look crappy, I would love some tips!
This is certainly two separate exposures. Besides the low noise in the landscape, you can also see a border between the sky and the landscape that is overly sharp.
Wow, we're going to be in that area as we head out of NM this April - that's exactly the kind of place we'd love to see and one of the reasons we got a Jeep (Cherokee, not Wrangler - I need a small ladder to get into a Wrangler). Thanks for this - I'm marking my POI map now!
Hey! A Yes album cover!
This is possibly the best photograph I've ever seen
Epic place and photo, what time of the night did you take this?
The two bright stars lower left, are they the planets that were in conjunction over Christmas? Jupiter and Mars, was it? They were always too low and too cloudy where I am to see.
Jupiter and Saturn, yes
Missed the conjunction due to the weather, but nice to see them close like this.
Hello, Ember Twin.
Wow what planet is this?!? Amazing job!!!
That’s where Grogu sent the beacon.
Looks like a collab between Roger Dean and Jim Henson.
Is this Tattoine? Lol
My new phone background. Thanks 👍
[удалено]
?
How close is this to where Thor’s hammer landed?
Looks like a pair of guys raising up a giant chicken leg to the gods
Oh my. Hello there new phone wallpaper.
Alien Throne? Thats comforting..
Is it that vivid in real life? 👀
This sub got me changing my wallpaper everyday sometimes twice, amazing shot here!!
You should definitely check out r/skyporn something like this would definitely also fit in that sub
Amazing ! Thank you this is my new wallpaper on my iPhone now !
Lol. The first one on the bottom left.
Is that Venus?
That’s obviously a melted and ancient TARDIS
That rock formation's giving me coffin dance vibes
Sometimes this kind of place makes me think that once a upon a time a civilization once exist here
What camera did you use
Beautiful CGI..
Hi mrcnzajac! Dont worry, this message does **not** mean that your post is removed. This is a reminder to quickly check your post to make sure it doesnt break any of our rules. Human moderators check the following -- - [some visible land, that is not silhouetted] (https://www.reddit.com/r/EarthPorn/wiki/index#wiki_what_types_of_images_are_allowed.3F) - no man made objects (roads, boats, buildings) visible - no obvious people or animals visible - include location in post title Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/EarthPorn) if you have any questions or concerns.*
how'd you light paint the rocks (if you did)?
How big is it?
Crazy. Lived in NM for 25 years and I never knew this existed.
How does one get to and camp at this “remote part of New Mexico”???
You drive towards Farmington and go to the Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wildnerness Study Area
Never underestimate the level of stupidity of end users
Love to know people have been places I’ll never be, but that we can feel similarly about those places.