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Cruel Beauty
Cruel Beauty
Shmee


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study XV (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED
Location: Butte, MT Mountain Consolidation Mine
Date: Nov 21, 2006
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/125 s
Galleries: Panoramic, History
Date Uploaded: Nov 21, 2006

 Behind the Title:

This is the Mountain Consolidation Mine, yet another abandoned mine in Butte, Montana. (see my postcard entry). I posted this photo on a Butte photography forum and got this reply from "coach Mike":

"I remember being in that Mountain Con hoist room.
It was Christmas Eve.
Ted Cavanaugh was the hoisting engineer during one of his 40 years raising and lowering untold thousands (of people)into the depths. Yes, even on Christmas Eve.
The miners waiting to board the chippy cage went from 40 degrees below zero to 90 degrees in a matter of minutes.
The bells would pierce your eardrums, not the silver bells playing on the LP records in the nearby East Center street homes, but the bells from the station that were code for what depth the miners wanted to be lowered to.
Then the giant drums would roll, unleashing thousands and thousands of feet of thick, oily cable that held the life of the miners dropping into the earth a mile straight down."

Creul, isn't it?

Enough of the history lesson. I burned the white building on the right (hidden behind the gallow frame), and also the parts of buildings on the left corner. Used selective levels, sharpened, cropped, saved for web and added just a bit of saturation for the web.

I got really lucky with the lighting! The clouds were dark blue and the sun was setting. I was driving and pulled over on the side of the road and took about 4 shots before the lighting change. The first three were overexposed.


Statistics
Place: 61 out of 501
Avg (all users): 6.3567
Avg (commenters): 7.6154
Avg (participants): 6.2925
Avg (non-participants): 6.4902
Views since voting: 2077
Views during voting: 266
Votes: 157
Comments: 18
Favorites: 3 (view)

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AuthorThread
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 12/08/2006 03:10:50 PM
The size restriction at DPC do not do this picture justice. HOpe you get it printed in large size as it is very nice work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-7D Mark II
Canon EF 24-70mm f/4.0 L IS USM Lens
 12/08/2006 09:55:00 AM
Beautiful light. Thank you for the notes -- they make a good picture even better.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
 12/08/2006 09:14:25 AM
Nice with your notes and story. I wonder what was mined? Copper? Hard rock mining is a special profession. Once involved, one never forgets.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon PowerShot SX60 HS
 12/08/2006 02:18:19 AM
Beautiful image. Isn't it amazing how the light makes or breaks a picture. You timed this one just right. And darned nice score, as well. In any 'normal' contest, you would be far closer to the front page!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 12/07/2006 07:18:23 PM
Excellent colors and light.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon PowerShot S2 IS
 12/06/2006 05:18:12 PM
very unique. Nice color comp.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 12/05/2006 10:05:25 PM
i really like this...would have like to have seen it taller, but not counting off for this. very gorgeous image. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital
 12/05/2006 06:50:58 AM
Nice light you caught there, you were there at the right moment I see.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-20D
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
 12/04/2006 04:57:55 PM
I'm not sure what it is but it is interesting...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Pentax K7
Pentax DA 16-45mm f/4.0 ED AL AF
 12/04/2006 04:48:11 PM
Wow, I'm glad you used that title, if not I probably would've done the 15 second check it out & vote. (which would've been a high vote anyway, but wanted to leave a comment)
Great colors here, & full of emotion. Great shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D200
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 12/03/2006 02:51:48 PM
Very effective panorama - foreboding and ominous feel - nice work.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 12/03/2006 06:45:34 AM
Nice light and clarity
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus E-5
Olympus 18-180mm f/3.5-6.3 Zuiko ED Digitial Zoom
 12/02/2006 06:09:34 PM
Very fitting title. Nice work! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-7D
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0 L USM
 12/02/2006 08:35:21 AM
Lighting and timing are excellent.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Fujifilm X100VI
 12/01/2006 05:27:03 PM
Very nice light and sky.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 12/01/2006 04:34:53 PM
very good!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
 12/01/2006 02:47:20 PM
Lovely lighting. Reminds me of my time working in England's tin mines before they closed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 12/01/2006 10:48:52 AM
stunning.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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