Although it’s unfair to say that I could write an essay about this photo, I could most definitely go on and on and so my description might be a little jumbled. And although it wasn’t quite ‘hidden’ for a while (in my portfolio), there is no doubt that this photo is, to me, a gem. It’s one of the few photos that, despite its age and countless views, takes me right back to one of the most amazing vistas I’ve ever laid my eyes upon.
So to answer the question of where this photo is taken, it is in the awesome Andes of Peru. More specifically, the shot was taken on the 6th day of an 9 day trek in a mountain range called the Cordillera Huayhuash. For obvious reasons, it is nicknamed the “world’s second most beautiful trek” (I have no clue where number 1 is though!) Many of you probably know the book/movie “Touching the Void” – same mountain range.
The cairn has been placed to ‘guide’ trekkers and is actually smaller than it appears – the top of it reaches one’s head.
It’s pretty amazing what we do for photographs.. This particular shot was taken at the top of a 5000m pass at sunset – an optional part of the journey as we were camped at 4000m and would be crossing the pass the next morning. I was the only one who was eager enough to race up 1000m as fast as humanly possible (don’t forget, at altitude!!) simply to snap some photos. Needless to say, the view that awaited me was breathtaking in every sense of the word and awarded me both some of my favourite memories and photographs.
Thank you to everyone who voted and who left a comment – they are all very much appreciated.
Statistics
Place: 1 out of 1129 Avg (all users): 7.6535 Avg (commenters): 8.6741 Avg (participants): 7.6918 Avg (non-participants): 7.4375 Views since voting: 21842 Views during voting: 940 Votes: 531 Comments: 213 Favorites: 186 (view)
Congrats on winning the best of the best. I have a question though. Not living around (or evenly remotely close to) any mountain ranges brings a question to my mind. How are those rocks stacked up like that? Seems like they were placed there by man.
the answer is in the photographer's comments:
"The cairn has been placed to ‘guide’ trekkers and is actually smaller than it appears – the top of it reaches one’s head."
Congrats on winning the best of the best. I have a question though. Not living around (or evenly remotely close to) any mountain ranges brings a question to my mind. How are those rocks stacked up like that? Seems like they were placed there by man.
Ohhhhh. . .thank you for not only giving us one of the most breathtaking photos I've seen, but for sharing your story of the memory. That makes it even more special. I love LOVE to make those mountain treks in the Rocky Mountains, and I know the exhilaration of doing it, then capturing the memory in a beautiful photo. I'm so glad your memory won top honors for you and that we get to share in it with you! Mega congratulations!
This was one of my top 10 favorites and I'm happy to see the outcome! #1 out of 1113 entries is quite an accomplishment, you must be extremely pleased!
Congratulations on this historic ribbon at DPC, you should be specially proud for it, and I definitely congratulate you on your different treks around the world.
You have no idea how badly I wish I was up in the mountains right now. I can almost smell the crisp air just looking at this. Fine job, you get extra props for that 1000m scramble above 4000m. Even with a good trail that is a lot of work at that altitude.
The votes of 1,2 and 3 are just uncalled for. I can think of no reason for them other than trying to squeak their own photo onto the front page. Bad form on their part. I'm sorry, but there is nothing so seriously wrong with this photo that it deserves a 3 or lower. I have seen this problem on other great photos as well. I decided I had to say something this time.
Also, someone commented on how the sky looks so dark. The blue sky is the result of the blue end of the spectrum being scattered in the air. If the air did not scatter any light the sky would always be black. Compared to sea level there is 5000m less air to scatter the light. In fact at 5000m the air pressure is about half of what it is at sea level. This suggests about half the air, by mass not volume, is below him. As a result of less scattering the sky is darker. That should also give an idea of how much work it is to climb at that altitude as well. Congrats.
I had this pegged as the winner and was the only ten I handed out. Truely inspiring work and I have never been a huge fan of landscapes.. just amazing. well done.
Huge congrats on achieving this fantastic result, a blue ribbon with a 7.6+ score in a 1000+ entries challenge !!!
I am SO GLAD you won it with a shot taken in my country. Some people was expecting to have an Icelandic landscape in the front page, and you put Peru on it!!! :-)
Let me add a little publicity to my country and say that not only Johana's (tanguera)image was taken in Peru, but also
Dave's (davemce)image and of course mine .
The last two were taken in the same valley (Sacred Valley of Urubamba), and amazingly enough, even when dates are approx 17 months apart, you can identify very similar color palettes, and even the donkeys seem to be the same :-).
Heh, it seems I was indeed half a planet away with my guess on the location. Congrats on the blue. Although I only gave this a 9 initially, with hindsight and on further views I should have stuck my neck out and gone for the 10.
To get a blue against such a massive entry is an awesome achievement. Well done!
Congratulations on a well-deserved blue! Sorry for cheating you by only giving you a 9. If I'd had time to get through them all and back to this one it would have been a 10!
Despite being a wonderfully majestic scene, I'm really impressed by how tack sharp this image is. I know that seems trivial compared to the subject, but its really caught my attention.
wow. It looks like something out of "Lord of the Rings". A mountain shot that for me stands far above the rest I've seen so far in this challenge... (I'm 40% through)
I am 70% of the way through voting and this is the winner for me.. breathtaking.. I hope this wins.
Finished voting. To be honest this is still the winner. I have a feeling this was taken on a medium format such is the detail - if not then its a phenomenal shot. upping to a 10 from a 9.
There's nothing to nitpick about this shot ;) The tones and details look great. Love the layering of the different colored rock and the mountains in the distance. (no vote)
Amazing view and IMO processed nicely. Something about the foreground makes me feel as if I'm sliding toward the left [off balance] but it's not enough of a distraction to affect my scoring. Nice shot.
This is quite a scene!!! Really a beutiful capture, with lots of texttures and colors. Nicely done!
(just wonder who were the crazy dudes piling up those rocks).
Wow, incredible! The contrasts here are wonderful... soft clouds to harsh rock, blues to oranges, downward slope of the mountain and upward climb of the stacked stone.
In this challenge, with so many entries it's difficult to see a sure winner but you're in this category in my opinion.
I specially like the serenity, it's a quiet and peaceful place.
The view is elegantly balanced with the snowy mountains and the stones on the right side.
I gave you a 10.
Clouds and background mountains are just excellent! I feel light did not work well to separate closest foreground from mountain behind even though color is different. But anyway, very impressive work!
A gorgeous photo, amazing landscape, love those snow capped mountains in the background. I am not voting yet, just commenting, but when I do vote this will score high.
Stack o'rocks? This is a bit tough to figure out because the dark grey mound in the middle makes it look severely off angle, but the stack of rocks align with the mountains in the background. The hints in the photo say these are big rocks, which begs the question of how they were put in place - they definitely look stacked, and not exposed through erosion.
.... Awesome shot. Really, really awesome shot. I love the contrast between the blue peaks afar and the orange/red peaks nearby. This is truly a remarkable shot. Everything is wonderful, the depth of field is perfect, it's very sharp. Technically and aesthetically perfect. 10 and favorited
Beautiful all the way across the frame. Sharp and nicely composed,sky so blue it's black. Must be over 15,000 feet. Images of this type I had hoped to see in this challenge. Those so far away from internet we never get chance to see them in challenges. Thanks for entering it. Congrats.
Wow! Great stacked rocks. I love the warm colors of the front rocks changing into the cools of the snow , clouds, and sky. Contrasts like that are awesome.
I'm hoping to leave comments on as many photo's in this challenge as possible... out of (currently) 1124 images, I gave 31 of them a 9. Your image was one of those 31.
This looks like such a spectular view, even getting there must have been a great challenge, never mind photographing it - and in such a beautiful fashion. I love the transition of hue from warm in the foreground to cold in the distance. The pile of stones is intriguing, and makes me feel it is somewhere oriental - so I'm guessing the Himalaya's (bet I'm half a planet wide of the mark lol).
Cool shot. I really like the rockman (don`t know how you call them in englisch) that gives a direction within the picture. Lovely, wish I could be there.
*whistle* Question - when that thing falls, will it make a sound?
It's fantastic how the rocks used have the same tone as the rock below it. The three tones of rock are used very effectively here. I think (40% thru voting) that this is my choice for blue. Truly breathtaking.
OMG, I just have to stop and make my first comment for this challenge, I had to come back to this photo over and over. This is just a breath taking photo. Everything from the dramatic sky to the mountains to the rocks on the foreground. The title seals it for what IMHO the blue ribbon winner of this challenge, my hat has been taken off in your honor. Awesome. 10
WOW. This is unlike any image I've ever seen before. It looks tilted, but the mountains in the background tell me it's not... The piled "zen" rocks are just awesome. The clouds and fog - everything is just beautiful. 10.
I stand here looking on at majesty of the snow-capped mountains as they push their way through the clouds. The spires of rock that catapult to the sky from the snow peaks to the grey/black stone to the 'zen temple' like tower of red rocks seen near offers a stunning view and majesty of the earth's natural treasures. This must have been stunning to see and just sit there to watch and contemplate. A very awe inspiring shot. The colors and the details in this composition is just wonderful to see. Thanks for sharing this beautiful photo.
Between Heaven and Earth
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