After my first blundered attempt photographing the mountain reflection at Badwater Spring,
(see https://fstoppers.com/photo/646720 ). I began exploring further and further out on the salt pan. With longer days, sun rising earlier and desert heat approaching 100 F. Out on the salt pan by dawn. I planned to be heading out shortly after sunrise. Heading east back to the parking area. I quickly caught up to the shadow cast by the funeral mountains. Some reflections in the jigsaw patterned pools of water caught my attention and interest, which meant photo time. I made at least a dozen or so setup. Getting more creative and daring as I went along. I had the road coming up to my east and the sun burning daylight was rapidly approaching behind me. Both my inner Salvador Dali and Prince Vlad were emerging spurring me on. Totally focused on my subject I also had to peer over my shoulder to check the approaching shadow. Just before the sun dissolved the remain vale of shade I was exhausted physically, mentally and creatively spent, but satisfied at the same time.
Months later visiting a couple that not only were my friends but did some printing for me. DJ was hunkered over the light table as we talked. He was scanning a couple of pages of my work with a lupe. Abruptly the chatter stopped DJ’s scanning became fixed and still. I was pretty sure I knew what image he was looking at and patiently waited a response. Some kind of reaction, expletives, something. We eventually began talking again but DJ was still intent on the image I explained about 90% of the image is reflection and only the very top with a slight diagonal slope and three stone that broke the water surface weren’t reflection, only acknowledging my description he when silent again an was once again intently scanning this one frame. Now more relaxed, more comprehensive of what was going on but still not fully. Then, “Wow! , what a skull fuc#”, thank you I said and we both erupted in chatter and laughter, Colleen finally came over to have a look see.
35mm Film / 85mm f/1.8 full frame image (no crop)
Kodachrome 25
Tripod
Scanned @ 3200 dpi and saved as .dng format
Post proceed mostly Adobe Camera Raw
Final in PS fine tuning, resizing, unsharpen mask and .jpeg formatting.