Click the pic for a bigger view
Today we have another shot from my recent adventure to the Salton Sea.
Our morning trip down to the Salton Sea from the Joshua Tree National Park was quite a little jaunt. After fueling up on some In-N-Out our merry little band set sail for the Salton Sea. Rick Young and I were in the lead vehicle for the trip. As we were driving the perimeter Rick checks the GPS and says “I wander where this road goes”? So off we go down a desolate road with caution to the wind and no hope of returning. A few bumps and dust clouds later we arrive on the north end of the sea.
The shore line we walked around is nothing I’ve ever been on and God willing will never be on again. It is composed of decaying fish bones and some white salty looking silt. I’m pretty sure we took a year off our lives from the exposure.
Nonetheless after walking around we came to this desolate area you see in the picture above. After staring out into the sea through these dead trees you get the sense of being in some strange futuristic world where civilization has nuked itself and this is what is left. I couldn’t help but process this image into a slightly darker eerie landscape. It is not something I do often but it seemed to fit what I felt and saw that day.
The Salton Sea is an interesting place to see at least once. If you are a photog there are ample opportunities to shoot some interesting stuff. Just be ready for fish bones and white goo. 
Until next time…
Camera: Canon 40D with a Canon 17-40L
Processing: Lightroom 3, CS5, Phototools 2.6
19 Comments
This reminds me of the scene from T2 where the nuke is detonated and the machines start kicking our human butts. BTW, your description of this area just took a few months off my life…ewwww!
Chris Nitz recently posted..Sauced: No Restrooms on Tatooine
The goop was nasty. Ruined my Puma’s. I just finished getting the crud out of my tripod legs and hinges.
Rick recently posted..Dead Calm – Movie Title Wednesday
Yeah, it was definitely gross there
Great shot though and great B&W!
Chris DeAngelis recently posted..The Dead Shores
Nice work Chris
Great title…very appropriate. It does seem like a scene from The War of the Worlds. Terrific image.
Edith Levy recently posted..Tree at my Window
Man this does look like a scene from some post-apocalyptic movie!
Great shot Chris!
Rich McPeek recently posted..Sky High
That is an aptly named image Chris. The composition and processing gives off that feel of devastation.
Len Saltiel recently posted..Spiritual
What an appropriate title! As soon as I saw this image I though of the scenes from the WWI trenches especially with the depression just short of the horizon.
Mark Summerfield recently posted..Betty’s Hope
lol that’s a cool shot man! Did you get lucky and step through what you thought was dry but was nothing but muck underneath?
Aside from the bones that white crusty stuff is in fact salt, but not totally. As all of those fish decay it breaks down calcium carbonate and it’s the build up of that which you see.
And it’s not just fish bones. Look closer and it’s scales as well. Not to mention sometimes you can find whole birds. Complete and whole but nothing but bones.
Wow, glad I didn’t know this at the time.
Perfect title. This is a location I keep seeing more and more of, and definitely one place I wish to visit.
murphyz recently posted..Grave Wolf
It is a pretty cool place to shoot. You just have to not focus on the goo you are stepping on.
I like the way you composed this shot, and the processing really suits the scene.
Steven Perlmutter recently posted..Rock Lines
Awesome title for this scene.
The B&W really brings it all together. Nice one, Chris!
Jimi Jones recently posted..At the Docks
Love the depth to this shot man and the title is just perfect. Simplicity at its best man!
Dave DiCello recently posted..Taking Stock
Great shot Chris, and a wonderful title. It really does look like the place has been nuked.
Truly a unique area. I cannot wait to go photograph there one day. Nice work Chris.
What an apt title!
Marc Collins recently posted..Castles in the Sand