Saguaro Mandala
by Douglas Taylor
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Price
$125
Dimensions
30.000 x 30.000 inches
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Title
Saguaro Mandala
Artist
Douglas Taylor
Medium
Photograph - Fine Art Digital Photography
Description
Not very often do you get the chance to look straight down onto the top of a young saguaro cactus like this. The spines are not necessarily to keep critters away, though they do a admirable job of it anyway. They are really to shade the tender top of the cactus from the broiling desert sun, as well as provide a bit of insulation for those few winter nights that it dips down below freezing. Saguaro Mandala is looking down upon a saguaro from Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona, that may be 40 to 50 years old.
This image is not digitally altered. Please see the comment section for my statement on how this photograph was made.
Uploaded
January 15th, 2013
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Comments (31)
VIVA Anderson
I find this absolutely remarkable, Douglas !! And appreciate your great Description. Highest compliments, kudos !!!, FAV...............VIVA
Loredana Gallo Migliorini
I read the description of how you executed the photograph. Thank you. I understood your technique more fully today as well. You are a master. Fantastic photography and interesting presentation of ... everything. lory
Douglas Taylor replied:
Thank you for your wonderful compliments, Lory! I appreciate your words very much.
Janet Marie
Congratulations! Your beautiful artwork has been featured on the Homepage of the “Beauty of Arizona” Art Group for the week of (03/23/20). You are welcome to submit your artwork in the discussion thread “2020 Thanks and Features Archive.” LF FB Janet💕
Douglas Taylor
Melissa Mintz has honored me by choosing "Saguaro Mandala" in the wonderful Abstraction in Photography art group, 3/17/20. Thank you Melissa!
Douglas Taylor
Chose by Robert Yaeger to be featured in the First Friday Gallery Group, 3/17/20. Thank you, Robert! I consider it to be an honor.
Douglas Taylor
I have been honored by Chance Kafka who has chosen to feature my photograph "Saguaro Mandala" in the Arizona art group, 3/18/20. Thank you, Chance!
Debra Lynch
Congratulations, this wonderful image has been chosen to feature on the Home Page of the group "TATONG," Thank you for your contributions, support and participation in the group. Your work is valued and aprpeciated. Sincerely, Debra L/F/T Totally cool and wonderful
Fon Denton
Truly a work of art, Douglas! As is your explanation of your technique. Well done on both counts!
Douglas Taylor
Barbie Corbett-Newmin has honored me by choosing to feature "Saguaro Mandala" in the F.A.A.-Pixels All Stars art group, 2/11/20. Thank you, Barbie!
Douglas Taylor
I am honored by Romuald Henry Wasielewski who has chosen to feature "Saguaro Mandala" in all four art groups he administers; ArrStudio, Arts Fantastic World, Global Art Gallery, and Global Artists Gallery. Thank you very much, Romuald! I appreciate it very much.
Douglas Taylor
I am honored by Peng Shi who has chosen to feature "Saguaro Mandala" in the superb Mind-Blowing Photography art group. Thank you Peng! I appreciate it very much.
Eva Lechner
The reason for removing it is one of the rules of the contest:.Images may not be digitally altered in any way! Sorry!
Douglas Taylor replied:
Eva, I feel that you have impugned my integrity as an artist and photographer with your very public, arrogant and capricious decision to remove my image “Saguaro Mandala” from your ‘Succulent Patterns’ contest. You state that the image has been digitally altered, which is against the rules of the contest, but you give no evidence to back up that assertion. I will defend the integrity of my image by explaining exactly how it was made. 1. I had spotted the subject saguaro cactus while exploring in the desert, but needed to have softer light than is usually found under the searing desert sun. I also wanted to have a very dark background to accentuate the form of the plant, so I went into town and bought some black construction paper along with some black cloth to use when the time came. 2. The time came on a rare, overcast winter day with wonderfully diffused light at mid-day. 3. I cut the construction paper halfway through, and at the end of the cut I also cut out a circle to match the diameter of the base of the cactus. I then very carefully placed this paper on the ground around the base of the plant to conceal the ground. (Remember, saguaro spines are lethally sharp.) I also used the black cloth to cover the cut in the paper and more of the ground surrounding the plant. 4. I placed my camera on a tripod over the plant and carefully centered the lens over the center of the saguaro using a small stone tied to a piece of string as a plumb bob. 5. Once the camera was placed, I then piled flat stones so that I could climb up high enough to peer through the viewfinder to make fine adjustments, focus and set the very slow exposure necessary for the f32 aperture I selected. 6. The final step was simply pressing the shutter release to make the exposure. Post-processing was all done in Photoshop Elements 2. In making my Fine Art Photographs I only use the traditional darkroom techniques of burning and dodging, and this image was no different. I burned in the black background to accentuate the form of the cactus as I had visualized many months before, and contrast was adjusted just like I would in selecting a specific contrast photographic paper. I then cropped the image to the square format. This is how I make a Fine Art photograph. As I stated, I find your decision to remove the image as the contest entry time ended to be arrogant and capricious, along with being ignor...
Luther Fine Art
Congratulations! Your fantastic photographic art has been chosen as a Camera Art Group feature! You are invited to archive your work in the Features Archive discussion as well as any other discussion in which it would fit!
Douglas Taylor replied:
Thank you, Pamela! I consider it an honor to be featured in this wonderful and superbly skilled group, and I am delighted to be able to contribute to it. I appreciate the support and recognition for my nature photography.
Douglas Taylor
I am honored that Frank J. Casella has chosen to feature "Saguaro Mandala" in the Square Format Photography art group. Thank you, Frank!
John M Bailey
Congratulations on your feature in the Fine Art America Group "Images That Excite You!"
Douglas Taylor
Thank you to Bob of Frozen In Time Fine Art Photography for featuring "Saguaro Mandala" in the Your Very Best Photography art group. I am honored by the feature, and appreciate the support and recognition for my photography.
Douglas Taylor
Rebecca Malo has honored me by choosing to feature "Saguaro Mandala" in two of the groups she administers; Contemporary, and Pin-Me Daily. Thank you, Rebecca! I appreciate it.
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