Without prior notice or opportunity for public input, the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Richfield field office announced last Wednesday—just before Memorial Day weekend—that it has opened 5,400 acres of public lands surrounding Utah’s iconic Factory Butte to unfettered cross-country off-road vehicle (ORV) use. I have stopped by Factory Butte several times after staying in Caineville (Utah) on my way to Capitol Reef National Park. This action is, in my humble estimation, a travesty. The San Rafael Desert is an amazing place and there are plenty of opportunities for off-road play without destroying such a fragile landscape.
A focal length of 97mm, short telephoto-land, gave me the slightly compressed and stacked angle-of-view I wanted of the far backside of the butte, opposite Utah Highway 24. An aperture of f/20 provided depth-of-field, and a shutter speed of 1/8th second at ISO 100 in the still fairly early morning light gave me an overall slightly-lighter-than-medium exposure.
Seen from the Highway 24 end of the butte one can easily imagine a huge monolithic building filled with all sorts of intricate machinery producing the stuff of America’s material culture, but it’s really the desert and an awesome natural landscape that should be preserved unspoiled. There are back country roads sufficient to get one near enough to enjoy a wonderful walk among the sands and rocks.
Very sad indeed. I normally compose my shots like this with 3 layers, but I see 4 here and it works well for me. First is the shadows at the bottom. Next the gold. Of course the remaining 2 are the Butte and sky. I like it. It draws my eyes from the lower left to the upper right. I also like the large Butte in front and the one in the distance giving us some perspective. Wish there were more clouds, but that is out of our control. Is it just me or do the 2 pieces of brush in the lower left look like animals?
Thank you Don for sharing another beautiful image. I have always enjoyed heading to Utah and the rest of the Southwest with my camera in hand.
I agree with you that we need to protect our lands and that opening 5400 acres for ORV is a travesty. There are plenty of desert regions already available to those who want to go out to nature to destroy it. The spirit of the natural world is under attack, and it’s through images of photographers like you that will help us preserve the memory of what we may lose.
Don, thanks for this image. In addition to the strong depth you offer here, I really really like the horizontality (if that’s a word) of the plateau tops and that CLOUD! Fantastic. It communicates space and openness and much more. Really delightful. And, thank you for your advocacy and awareness-raising. I agree, there are plenty of places for ORVs far less fragile and special than this one. Sadly, we are in an era of loosening every environmental protection possible. The visual arts can and should be a powerful tool for building public consciousness about these issues, so I am so pleased you’re doing that. In addition to showing the beauty at risk, we need ways, too, of showing the damage done — depictions that can produce visceral reactions that lead to public advocacy and change. Thank you for speaking up.
Wow! Perfect lighting to sow off the buttresses of the mesas. I like how the shaded area anchors the viewer while we marvel at the scale and depth of the view. Yes, we can be witnesses to nature as it is right now.
This is facinating! You DO find the coolest places 🙂 I like your composition with the curved shadow in the foreground creating a nice contrast for the three animals in the lower left. (the third one is the anteater) Then the shadow is repeated in the center formation. The center formation is certainly majestic! Then a third, and the sky with a whisp of clouds that seems to mimic the animals somehow. So many stories in this one. How could anyone want to destroy what has taken so many centuries to perfect?!
I like your capturing of this special natural area surrounding “capital reef” n.p. seems like this administration has no appreciation for the importance of the natural world especially near our precious nat. Parks.
Such a pristine place with such beauty. Each image like this one to Cherish
Thank you Don for the beautiful image, for making us aware of the ongoing attempts to take “the people’s” land from protected public use to open it to private enterprise and/or use and abuse that will rob nature and future generations of Americans of it’s splendor. Vote’s matter, so does who counts the votes. We have work to do.
Good afternoon Everyone. Thank you all very much for joining me you what purports to be an excellent discussion. I’m joining you from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, a bit north of Harrisburg in the foothills of Pennsylvania Coal Country. By this time tomorrow I’ll be in New Haven, CT, almost a world way: both good.
Hey Kev. I’m hearing unpleasant reports from St. Louis. I hope y’all are high, dry, and safe. Old Man River has gone on a rampage that requires care. I appreciate your layering comment and analysis. There may be a fifth layer, if you count the very thin area of highlight at the very bottom. I included it in order to draw attention to the plants in the shadows. You’ll have to check with Nancy Tripp about the animal bushes. She is the authority on all things fauna in an image. I do like your interpretation of how the image uses the contrast you have described to draw the eyes through the image; and I like your comment on perspective. They certainly work for me that way. Hope your Scandinavian adventure was excellent. I look forward to hearing about it. Be safe and Walk in Beauty.
Hi Chris. It’s always nice to have you with us. Thanks for all of your kind words. I believe we all have a role to play in the preservation of our public lands and I hope you will join me in speaking out in advocacy for beauty with which we have been blessed. The voice of the Spirit of the Land is all of us together.
Hey Ray. I am always delighted when you are with us, but especially so in regard to the beauty and sacredness of the land herein. From the deep perspective you bring to this matter, your words ring with power and authority; and I know you are doing all that you can to bring knowledge of this travesty to the wider public. I’m so grateful we can bring a single voice to be heard. I was thinking about Fish Lake being the nearest National Forest and how it and the San Rafael are truly of an amazing piece. On my next trip to Capitol Reef I plan to stop by Factory Butte to report on what I find. Thanks, as always, for you keen observations and comments. I’m like Kevin: a few more clouds would have been great, but you try to figure out how to work with what you’ve been given.
Hey Linda. Thanks for being with us and for your kind words. When there are no clouds, the light changes quickly in the desert, but in those golden moments it is wonderful, with or without. We are headed your way and are looking forward to our adventure.
Hi Nancy T. I am so glad you noticed the repetition of the shadow in the middle formation, which really is the back of Factory Butte. I was so excited when I noticed how those two shadows were curving together, and even though the cloud is only a wisp, I was determined that it had to figure into the scene. You are so right, there is at least a novella here. Walk in Beauty. There are more images that we must share with you. Be well.
Hi Charles. Thank you so much for joining us. I really appreciate your thoughtful comments. We are blessed with such tremendous beauty; it seems to behoove us to do together all that we can for its preservation for ourselves and for every generation that comes behind us.
Hi Nancy K. Thanks for your kind words. Let us cherish, let us be grateful, and then let us speak out. Let it not be said that the land was allowed to perish while we were at the helm.
Hey Rochelle. It is great to hear from you. I hope you have returned to a beautiful Oregon and its many treasures. I could not agree more: it’s about voices and about votes Our responsibility is to make our voices heard and our votes counted. Thanks for all of your kind words. I hope we get to see you again somewhere down the road.
Thanks, again, Everyone. While we create beauty that we all can share and enjoy, let us remember that part of our appreciation is the responsibility of preservation. This beauty is our to enjoy only so long as we work to preserve the gifts we are given.