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Reading the Rocks


Reading the Rocks
Photo Information
Copyright: Silke Force (Silke) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 727 W: 98 N: 1694] (5406)
Genre: Landscapes
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-01-25
Categories: River, Ocean
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5700
Exposure: f/5.0, 1/215 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Natural History [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-08-31 5:59
Viewed: 1541
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The coast of California is a wonderful place for a bit of natural history, which I hope makes up for the heaviness of the weather in this shot. When I arrived that afternoon, the rain had already begun and would continue for a few days, though I was so happy to breathe the warm sea air that it never dampened my spirits one iota :)

The tilt of some of the foreground rocks that border the edge of Hazzard Creek suggests prehistoric subduction in this area (see my notes here). It appears be the classic fold and crumple formation that resulted when the Pacific Plate slipped under the North American Plate. The layer cake you are looking at is primarily limestone, which continues offshore and provides a fabulous habitat for abalone (Pearl Oysters).

Limestone is a sedimentary rock formed either by the deposit of chemicals or by the accumulation of shells from tiny sea creatures. Many invertebrate animals (animals with no backbones) take calcite (CaCO3) from sea water to construct their shells. When they die the shells drift down to the sea bed. If there is no mud or sand in the area, the minute shells gradually build up a deposit. The purest limestone is chalk but most contain varying quantities of mud or sand or other material. In the limestone here you can clearly see how the sediments have built up on layers over time, with layers of other material in between.

You can also see how soft it is by the way wave action has eaten small caves into it. Once the fissure is created, it is easy for the water to pound into the opening and wear it away even faster. Since we also have a small river (or a large creek) making its way down to the sea here, there is additional erosion created by the creek waters at flood times. At this moment, the waters are quiet and keep to a fairly narrow channel, but when it is in full flood, the waters rush against the cliffs here and add to the eroding effect of the sea water waves.
These caves are no barely head-high but eventually will becoming higher and deeper. In Great Britain, the famous King Arthur cave in the cliffs at Tintagel was created this way. And caves like this have historically been superb hiding places for the treasures of pirates and rumrunners. Caves are wonderful places for the imagination to run free.

PP: Minor cropping to straighten the horizon so that the Creek still runs downhill :)

Thanks for your visits, your critiques and your time & have a super Labour Day Weekend

(And I hope you’ll be back for a much prettier bit of landscape next week, when I take a look at the intriguing Morro Rock, just a few minutes north of here.)
Mikolaj, lovenature, giorgio, uleko, eqshannon, Evelynn, gracious, Silvio2006, nglen, Juyona, pierrefonds, jmirah, angybone, XOTAELE, pablominto, SunToucher has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To PaulH: There are no "ifs"Silke 2 09-05 07:45
To eqshannon: expertiseSilke 2 08-31 14:29
To Evelynn: thank you!!!Silke 1 08-31 09:39
To bobcat08: actually this is the second lesson :)Silke 1 08-31 08:30
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Silke! Very interesting landscape. Interesting story! Cheers!

Bonjour,
Note très instructive.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

Hi Silke
Very interesting note, I love this kind of rock formations. I'm a huge rock collector and find the earth sciences interesting. I like you can see the different layers of rock, each a different time in our earths history. The winding creek adds more interest to your nice composition.
TFS Janice

Ciao Silke,
Very interesting landscape.
Interesting note
TFS
Giorgio

Hi Silke,

I this our first geographical lesson (-: Superb prerecording of this rock party. Natural colors. Interesting notes. It just what "lovenature" said: you can see the different layers of rock, each a different time in our earths history. Thats the first lesson. How many lessons follow. Regards and TFS Bon

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2986 W: 162 N: 929] (2735)
  • [2007-08-31 8:47]

Hello Silke,
Very interesting capture of these rock formations and I like the winding stream across the sandy beach. Good note too!
Many thanks, Ulla

Super picture which is so well noted it feels like textbook material. Very nice documented work Silke. You shine bright in areas of your expertise.
Bob

I enjoy seeing photos of my home state and places I have visited often. As a geological illustration the photo is great. As art, I would have cropped off the overexposed top because the trees against it form the area of greatest contrast and the eye just can't help but go there. Without that large white area the eye goes to to that bit of surf and then to your subject, the folded rock. Then it notices the wonderful "S" curved stream. If you scroll the image up you will see what I mean.... I hope. Maybe it is just me and just a personal opinion. : )

TFS
Evelynn : )

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2904 W: 34 N: 8600] (32056)
  • [2007-08-31 12:31]

Hi Silke. a very good landscape. with the interesting rocks . with good natural colours. well one TFs. useful notes to read.
Nick..

Have a good weekend.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-08-31 19:59]

Hello Silke

I really like the natural flow of the rock.The colours are rich and well saturated.It looks like an interesting biome to visit and explore.Interesting how the foliage has covered the rock.A wonder how the water serpentines around the rock.TFS

Rob

Friend Silke,
Wow!, what a awesome view!
Califonia coast is always a fascinating place to be!
very good pov with great sharpness, natural colour and much details in it!
very well done and well seen
have a nice weekend!
cheers
Tony

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2256 W: 10 N: 2618] (15517)
  • [2007-09-01 0:52]

Hola Silke,
preciosa vista y buen pov,
detalles magníficos,
interesantes colorido de las rocas...
saludos
pt

Wow, you spotted this well, Silke! What a great POV to adopt! The running water naturally leads the eye in a tortuous trail to the rest of the shot. The detail of the pebbles and the sloping rocks us great!
I love the the fringe of heather!

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

Hi Silke,

A nice image of the rocks formation, the photo has a good composition, DOF and nice colors. Thanks for sharing.

Pierre

Hi Silke,
Nice capture of the sedimentary layers and a fine POV showing an inland perspective. Great colors and DOF. Well captured.

TFS
Jim

Wonderful look at the geology of this area! You capture the beauty of something few people notice. Excellent.

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3802 W: 190 N: 11310] (34871)
  • [2007-09-01 7:50]

Hello Silke,
Excellent capture of a cliff with sedementary strata together with the shore showing similar but eroded rocks. Great composition including not only a fine skyline but a nice curved pool in the foreground.
Excellent note too!
Thanks for sharing this and have a fine weekend,
Ivan

Hi Silke, beutiful view of interesting rock formation, wonderful light and splendid colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

Los detalles en las rocas son magníficos, muy bien captados. No solo muestra el nivel del mar sino por su colorido los diferentes estratos y material que compone estas paredes.
Buen trabajo y estupenda nota.
Ciao, JL.

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1899 W: 36 N: 5578] (18516)
  • [2007-09-02 10:01]

Hi Silke,
Splendid scenery with such varied subjects and details. The rock sedimentation is perfectly illustrated and you have portrayed the atmosphere perfectly. Great study. Very nicely composed too. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hello Silke,
Interesting details have been captured!
Not that I know the first thing about rock formations, but I can still enjoy the patterns...
Well framed scenery!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1108 W: 23 N: 3644] (13051)
  • [2007-09-05 6:25]
  • [+]

Hi Silke,
fascinating spot you've shown us here...again, very similar processes on show as there are in my part of the world..would love to show you if you come back to the UK next year. Your POV is very well chosen and the exposure is very good.
tfs
Paul

Hi Silke,
I love the s-curve in the river a lot. it is just so beautiful how nature can creat these interesting shapes. Wouldn't it be boring if mother nature would creat straigh lines only? I also like the different layers of rock since it is the history of the earth visable at the surface. This surely looks like a wonderful place to explore. I have to say that I am not that keen on the sky. Its a bit grainy and OE. Do like the note though, I learned something from it.
TFS,
Niek

What wonderful textures and lines, the texture of the seashells and rocks in the foreground, the "s" curve of the water, the lines in the ocean rock and the rock on the cliff. I was thinking exactly as Evelynn that I'd crop out some of that overexposed sky to highlight the cliffs and then I saw her workshop and it was just what I thought it would look like. I often look at the ocean cliffs as well as the water so this was a treat, well done.

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