Monday, February 20, 2012

In the Mangroves

Red Mangroves, Los Haitises National Park, Dominican Republic
Los Haitises is the Dominican Republic's largest national park, an almost inaccessible wilderness of steep karst pinnacles, dense rainforest, and the largest collection of coastal mangroves in the Caribbean.  It is also just over an hour from Santo Domingo, the nation's capital, but so little known or understood that a plan to build a vast cement plant at the edge of the park was seriously considered - until public opposition stopped it.

I spent only a few hours here, mostly photographing some of the thousands of caves - some of them decorated by ancient Taino art - and the tangled mangrove stands. These red mangroves caught my eye and I stood in the bow of a small boat photographing the wonderful patterns of stilt roots. When I got home, I decided that the image lacked color, and looked better in black and white, so I made the conversion. The result?  A riot of lines and curves - good fun.

Nikon D3 with 17-35mm lens

5 comments:

  1. Wow, that's a stunning B&W image!

    I have been to the DR in 2007, and unfortunately was with my ever-worrying ex mother in law, who wouldn't let us leave the hotel compound, I was dying to explore!! I am so envious.. :) It's such a beautiful country.

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    1. For me, B&W is my go-to technique when the light is crummy...:) Here I was shooting into the sun and it was nearly black and white anyhow! I spent about 8 days in the DR - marvelous. Would love to go back and do more work on reptiles.

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    2. Oh, that's a good tip. I never think to try b&W when the light's bad, I should do more b&w, I do like it.

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  2. you have an amazing blog, all the pics are beautiful, congrats!are u not on facebook or do u have any page with ur pics on facebook?

    good luck

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    1. Flora - Thanks for the nice comment. I've just started a Facebook page (Kevin Schafer Photography) but do not have many photos yet. Soon!

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