- Didcot Power Station
The Revenge of Gaia
Please read this text - it is the main reason for the photo. If you like it, please favorite it so it reaches Explore - the goal of this is to raise awareness and generate the necessary discussion.
The Earth is changing, whether we like it or not. And no amount of environmental skepticism is going to change it - the science is sound, and publications such as The Economist (which regularly takes potshots at scientifically accepted evidence of climate change with the goal of stirring up confusion and doubt) are simply in self denial.
Why are these skeptics still unconvinced ? Because most of them are economists who deeply believe people will act "rationally" when presented with choice, and that in the end markets will simply reflect these choices.
This argument is total bullshit, anyone who lives in the real world knows that people, and particularly consumers, act in ways which simply can't be called rational. Instead they act based on incentives, mostly based on cost and convenience.
For as much as I hate saying this, consumers not only act irrationally, but are easily coerced into doing so. Why do we insist in transporting food (at great environmental cost) which could be produced locally ? Why do consumers drive an extra 6 miles to save a few pence (or pennies, or whatever your local currency is) off their shopping bills ? Why do consumers insist on buying goods they have absolutely no need to consume ? Why do we leave our TV's on standby all the time ?
Because in the short term consumers tend to act irrationally, while in the long term they can be coerced (our children grow up being bombarded with messages which leads them to be "good consumers" when adults, and we as parents let this happen).
We, as rational people (but irrational consumers) must stop this and accept there is an environmental cost to everything we do - not only is this the most pressing problem facing the future of our children, it is also the only way we can change the future of society and civilisation for the better.
"Like the Norns in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, we are at the end
of our tether, and the rope, whose weave defines our fate, is about to
break."
--James Lovelock, The Revenge of Gaia
Ominous clouds sit and wait over our future, and we must all act now before it is too late. We don't need to go back to the middle ages to change the pace of climate change, we simply have to make conscientious decisions on our daily lives and vote with our wallets. No one will make these decisions for us.
This is a 3 exposure HDR shot of the fields surrounding Didcot Power Station (which burns fossil fuels) in Oxfordshire.
Comments and faves
CARLOSWEICK (71 months ago | reply)
great work
niriverson (71 months ago | reply)
nice light what is it over on the bottum right?
Feodel (71 months ago | reply)
Very beautiful picture. It's sad, but expanation is too complicated to understand main idea of Your photo.
(4 Aces)
Nuno Leitao (71 months ago | reply)
@Feodel: the idea of the shot can be explained very simply - ominous clouds and power station in the distance. Please do reflect on the above text, it is meant to change people's perception of the way we live.
ricko (71 months ago | reply)
** This was voted a Hit from Hit, Miss or Maybe **
Great shot!
vinboy (71 months ago | reply)
** This was voted a Hit from Hit, Miss or Maybe **
Bu Khalid (a.k.a. Biomatrix) (71 months ago | reply)
amazing shot!
**This was voted a Hit from Hit, Miss or Maybe**
distantblue (71 months ago | reply)
This was voted a HIT from Hit, Miss or Maybe
nice HDR
jodi_tripp (71 months ago | reply)
Great clouds and color! Well done.
4 Aces)
horstlink (71 months ago | reply)
1st.: Great Picture! Dramatic like its meaning and expression!
2nd: I discussed this Theme with any Friends often in the last Time. Even That shows that your pessimism about the whole Thing is perhabs not the real Way to look in our Future. To discuss about it means to think about it, and that is, in my Opinion, an advantage to the generations before us. (I´m 56) I am shure: WE WILL CHANGE OUR MINDS !!!
The World Through My Eyes
Gary* (71 months ago | reply)
Great atmosphere here, the light and dark clouds are excellent!
"LovePhotography"
Valpopando added this photo to his favorites. (71 months ago)
Nuno Leitao (71 months ago | reply)
@horstlink: Thanks. If two people sitting in the middle of the road discuss how quickly that 10 ton bus is approaching them at high speed, will that change the fact they will be run-over and killed ?
Valpopando (71 months ago | reply)
Perfect , i love the colors of clouds and the light of the sun on the land
great job my friend
(4 Aces)
ForzaVale [deleted] (71 months ago | reply)
Very interesting. Great shot!
Life Thru a Lens [deleted] (71 months ago | reply)
9/10...just beautful...great feeling of space.
Pixelin Pictures (71 months ago | reply)
Great sky! Misterioso.
Score 8/10 (from the Score Me! group)
Sam's Digital Shoe Box (71 months ago | reply)
Brings the country feeling... of time...
Score 8/10 (from the Score Me! group)
joshhikes (71 months ago | reply)
before reading any text
** This was voted a Hit from Hit, Miss or Maybe **
.....still haven't read it
Jan of Two Sisters (71 months ago | reply)
Score _10_/10 (from the Score Me! group)
Awesome shot and thanks for keeping us all aware.
mustafasalihoglu (71 months ago | reply)
Score 9/10 (from the Score Me! group
jodi_tripp (71 months ago | reply)
Me again. Very nice.
Love Photography
Dietrich Bojko Photographie (71 months ago | reply)
very impressive work!!!
(4 Aces)
arupdutta (71 months ago | reply)
Score 8/10 (from the Score Me! group)
Amazing shit. Nice colors.
MaiKoh (71 months ago | reply)
I really am impressed with our HDR shots! You have really learned to push the subtle aspects of this technique to achieve wonderful results! Maybe someday I, too, will look into using it! :0) Take care and have a great day, Nuno!
jayemr (71 months ago | reply)
Beautiful!
jlrobins (71 months ago | reply)
Score 11/13 (from the Judgment Day group)
Excepting the subject mattter, I'd like to have seen less sky and more rolling hills. The horizon glow is great.
DaveSinclair (71 months ago | reply)
great sky!
(4 Aces)
alonsodr (71 months ago | reply)
Great sky and composition!
1-2-3
Nuno Leitao (71 months ago | reply)
@raspberryfairy: because it was shot from The Holies, which is in fact in Berkshire (just a few miles from Reading), just overlooking Oxfordshire :)
G0Da (71 months ago | reply)
Not a huge fan of hdr but this one works.
(4 Aces)
Mr. Flibble (71 months ago | reply)
Nice, but I think the sky looks a little too photoshopped. You could probably have got the same impact but have it look real if you didn't push the exposures quite so much.
Score 8/13 (from the Judgment Day group)
*Marco* [deleted] (71 months ago | reply)
Very stunning sky and beautiful colors in the front.
Nice HDR image as well. I agree, that it would be nice, to see more of the color fields in the foreground.
Score 10/13 (from the Judgment Day group)
perfectlymadebirds (71 months ago | reply)
Could have not been more beautifully said! I have a series going on about the very same subject but with expanded views on how corporations are destroying the environment, world cultures, diluting moral values, effecting political affairs for their own gain and stripping us of our heritage. This is the Corporate Alliance and his Owlness otherwise known as the Bussinessborg. Those individuals who dawn the drab colorless bussinessuit of greed, selfishness polluting over powerment of all life. They assimilate everything in sight through their brainwashing via audio visual appliances. I couldn't agree with you more! It's up to the people to make their own choices, and help protect the future of upcoming generations. That s our civic duty bestowed on us as an intelligent civilization. Score 13/13 (from the Judgment Day group)
helter-skelter (71 months ago | reply)
comments count towards interestingness, too, don't they? i like your message, hope you can spread it further
-voted as "deleteme" (from Deleteme! group)
perfectlymadebirds (71 months ago | reply)
His Owlness...............
ecotist (71 months ago | reply)
I do like the idea of taking pictures for a cause - and getting a message accross. I love that you are trying to raise environmental awareness through your Flickr photostream.,...but this is not the right group for your message.
... and now I have to judge your photo seperate to the message that you are trying to bring and that is what sucks...
I love your message but I don't like your photo.
I have visited Didcot myself purely to photograph it using a (non digital) EOS 5.. several years ago. It is a very interesting structure to try and photograph.... but you didn't even get close to it!! Your image doesn't say to me "look at the way we are treating the planet" it says "look at the dramatic clouds and pretty fields". I barely notice the power station in the background. Overall the image is quite boring.
I suggest you go back and get up close and personal with those cooling towers and smoke stacks if you really want to make a bold statement.
Rant over!
-oh well... in the time it took me to write this... you got removed anyway.
Nuno Leitao (71 months ago | reply)
@wavemaker: Wow! someone from the DeleteMe group who actually took the time to explain their view! Thanks :) I actually intended to have the power station look distant and small - the idea is to express how powerless we are and how we must face up to our actions.
Cheers.
finnigh added this photo to his favorites. (71 months ago)
finnigh (71 months ago | reply)
Well said, sir!
mcvmjr1971 (71 months ago | reply)
Wonderful HDR.
(4 Aces)
ThePres [deleted] (71 months ago | reply)
Great work!!! Bravo!!!!
Robin Dude added this photo to their favorites. (71 months ago)
Robin Dude (71 months ago | reply)
I have but one fave to give.
Your picture belongs here: www.flickr.com/groups/aninconvenienttruth/
Benjy Wetherall (71 months ago | reply)
stunning hdr
~Prescott (71 months ago | reply)
Hi Nuno,
Was great to read your thoughts and how it relates to the photo. Its quite worrying the way the world is heading, but I think before we can get anywhere we first need for everyone to be able to respect and understand other peoples opinions, views, cultures etc. Only then can we be in a position begin to tackle the big issues together.
Automatt added this photo to his favorites. (71 months ago)
Newfie Bullet (71 months ago | reply)
Well done Nuno.
#1 Favourite
go wild - NZ outside (71 months ago | reply)
Thank you Nuno
s.amir_hashemi1 (71 months ago | reply)
Nice colours, well composed.
oybay© (71 months ago | reply)
Nice shot. The world keeps on turning. I wish you peace.
Ride My Pony [deleted] (71 months ago | reply)
Excellent!
rui lebreiro (71 months ago | reply)
another great hdr.
it works really awesome w/ deep clouds, and you sure use it right!
lrmeulman (71 months ago | reply)
Fantastic HDR. In fact, the best Ive seen so far !