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Sunday, 4 August 2013

On the surface

The landscape of central Australia is remarkable on any number of scales and here I've tried to look at the smallest of these - the very surface of things.

The intense heat and often rapidly cooling nights, wind blown sand, occasional heavy rain and above all else an almost unimaginable spread of time have worn down the rocks.  Uluru has a flaky surafce calling to mind a sheet of rusted metal rather than stone.

Even in the winter you could feel the heat bouncing from it surface.  It called out to be touched.




The flakes form the fastest where water can linger, and their removal has caused the foot worn track up the side of Uluru where people have chosen to climb.

You can find more macro shots at Macro Monday 2 and I Love Macro.

Enjoy the close ups.


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23 comments:

  1. Carole M.4 August 2013 at 17:48

    I really like that dark red ochre colour of the outback

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  2. Arija4 August 2013 at 18:03

    Love 'em. I often take shots of the ground, especially in the inland.

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  3. Irma4 August 2013 at 18:49

    Hi Stewart,
    Very special this ground.
    That we do not know so in the Netherlands.

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  4. Revrunner4 August 2013 at 19:47

    Reminds me of lichen.

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  5. eileeninmd4 August 2013 at 21:08

    I like the color, you are right about the rusted metal look. Great shots! Have a happy day!

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  6. Bas.4 August 2013 at 22:01

    Prachtig om dit zo te laten zien.

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  7. TexWisGirl4 August 2013 at 23:21

    really does look like rust corrosion!

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  8. Sylvia K5 August 2013 at 01:22

    Great shots and I love the color!! Beautiful!

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  9. Margaret Birding For Pleasure5 August 2013 at 03:56

    HI Stewart I watched a programme today about a garden in that area and what they grew. It was very interesting and they also showed the red earth.

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  10. FOREST SNAPPER5 August 2013 at 05:27

    thats a great photo Stewart, i feel as if i could touch it,


    peter

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  11. DIMI5 August 2013 at 07:22

    Hallo Stewart!!
    Great pictures of the ground!
    Nive colour!!!
    Have a lovely new week!!
    Dimi...

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  12. Dan5 August 2013 at 08:30

    Interesting how diverse the land varies around our fragile earth.

    I like your comparison to a rusty surface.

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  13. Anonymous5 August 2013 at 11:19

    Love the rich color!

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  14. Sallie (FullTime-Life)5 August 2013 at 11:37

    Amazing color -- and an interesting and different way to see it.

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  15. Karen5 August 2013 at 12:08

    Love these Stewart!

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  16. Andrea5 August 2013 at 13:01

    I didn't know that Uluru is going thru a fast weathering process. But it is too big that it can still wait for another deluge. Thanks for my first time to see its skin!

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  17. Susie Clevenger5 August 2013 at 15:43

    Beautiful color...love the shots!

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  18. Gemma Wiseman5 August 2013 at 18:31

    Love the subtle tone variations and the colour is simply amazing. This earth seems to have its own inbuilt glare.

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  19. Randi6 August 2013 at 00:26

    Great shots and lovely colours!

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  20. Unknown6 August 2013 at 01:59

    It doesn't really look like rock. I like the colour.

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  21. Jay6 August 2013 at 05:38

    This must be one of the reasons they ask people to keep to the footpaths. I know it's a sacred place, too, but surely it is not good to remove the weathered surface.

    I do love your photos, particularly the first - and I did indeed think it was rusted metal before I read the text!

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  22. Anonymous6 August 2013 at 08:16

    Neat color and texture.

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  23. Pat Tillett8 August 2013 at 08:39

    It looks like the surface of an alien and hostile planet. Great photos of an amazing place Stewart.

    To those who don't know about it, it actually is rusted metal. High levels of iron oxide in the ground and rocks causes it rust.


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