Saguaro Wanderings: Seeing 2012 (#31)

For your consideration: in acute contrast to the delicacy presented in the prior post, on potent display here is a forced blending of nature's majesty and man's jarring — yet nonetheless impressive engineering prowess.

The perspective compression imposed by the long focal length of the lens used to record this scene creates something of an illusion: the distances between the derricks, boat and misty mountains are greater than they seem. Yet this minor deception serves it purpose: to convey the jarring proximity of serene wilderness with constructions designed to fuel the frantic business of human machinations . . .

A tenuous balance is thinly maintained; the canvass implies that at any moment disaster could burst upon the scene, likely arising from a failure at depth, a malignant yield of the massively complex orchestrations intended to produce liquid assets for its makers' benefit.

Shortly after photographing these platforms I turned my eye to the delightful interplay of seal families on beaches beneath the cliffs at my feet. A few of the resulting images are in earlier postings on this blog. Ironically, the nurturing of mother for pup are subtly echoed in this industrial image: the boat is undoubtedly en route to bring fresh supplies of men and sundries to the offshore posts, an interesting twist on paternal care.

Thus the image's title.