Delicate Chaos
It's easy to imagine a chaotic cosmos; all around us, we see evidence that the universe itself is anything but benign. Asteroid impacts, extinction events, the ever-looming threat of gamma ray bursts from distant galaxies...
But it's a bit harder to think about unexpected events springing up from a source closer to home: Us.
We already know the human brain is one of the most complex and intricate physical objects in the universe; multiply the possibilities of a single human by 7 billion, and you start to understand the magnitude of the situation. A thousand million billion brain cells at work, all resulting in social norms and societal rules that appear organic but are anything but.
In this delicate chaos, the goal is and only ever could be simple: To survive.
This astro timelapse of Delicate Arch in Utah is of special significance to me. My wife and I were on the road living out of a van, and we decided to spend a few days in Moab. This night, we parked at the trailhead, she took a nap in the back of the vehicle, and I set out on the short but winding hike to the geological feature. I used no headlamp, guiding myself by memory using the light of the stars.
When I arrived there, I wasn't as alone as I thought; about a dozen other photographers were out shooting that night, wandering around the sandy slopes with headlamps and tripods. It wasn't easy to time any decently lit shots without distracting light trails in them! Little did I know that I'd miss that night dearly soon after...
Later that year, light painting was banned in the park, with only Low Level Lighting allowed from that point forward. This restriction makes this video (and the still images it's comprised of) truly rare.
Artist: Steve Walasavage
Series: Non-Fungible Travels
Collection: SuperRare
Edition: 1/1 NFT
Extended Editorial License: Can be used to display privately, or in commercial and non-commercial settings, or in groups with an unlimited number of participants. The License includes unlimited use and display in virtual or physical galleries, documentaries, and essays by the NFT holder. Provides no rights to create commercial merchandise, commercial distribution, or derivative works.