Something about this picture just wasn't RIGHT, but it took me a LONG time...

[MiddleFingerMom]

.
.
.
...to figure out why.
.
.
.
If not photoshopped, this is one amazing photograph.
.
.
.
YOU may spot it right away.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.

[BurtWorm]

1. .

Shadows. No shadows. I'm guessing the "camels" are cutouts, right?

[MiddleFingerMom]

3. I won't give it away this early or easily... but you haven't looked long enough.

[BurtWorm]

7. I read

the spoilers and am suitably blown away.

:applause:

[Kali]

2. I don't get it?

I mean I see they are shadows, but knowing you there must be more ???

[BurtWorm]

4. .

There are no tracks in the sand either.

:think:

[Deep13]

11. .

Actually there are. Not footprints, but a worn path. It might not be loose sand, either.

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. Spoiler

Ah, an overhead shot of camels. Pretty neat.

[nolabear]

6. That is very cool. Spoiler in text.

I'll bet it's real, one of those amazing tricks of perspective that just fall into the laps of people who have cameras at the ready. Wonder what the photographer was standing on or sitting in to get to that height.

[Kali]

8. ...

ultralights

[MiddleFingerMom]

9. Could be anything -- my first thought was helicopter... followed by hot-air balloon.

.
.
.
.
.
We have an ostrich ranch about 20-30 miles north of Tucson and the
owner had a lawsuit against a local hot-air balloon company for the
longest time (I'm pretty sure he eventually lost).
.
He claimed the balloonists would turn on their flame-jets while over
his ostrich herds(?) and laugh when it made them panic and scatter.
.
He said that not only were there injuries, but that their breeding
habits were disrupted by the incidents.
.
.
.
Part of me says that all the balloonists that I've met were WAY too
aware and conscious and "nice" to be guilty of that -- but another
part reminds me that EVERY profession is susceptible to having
assholes amongst its practitioners.
.
.
.

[Kali]

14. ultralights

have some relatives up in Mammoth that use them for round up - helicopters too
they helped here one year, with one - pilot would fly and radio to horseback riders locations or whatever. It was...um...interesting!

[jobycom]

29. Snopes has a little on the photo--says it was taken from a motorized paraglider

I saw that a few years ago on Snopes (yes they confirmed it as real). Beautiful picture.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/camelshadows.asp

[csziggy]

30. Not all ballooonists are too nice to be guilty of that kind of action

For a while we had problems with a balloonist taking off from an empty lot next to our foaling field - where the mares were put when they were due to have their babies. The mares got completely spooked and would not even let us lead them in the direction of the field. One mare was here to foal because she had been too anxious at the owner's farm in town - she was getting to the point we were worried she'd lose her valuable foal.

I saw the name of the balloonist's business on the side of their van and called them. They basically said "F@ck you." So then I called the property owner - she was very interested since she had given no one permission to use her property. She later called me back to let me know that the balloonist had been served with a notice to never set foot on her property again and that I had her permission to call the sheriff's office.

The balloonist had tried to tell the property owner that he could legally use any empty lot to take off from, whether or not it was posted. Now, the property owner was an attorney who had specialized in property rights. She was also a past county commissioner. When she told the balloonist he was wrong, he told her the same thing he had told me. So she had a friendly judge endorse a notice to the balloonist.

He came back once. I called the cops. There was some sort of ruckus next door and that balloonist never came back. His company went out of business in the next year.

I've met nice responsible balloonist - been to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival - but this guy definitely gave the business a bad name around here.

[Deep13]

10. I can see it.

Saw it right away. Not photoshopped.

[MilesColtrane]

12. Oh, I see. It's taken directly overhead.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

13. It's an arial shot.

My uncle sent me an email filled with them yesterday. Apparently there's a guy who did a whole bunch of them. :shrug: I don't get the big deal?

[IcyPeas]

15. camels AND their shadows

your eyes almost don't see the camel. It is an amazing picture.

[Lil Missy]

18. Oooooh! Now I see it!

[Liberal Veteran]

21. Actually, it's a little known fact that shadows cast camels.

:P

[kedrys]

16. WHOA!

Holy crap, Batman - those little wobbly beige and brown things ARE the camels! :wow:

That is one very cool photograph. :)

[stray cat]

17. Amazing! Thank you.

[krispos42]

19. I'm surprised the shadows are so sharp

Must be on the same sound stage as the faked Apollo moon landings...

[MiddleFingerMom]

26. That's exactly the reason that I think at least a LITTLE Photoshopping may have been involved. n/t

[valerief]

20. Very cool! nt

[Redstone]

22. Absolutely astonishing. The shot of a lifetime for a photographer.

Redstone

[rug]

23. I can't see their toes.

[MiddleFingerMom]

25. For that, sir... you are the proud owner of one Intertubes.

.
.
.
.
:rofl: :thumbsup:
.
.
.

[applegrove]

24. That is a great shot.

[begin_within]

27. What was the thing that was "not right about it?"

Other than the absence of people.

[MiddleFingerMom]

33. I was SKIMMING through LOTS of photos and cartoons, as is my wont...

.
.
.
.
.
...(I just wanted to say "as is my wont".
.
.
Pretentious? MOI?!?!?):rofl:
.
.
Anyways, I came BACK to this photo after having moved along through several
more -- because "something"... some little nagging thing wasn't right, but I
couldn't tell what it was at first. Then I realized that the camels, rather than
being IN shadow, appeared to be black cardboard cutouts -- and what's more,
they had what looked like giant FISH swimming at their feet!!!!
.
.
.
I could see the National Geographic titles on it, so didn't think it was simply
some sort of surrealistic artistic expression, but It took me several minutes
to realize the proper overhead perspective of what I was seeing -- and then
it SUDDENLY clicked and all made sense and was just incredible.
.
.
Somebody (jobycom?) found it on www.snopes.com I LOVE Snopes... I have just ONE
conservative friend... who insists on sending me fearfearfear teabagger
chain emails to piss me off and Snopes, WITHOUT fail, gives me the truth to
fire back at him -- with a challenge to send that truth BACK UP the rectum it
was generated from (though I really doubt he ever does -- teabaggers not
really being interested in the actual truth... least not when it interFEARS
with their message).
.
.
.

[begin_within]

35. National Geographic is definitely the world's best magazine when it comes to photography

Every single month they come out with new photos to gasp at. The article they did on the Himalayas about 10 or 12 years ago was actually frightening. I had to sit down because I felt vertigo - the pictures made me feel like I was there on the sides of the mountains with them.

[sakabatou]

28. Took a lil while but then I hit it.

[Rabrrrrrr]

31. THAT is freaking cool!

[WinkyDink]

32. Ha! I NEVER would have gotten this! What an AMAZING photo!

[woo me with science]

34. I LOVE that picture.

Camels are so thin!

[alsame]

36. Wow, that is an amazing photo! It took me a while to see it, but

I'm so glad I kept coming back to look at it.

Thanks for posting this.