The Award Award Showcase The Gallery Publications Gears University Expeditions About Us Career Learning & AI Future Curriculum Curiosity & Consciousness Sign In Submit Your Work →

Geothermal Plant by Mickey Strider

Captured as part of an ongoing series titled "Power," this photograph explores the industrial landscape of geothermal plants along the Salton Sea. The photographer was drawn to the interplay between the dramatic, cloud-filled sky and the plumes of steam rising from the plant. By utilizing a 10-stop neutral density filter, the photographer achieved a 15-second long exposure that softens the atmospheric movement, creating a seamless blend between the natural clouds and the man-made emissions. This technical precision, combined with a keen eye for the stark, geometric beauty of industrial infrastructure, results in a compelling and award-worthy study of energy and environment.

Geothermal Plant by Mickey Strider
Canon EOS 60D with Canon EF-S 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM
Exposure 15sec @ f/11 | ISO 100 | Focal Length 20mm
Copyright Β© Mickey Strider
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Mickey Strider

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Mickey Strider developed an early passion for visual storytelling, eventually studying art at the Maryland Institute College of Art. His extensive career spans advertising, film production, and directing, having worked on notable projects ranging from pioneering CGI television specials to award-winning commercial campaigns for major global brands. Currently based in San Diego, California, Strider continues to balance his professional broadcast production work with dedicated artistic pursuits in photography, where he explores the intersection of industrial form and natural landscapes.

Profile View Full Profile
13.1/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
276/500
SHARE
SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
12,385 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date August 29, 2014
69.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 13.0
Clarity 13.0
Composition 17.0
Style 13.0
Skill 13.0
Photograph Location
Calipatria, California, The United States

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Black & White Photography
Mickey Strider Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (12.8/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,980/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
12,385/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
2.8/5 points
276/500 Submission
Jury Score: 69.0/80
Resonance Score: 12.8/20
Total Award Score: 81.8/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Dmitri Kasakov Contrast, Shadow Drama & the Metaphysics of Light Expert Review
Steam and sky bleed into a singular, suffocating grey. It’s a haunting erasure of boundaries where the machine’s breath mimics the heavens. I’ve stared at these plumes until my eyes ached, feeling the cold indifference of the Salton Sea pressing against the frame. Strider doesn’t just capture energy; he captures the silence of our own obsolescence. It’s a bleak, heavy beauty that refuses to comfort us. I find it deeply, unsettlingly honest.
James Rokeby Camera Craft & Technical Execution Expert Review
15sec at f/11, ISO 100, 20mm. A calculated gamble. The 10-stop ND filter was the right tool to flatten the chaos of those plumes. It’s a cold, clinical extraction of motion. I’ve spent years staring at industrial data, but this stillness actually makes me hold my breath. The geometry holds up under the long exposure. It’s a precise, efficient execution. You didn't waste the sensor's potential. The numbers finally align with the subject. Good work.
Lena Brandstrom Macro Photography, Optics & the Science of the Seen Expert Review
At f/11, the diffraction limit begins to soften the fine edges of the steel, yet it’s precisely this trade-off that allows the 15-second exposure to render the steam as ethereal silk. The lens resolves the geothermal plumes with a haunting, laminar flow that our retinas simply can’t track in real-time. It’s beautiful, reallyβ€”the way the optics turn industrial exhaust into something almost celestial. I’ve rarely seen such a cold, mechanical process feel so profoundly alive.
Amara Diallo Portrait, Human Story & Narrative Portraiture Expert Review
We look at these plumes rising from the Salton Sea and we don't just see industry; we see the breath of the earth itself. Mickey Strider listened to the landscape before the shutter clicked, finding a rhythm where man-made steam and natural clouds become one. It’s haunting, really. I feel a strange, quiet loneliness in this frame. It’s a portrait of a place that’s working hard to keep us warm, yet it remains beautifully, stubbornly alone.
Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review
The sky bleeds into the steam. It’s a blur of grey, erasing the line between earth and air. I find myself holding my breath, waiting for the vapor to settle. It doesn't. The stillness is heavy, almost physical. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty; it’s a weight. I’ve spent minutes staring at that void. It’s quiet. It’s enough. I feel a strange, cold peace standing before this industrial ghost.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most industrial studies feel cold, but this one breathes. By blurring the line between man-made steam and natural clouds, Strider forces us to confront our own footprint. I’ve seen thousands of long exposures, but this one avoids the usual gimmickry. It’s the stillness of the foreground pipes against that restless, ghostly sky that makes me feel small. In thirty years, we’ll still be debating this energy, and this frame will be the reason why.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Priya Kapoor

The Breath of the Earth

The smell of sulfur always brings me back to the edge of a hot spring, that sharp, metallic sting that tickles the back of the throat. It is the scent of the earth’s hidden pulse, a reminder that beneath the cool, solid ground we walk upon, there is a restless, boiling hunger.

Read the reflection →
By Clara Menezes

The Breath of the Earth

We often think of the earth as a silent, solid thing, a foundation that simply waits for our footsteps. But beneath the crust, there is a pulseβ€”a restless, rhythmic exhaling that reminds us the ground is not as still as we imagine.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

Share your thoughts about this award-winning photograph. Your reviews contribute to the community engagement score.

6 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Natalia TorrealbaNatalia Torrealba - Photojournalism, Art Photography, Photographer, Photography Awards, Light & CompositionThe Mother and the Rain, by Shahnaz Parvin - Documentary Photography, Photojournalism, Award Winning Photography, Photo of the Day, Art PhotographyThe Weight of the Weather