[Uncle Erik]

I had to go to Yuma on business Saturday morning and decided to turn off in Niland, California to pay a visit to Salvation Mountain (Salvation Mountain - Official Website - Niland, California). I had heard of it, and have passed through Niland hundreds of times, but had never gone. So I went.

It was a remarkable experience, and I am glad I had the camera along. Leonard Knight, who built Salvation Mountain, is one of those few people who is entirely positive, content and happy with his life. He could not have been kinder and more welcoming to me, a complete stranger. I spent about an hour there, talking, learning about what he was doing, how he built it, and taking photos. If you're in the area, a visit is worthwhile. There's nothing else like this.

Leonard was especially happy that I was taking photos - he asked me to share them with my friends. I told him I would. And I'm planning to go again. It was about 110 on Saturday, which made it difficult to spend a lot of time shooting.

For the photo geeks, these were taken with a Nikon D70s and the 18-70mm lens with a UV filter and a circular polarizer. I used a SB600 for the interior shots.

Please do not discuss religion in this thread. Salvation Mountain is inherently religious. The point of this thread is to share these photos, not to offend anyone or cause controversy. It is my hope that everyone can appreciate it as folk art and the immense amount of work that went into this:

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Wow...that really is something else.

Does he have a family, or is it just him?

And thanks for sharing these pictures with us; never quite knew what Salvation Mountain was all about.

 

[fraseyboy]

Not really a religious person but god that is cool

 

[argentum]

Oh God this looks like religious hippie paradise .

 

[troymadison]

NEAT

 

[Redo]

That's really neat, I've never heard of the place

 

[krmathis]

Wow, that's colorful!

Peace and love...

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by argentum /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh God this looks like religious hippie paradise .

Actually, that's a pretty accurate description.

 

[Dzjudz]

I got knowledge of this place when I watched the film Into The Wild. Which is also highly recommended

. Leonard is in it as well

.

 

[laxx]

Is it just me that feels the pictures are all a bit underexposed?

Nice framing for many of the pictures though.

 

[Spareribs]

Far out!

 

[G-man]

thats... interesting

 

[funniecow]

can you just imagine the up keep?

 

[M0T0XGUY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by laxx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is it just me that feels the pictures are all a bit underexposed? Nice framing for many of the pictures though.

I'd say dark more than underexposed; I think the circular polarizer is to blame here. Still, the OP's post was more about the Mountain than the pictures, I imagine, and to that end the sight really is quite something.

 

[Lazarus Short]

It reminds me of the "Garden of Eden" in Lucas, Kansas.

Laz