Unlike any other place on the earth, the presence of humans stands out sharply in the desert. Devoid of trees or bushes to hide the sign of our time there, our objects – from abandoned cars and airplanes, to furniture and homes – stand as evidence of our past. Because of the harsh, dry climate, our abandoned possessions remain for many years, slowly rusting away with each winter season. Beneath the splendor of clear open skies, it has a haunting and even beautiful effect on the landscape.
Film makers Monika Delgado and Mickey Todiwala set out to capture these places with their Canon 5D MK II. The resulting film, Fragments, is a captivating testament to the remnants of civilization spread through the deserts of California and Nevada. Their film moves with a suspenseful slowness as it beautifully pans and zooms through their almost photographic scenes. Visual News asked the duo what drew them to these places:
“The mystery behind these desolate spaces inspire us. One feels emotional looking at these non-functional abandoned objects that were once in use.”
They also shared what equipment they used to create their effects, which add so much emotion to the still objects. Besides their Canon 5D MK II fitted with a Zeiss CP.2 Prime, they used a Glidetrack HD for their buttery smooth pans. Post production was done in Adobe Premiere using Magic Bullet Looks for color grading. Be sure to see more from Mickey Todiwala on Vimeo.
