{"id":2007053,"date":"2026-06-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2007053"},"modified":"2026-06-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T21:00:00","slug":"elliot-mcgucken-suspends-einsteins-light-cones-over-desert-expanses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2007053","title":{"rendered":"Elliot McGucken Suspends Einstein\u2019s \u2018Light Cones\u2019 Over Desert Expanses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-9.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with a double cone of swirling light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime desert landscape\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All images \u00a9 Dr. Elliot McGucken, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Elliot McGucken Suspends Einstein\u2019s \u2018Light Cones\u2019 Over Desert Expanses<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-23T15:20:04-05:00\">June 23, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-nature\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/nature\/\" rel=\"tag\">Nature<\/a><a class=\"category-photography\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/photography\/\" rel=\"tag\">Photography<\/a><a class=\"category-science\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/science\/\" rel=\"tag\">Science<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F06%2Felliot-mcgucken-spacetime-light-cone-sculptures-photography-landscapes%2F&amp;title=Elliot%20McGucken%20Suspends%20Einstein%27s%20%26%238216%3BLight%20Cones%27%20Over%20Desert%20Expanses\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"475264\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Albert Einstein once said that \u201cthe most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.\u201d For <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emcgucken.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Elliot McGucken<\/a>, the sublime enigmas of nature form the basis of his explorations of landscape and light.<\/p>\n<p>McGucken traverses North America\u2019s most beautiful and striking terrain, including Death Valley where he captured a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/03\/dr-elliot-mcgucken-landscapes-photography-wildflowers\/\">wildflower superbloom<\/a> earlier this year. He revels in all kinds of natural phenomena, from the vicissitudes of the Rocky Mountains to brown bears fishing in Alaska\u2019s Katmai National Park and Preserve to the ghostly, flood-carved walls of Antelope Canyon. He also happens to be a physicist whose research focuses on an artificial retina prosthesis that can help restore sight to those who are blind.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-8.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475264\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1543\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-8.jpg\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with a cone of swirling light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime desert landscape\" class=\"wp-image-475272\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<p>Although photography and physics may seem at first blush to be a world apart, they intersect in many ways, especially through the use of advanced lenses that manipulate light to create images. In this way, McGucken channels a limitless fascination with perception and seeing in which scientific inquiry drives his photography as much as the aesthetic and technical qualities of the medium. He\u2019s also really into Albert Einstein\u2019s Theory of Relativity and quantum mechanics, and that\u2019s where an ongoing series called <em>Spacetime Light Cone Sculptures dx4\/dt=ic<\/em> comes in.<\/p>\n<p>McGucken delves specifically into the study of the fourth dimension, drawing on Einstein\u2019s 1922 book <em>The Meaning of Relativity, <\/em>in which the renowned scientist illustrated a \u201clight cone\u201d that represented \u201cthe deep, physical relationship between space, time, and the velocity of light,\u201d McGucken says. This almost hourglass-like shape, with two cones that meet at their tips, forms the basis of <em>Spacetime Light Cone Sculptures dx4\/dt=ic<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>McGucken describes the works as \u201csculptures upon nature\u2019s exalted easel,\u201d utilizing contemporary technology to illuminate theories of existence and the cosmos. He sends a drone into the air over dramatic and remote Southwest landscapes to capture long exposures of conical spirals of light. Over the years, he\u2019s visited the Trona Pinnacles\u00a0in the California Desert Conservation Area and the Mobius Arch rock formation\u00a0in the\u00a0Alabama Hills, among other places.<\/p>\n<p>See more on the artist\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/elliotmcgucken\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a> and purchase prints on his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emcgucken.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">website<\/a>. You might also enjoy Rueben Wu\u2019s glowing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/reuben-wu\/\">light paintings<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-6.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475264\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-6.jpg\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with a double cone of swirling light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime desert landscape with a natural pool that glows under the light\" class=\"wp-image-475270\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475264\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1109\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-7.jpg\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with two double cones of swirling light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime desert landscape\" class=\"wp-image-475271\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-3.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475264\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-3.jpg\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with a double cone of swirling light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime desert landscape\" class=\"wp-image-475267\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475264\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-1.jpg\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with a cone of swirling light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime coastal landscape\" class=\"wp-image-475265\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475264\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1474\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-4.jpg\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with a double cone of swirling light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime desert landscape\" class=\"wp-image-475268\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-5.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475264\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1491\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-5.jpg\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with a squiggle of light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime desert landscape\" class=\"wp-image-475269\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-475264\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/mcgucken-2.jpg\" alt=\"a &quot;light painting&quot; photograph with a cone of swirling light, created using a drone, over a dramatically lit nighttime desert landscape\" class=\"wp-image-475266\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-benefits is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hide advertising<\/li>\n<li>Save your favorite articles<\/li>\n<li>Get 15% off in the <a href=\"https:\/\/colossal.shop\/\">Colossal Shop<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Receive members-only newsletter<\/li>\n<li>Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-options is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Join us today!<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-verdigris-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/colossal.memberful.com\/checkout?plan=113464\">$7\/month<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-verdigris-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/colossal.memberful.com\/checkout?plan=113463\">$75\/year<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-chalk-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\">Explore membership options<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"20\" height=\"21\" class=\"wp-image-327872\" style=\"width: 20px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/arrow-left.svg\" alt><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/aside>\n<nav class=\"navigation post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\">\n<div class=\"nav-links\">\n<div class=\"nav-previous\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/06\/lenka-clayton-art-21-film\/\" rel=\"prev\">Next article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All images \u00a9 Dr. Elliot McGucken, shared with permission Elliot McGucken Suspends Einstein\u2019s \u2018Light Cones\u2019 Over Desert Expanses June 23, 2026 NaturePhotographyScience Kate Mothes Share Email Bookmark Albert Einstein once said that \u201cthe most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-2007053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2007053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007053\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2007053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2007053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2007053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}