Geologist Rinsing Red Sandstone Cores in Stream

Bright midmorning light softens under a thin layer of clouds as a geologist leans over a shallow stream near Djelfa. Water rushes over smooth, rust-colored sandstone cores held in gloved hands, washing away fine dust to reveal layered striations. The stream bed consists of dark gravel and scattered pebbles, against the vibrant orange rock. Behind the subject, an exposed outcrop rises in jagged red layers, matching the stones being cleaned. Salt wind ripples the water surface and flattens the loose shirt of the worker. Droplets rest on the rim of a plastic bucket resting on a mossy stone nearby. at the edge is a thin trail of clear water dripping from the edge of a core sample onto the dark gravel below.