tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10239063403730149622024-03-05T18:23:18.210-07:00The Large Format Camera BlogA Travelogue of Large Format Photography with an Arca-Swiss View CameraDarren Huskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12192257626114346616noreply@blogger.comBlogger223125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-42060731074432197552020-06-14T15:24:00.003-06:002020-06-14T15:24:55.444-06:00Exploring US 377<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Delta 100</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have been doing a series of day drives over the past few months. Take the 4x5 and some black and white film and do a day drive along US 377. This is the road that runs southwest out of Fort Worth. It quickly gets one away from town and into some rolling hills. There are some remnants of the prairie here as well as many ranches, farms, rivers and other tidbits of Americana.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Each morning I would leave home early, usually by 0530 so I could be out someplace for sunrise. Being on location early is not as important in black and white photography as it is in color, but old habits die hard.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">HP5+</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My general plan for these type of days is to select a sunrise spot, spend daybreak and the golden hour there and then just drive looking for subjects. Side road here, Farm to Market road there. The only commonality was being generally along US 377. From Fort Worth to Stephenville I pass by some limestone hills, the Brazos River, the Paluxy River, and many off the beaten path places.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I am in no hurry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In normal times I would make it to a good BBQ or Taco stand around noon. There are not normal times......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I pack a lunch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I drive and photograph. I stop no places with people. I am socially distanced.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On my first of these day drives I took Ilford Delta 100 and Fujichrome Velvia. After finishing the Delta 100 I went with a box of Ilford HP5+, a film I have never used before. Over the course of three or four drives I finished up the Delta and one box of HP5+. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Delta 100</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Since I do not develop my own film and I cannot "read" a negative, I send off all my black and white film to DR5 Chrome. They process black and white negative film into a positive chrome. I get a an image that looks great on a light table and scans well. The images you see here the ones they processed.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-Bt78LAqiIQL2_lKii8YeAtuhlQ_tBXD4xBdXCPCKjKkygMR0plJv1jT8S7dlrQ1t5kRTAmN91Bow6vQRWpoCW5Dt7HkWMX91m9y0KMs6EswMxJz_rZt5MjUgQqENaIEQl1htnqVRbOz/s1600/IMG_20200428_105808-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1100" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-Bt78LAqiIQL2_lKii8YeAtuhlQ_tBXD4xBdXCPCKjKkygMR0plJv1jT8S7dlrQ1t5kRTAmN91Bow6vQRWpoCW5Dt7HkWMX91m9y0KMs6EswMxJz_rZt5MjUgQqENaIEQl1htnqVRbOz/s320/IMG_20200428_105808-01.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As a landscape photographer I am generally looking for natural landscapes. That led me to a spot along the Brazos River and it led me to spots along the Paluxy River too. I also was looking for trees. Somehow that was something of a theme with these drives. I know a few lone trees and I found a few more. With the ranching country in the area I can occasionally find them among a field of grass. In particular a good live oak out alone makes an interesting subject. You see a few of them here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then there are also the old bridges, churches and ranches. I occasionally make stops in places like that as they seem to make good monochrome subjects.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Each day I was out was a little different. I had rain, cloudy, clear, windy, and a mix of the above. I would have my morning location and then drive and look. And look. I drove some roads I know and also some roads I have never been on. A side road here or there always looping back toward US 377. Each day was different although I did visit a couple of places twice hoping for different light.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here are a few images from the day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhp4do2AC9HyWOl2hONTiLL0qVcGsVWJQuVS4GUs_cPg3ATMDXkjqe86l5hFWmo6sCUpcIlJCZcDUrHeOK-pHncZrCQ7dAvpOpS_V_b1n7YMVqFLy_ix9WRg55YDBm634hjTZNUH2jPQc/s1080/Huski_Scan_2020_06_05_00988_78178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAhp4do2AC9HyWOl2hONTiLL0qVcGsVWJQuVS4GUs_cPg3ATMDXkjqe86l5hFWmo6sCUpcIlJCZcDUrHeOK-pHncZrCQ7dAvpOpS_V_b1n7YMVqFLy_ix9WRg55YDBm634hjTZNUH2jPQc/s320/Huski_Scan_2020_06_05_00988_78178.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">HP5+</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-59284497855310829722020-06-03T15:13:00.003-06:002020-06-04T02:54:49.727-06:00Bluffs Along the River<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMBsffU8TYgpv6Y1IIfOQbvRKSYZhhwpp3LDY-cJA2hL80GkZ9St_Za52aKiIZMj7OIR6UekkAhwAjkUFEHwEBZTvppwg8G9PEzTjgtCuqBJ4Fc70WLBxb1BvI838tZIfiOqlQOAFCbhw/s1600/Huski_Arca+Scans_2017_03_04_00558-7b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMBsffU8TYgpv6Y1IIfOQbvRKSYZhhwpp3LDY-cJA2hL80GkZ9St_Za52aKiIZMj7OIR6UekkAhwAjkUFEHwEBZTvppwg8G9PEzTjgtCuqBJ4Fc70WLBxb1BvI838tZIfiOqlQOAFCbhw/s400/Huski_Arca+Scans_2017_03_04_00558-7b.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A favorite subject for me locally as a photographer are the rivers that run across North Texas. The Red, Trinity and Brazos Rivers (plus their tributaries) give me some good natural areas to photograph.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This is a spot on a all but unknown little river that feeds into the Brazos. I wade down the river to find locations to photograph. I chase fall color here and I even photograph the Milky Way from here(although not with the 4x5).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On an clear winter morning, I left home in the dark and took both my large format kit as well as my Sony A7R. I was hoping I might get a glimpse of the stars and moon to photograph with the high ISO capable digital and then as the light came up switch over to film for landscapes.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5T9CgdTFH4A4sJ0zafGg9xVTwC91FymO38l3u9W0Bu75dQLEY7yjzABSjh0umAs_rG8k7oT-aNrC-Uf6OS17BteNBzc2xP7zZCIwJl7urqbtOGauT7C-Z22W4lw2JDEACBu6dR61ficj/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2017_02_18_00550-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5T9CgdTFH4A4sJ0zafGg9xVTwC91FymO38l3u9W0Bu75dQLEY7yjzABSjh0umAs_rG8k7oT-aNrC-Uf6OS17BteNBzc2xP7zZCIwJl7urqbtOGauT7C-Z22W4lw2JDEACBu6dR61ficj/s320/Huski_North+Texas_2017_02_18_00550-3.jpg" width="248" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The pack was pretty heavy since I had my full 4x5 kit, a digital camera and two tripods. I had my hip-waders on and had to make my way through a wooded area to reach the river. Then wade down the river in the dark. BTW, I never suggest people do things like this. I know this river and with a rocky bed I have been to many times in the daylight I am comfortable wading it in the dark. Water levels were low and only a couple of areas were more than knee deep.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Standing there in the water feeling the cold water pull past your legs in the dark while looking at the stars is something I call fun.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I only got in a few night images before darkness turned to blue hour and daylight. I set up the 4x5 on a shallow ledge and went to work to get an image of the moon hanging over the river.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I had both Velvia 50 (color transparency film) as well as some Ilford Delta 100 (black and white negative film). I was trying to shoot both films to gain more comfort with black and white. I really think of myself as a much more natural color photographer. However when Fuji announced the end of Quickloads I knew I would need to learn to load film holders, so I started using black and white to do some things differently. I also loaded up a fridge with Quickloads.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As we sit here in 2020 I still have several boxes of them left. On the other hand, the Efke 25 black and white film I had first taken too also got discontinued. Now I am trying out Ilford and seeing if Delta 100 might become my new monochrome choice.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k60RjQ4VQgQv3PHMyMlc4ZN7s2gzsgCP_ayifk_5YDZ9y_LylKs8RGsYogcaefjulekj0cpcFpl2jLDj1ubEI-pTJi_sss3emqKXhPsDZLQWJn5Xoj1JedudNq_RpvV49gGtos_fTlcj/s1600/Huski_Arca+Scans_2017_03_04_00558-6b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k60RjQ4VQgQv3PHMyMlc4ZN7s2gzsgCP_ayifk_5YDZ9y_LylKs8RGsYogcaefjulekj0cpcFpl2jLDj1ubEI-pTJi_sss3emqKXhPsDZLQWJn5Xoj1JedudNq_RpvV49gGtos_fTlcj/s320/Huski_Arca+Scans_2017_03_04_00558-6b.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After photographing both a color and black and white shot, I moved up onto a dry ledge by the bluff and set up a second shot. Again , I shot both films.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have to send off my films to be processed. Color E-6 goes to one lab and the black and white goes up to DR5 Chrome which sends me back a black and white chrome (positive). I can then look at all my images on the light table. I find it much easier and intuitive to work with positives rather than negatives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Looking at them on the light table I like the river shot better in color and up on the ledge better in black and white.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As we get into summer I am thinking about going back and working this area again. I have a new Rollei film to try and wonder what I might get here.</span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-11028553750272856692014-08-24T15:07:00.000-06:002014-08-24T15:07:03.632-06:00Lake Pepin in Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMpvD4VXKrFObXFiynCx2Jc5mMMn7vqJHdIBubQB5vnT4fDfYXOy9WEWiJoydnndfjcauES8Ob88CYKnRetX9cwnNaY1A-4qp9Pn3IZJz8TEyVqSmMt11tPKV_ir7IwwLG1JR5m6vWKSq/s1600/_MG_2250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMpvD4VXKrFObXFiynCx2Jc5mMMn7vqJHdIBubQB5vnT4fDfYXOy9WEWiJoydnndfjcauES8Ob88CYKnRetX9cwnNaY1A-4qp9Pn3IZJz8TEyVqSmMt11tPKV_ir7IwwLG1JR5m6vWKSq/s1600/_MG_2250.jpg" height="246" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lake Pepin is a natural lake on the Upper Mississippi River near Red Wing, Minnesota. The lake formed because the Chippewa River carries a great deal of sand out of central Wisconsin (Think Aldo Leopold and A Sand County Almanac for an idea) and that sand is more than the Mississippi can take quickly. It bottle-necked the river and formed Lake Pepin. Note, the river leaving Lake Pepin near Wabasha, Minnesota is moving fast enough it rarely freezes in winter, meaning a great many bald eagles frequent the area in the winter months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The lake itself freezes over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was driving down river and I got to Lake City, Minnesota late in the afternoon. The sunrise looked to be weak at best, but I decided to set up the camera and take an image across the lake.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSkGtGYzW_mlUM6OmFEe5yhgJmvOIkMuOhxIdJri5vnTgsJ1f9wixCwgPZ-LtrWUY5Rd-kEXZSjVbPHVRMe0EQQsCj1IZ6HksMITFnW4Zz5DUIciNrucHZggQylUaUJozAv4dlzPybcJl/s1600/Huski+Wisc+Winter+Scan+100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSkGtGYzW_mlUM6OmFEe5yhgJmvOIkMuOhxIdJri5vnTgsJ1f9wixCwgPZ-LtrWUY5Rd-kEXZSjVbPHVRMe0EQQsCj1IZ6HksMITFnW4Zz5DUIciNrucHZggQylUaUJozAv4dlzPybcJl/s1600/Huski+Wisc+Winter+Scan+100.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was cold. Maybe 20 degrees. I was dressed in business casual traveling clothes. I put on my parka went out to grab an image.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I walked down to the lakes edge and set up the tripod. Then slowed set up the 4x5. I am sure I could have walked on the lakes surface, but it loafers it seemed like a bad idea.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I saw the nearly full moon across the lake and put it in the image. Framed up the shot and made two exposures on Quickload Velvia 100F of the Wisconsin side of the lake with the moon</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">. Took a quick shot of the setup and then packed up. As I left, the light faded and I made the rest of the drive down river in the darkening twilight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-31712364069025803482014-06-14T04:32:00.003-06:002014-07-13T09:09:13.810-06:00The Frozen Bluffs on the Mississippi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyZnJX6f90vqUS-Y5v36HXUYbFXZv9j5EMS8DKlGUS2Gf_hfWlH8246CzHFRuotF2LYyYNbi6kv9wUecAVkFJOMiLbQoidiVk_kES6s90Ulz6LuO-VC61ZSZwn-l3ZWp2NZKB0LxP21vF/s1600/Huski_North+Woods_2008_Jan_27_00325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLyZnJX6f90vqUS-Y5v36HXUYbFXZv9j5EMS8DKlGUS2Gf_hfWlH8246CzHFRuotF2LYyYNbi6kv9wUecAVkFJOMiLbQoidiVk_kES6s90Ulz6LuO-VC61ZSZwn-l3ZWp2NZKB0LxP21vF/s1600/Huski_North+Woods_2008_Jan_27_00325.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have been lucky enough to get to travel to Wisconsin in January and February. I know there are a lot of people who would think there is nothing at all lucky about that. However, when there was a work assignment to spend Jan-Mar in Wisconsin, I jumped at it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Winter is such a fleeting season in Texas, I was looking forward to getting to experience some cold and to photograph snow that does not melt three hours after it falls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Over those twelve weeks, I got to experience a cold winter and see plenty of snow. I also got in some great photography. Well, at least on the weekends. With sunrise and sunset being about 8am and 5pm respectively, I did not see much daylight during the week. On weekends though-I was out all day-every day. I took my medium format camera for some of the trip but then traded out for the 4x5.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdO17OR-bwFGTZhtLiBn5_bXifNUZ_ohAh_CZC7yCqLVOov8bLXG0gneKk8pIpr9uEQKHtiDcFckw65e2ZbVEIX5CuIW4u7Z_1eh-uzrmi3AZOpVZb3jde9MjXPESx2PdDlsn-vpJVn37/s1600/ice+dawn+tnwr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdO17OR-bwFGTZhtLiBn5_bXifNUZ_ohAh_CZC7yCqLVOov8bLXG0gneKk8pIpr9uEQKHtiDcFckw65e2ZbVEIX5CuIW4u7Z_1eh-uzrmi3AZOpVZb3jde9MjXPESx2PdDlsn-vpJVn37/s1600/ice+dawn+tnwr.jpg" height="253" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Toting the 4x5 around when it is 25 below zero is no easy task. Focusing is certainly difficult too. Never, ever breath out under the dark cloth. Instant ice over your ground glass if you do. Cold is that tough. FWIW, I never had issues with the 4x5, however my medium format camera did have the shutter freeze one morning at -25. Effectively ended the morning and I had to ziplock it and put it in the hotel for the afternoon until it thawed and was fine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I found I was able to make quite a few images in my time up there. I frequented several areas but the frozen marshes and bluffs along the Mississippi River were my favorite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a shot from an area I visited several times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I like the view to the bluffs and while this particular day was fairly cloudless, I managed to photograph here on a variety of days including fog, clouds, and epic sunrises.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqFh-l2FN9pUQuiKgIuW8cdyW2MHVxfkVE-9YKMg_sufmkrpuPcWN7DeEsoRHjUOhf3wK22-KDCcr15d8-5FWEwgJs5Vg2EQVMvly0jZioqveWIdABaF-U6oACVEGH1WszB0f6LqN1BbS/s1600/Huski_North+Woods_2008_Feb_12_00046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqFh-l2FN9pUQuiKgIuW8cdyW2MHVxfkVE-9YKMg_sufmkrpuPcWN7DeEsoRHjUOhf3wK22-KDCcr15d8-5FWEwgJs5Vg2EQVMvly0jZioqveWIdABaF-U6oACVEGH1WszB0f6LqN1BbS/s1600/Huski_North+Woods_2008_Feb_12_00046.jpg" height="251" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-50112944002847584792014-04-12T05:22:00.000-06:002014-04-12T05:22:00.055-06:00Old Rock Church<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0W5AiQZ8EZV5KAPW03DMuV-idrjtS8u997YO56x81JnNbjc6i0mmo0oJjCx_TKiizUp1kDiXK6B3dHRhPQ0op-xemAlS-nDrakPYAi7XpW2CYTWKIgZKFIltzzZeZGVi7bM-VYK_-XXzr/s1600/IMG_6111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0W5AiQZ8EZV5KAPW03DMuV-idrjtS8u997YO56x81JnNbjc6i0mmo0oJjCx_TKiizUp1kDiXK6B3dHRhPQ0op-xemAlS-nDrakPYAi7XpW2CYTWKIgZKFIltzzZeZGVi7bM-VYK_-XXzr/s1600/IMG_6111.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Old Rock Church near Cranfill's Gap is one of my favorite places to photograph in north Texas. It sits alone outside town on a small rise. There are no powerlines. It is a neat old church.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It makes a great photograph.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is a place my friends and I will visit several times a year to photograph.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is one of our warm weather trips we made. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our usual plan is to get there at dawn and photograph it at sunrise. However, when you have good clouds, then mid morning becomes great for working in B+W with large format film.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was one of those mornings. Nice clouds moving by with some bright blue sky showing through.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zJw5QUYmEf25RYrQ23_74KvX3tqYFy7OgwANIi0aH7rWbJTLiUkqGFkKM2QSLgXmOuAOcIgwXlnJBXFADRQATeHEgJoHGpBB7b6ozZ_FWufra7RcQvucx96lZt8RnU19PlNuyKaDYYKV/s1600/Old+Rock+Church+4x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zJw5QUYmEf25RYrQ23_74KvX3tqYFy7OgwANIi0aH7rWbJTLiUkqGFkKM2QSLgXmOuAOcIgwXlnJBXFADRQATeHEgJoHGpBB7b6ozZ_FWufra7RcQvucx96lZt8RnU19PlNuyKaDYYKV/s1600/Old+Rock+Church+4x5.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Set up the camera to frame the church and the sky. Because it is out alone, it is usually quiet here unless they are setting it up for a wedding (which people do here sometimes).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This old church is a perfect spot to bring the big camera, take your time and explore.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is just as neat on the inside, although I always get my best shots outside with some sky in them.</span><br />
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Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-59707647581259373912014-03-20T05:15:00.001-06:002014-03-20T05:15:23.270-06:00Spring Sky<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxnrgk_pI4QUNa-W8mXyyEDtZk9C4qAlrKxPPVm3UvNirowvMHGNY5o7ixS4_zWqPu0AciwL8Bjyxut5Pa6LRpC1EnkleAFAd_o4V2OobVZBKiIDjRKXIZhDsk4DEXsiFVRAClyfZ52xD/s1600/_DSC2805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxnrgk_pI4QUNa-W8mXyyEDtZk9C4qAlrKxPPVm3UvNirowvMHGNY5o7ixS4_zWqPu0AciwL8Bjyxut5Pa6LRpC1EnkleAFAd_o4V2OobVZBKiIDjRKXIZhDsk4DEXsiFVRAClyfZ52xD/s1600/_DSC2805.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spring time in Texas means four things: Wind, Bluebonnets, Thunderstorms, and Tornados. Luckily the last one is still the rarest. Now for the photographer it also usually means clouds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last spring, I went out with a pack full of gear to a local park to see what kind of flowers I might find. It was past bluebonnet season but I still had hopes for some. What I was really treated to was some great clouds moving across the sky at sunrise.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmkZohV8mEJzwZsdZLNotwtft8dsmNOoz752RtrkZxvEh9ws2UGtJP842Oh6pMs84AElhk8cDJWVt41uWTS8T6Rai3wmjwulEjm_cWlGQU7jxE-hUrTsDresML5PEKAe8wPxtgTEFJV3i/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_09_00104-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmkZohV8mEJzwZsdZLNotwtft8dsmNOoz752RtrkZxvEh9ws2UGtJP842Oh6pMs84AElhk8cDJWVt41uWTS8T6Rai3wmjwulEjm_cWlGQU7jxE-hUrTsDresML5PEKAe8wPxtgTEFJV3i/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_09_00104-Edit.jpg" height="320" width="252" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I shifted gears from flowers to clouds and set up this image. of the hills in the park with the great morning light. In the early soft light I photographed the softer colors of the sky, the moon, and a trail running through the park. After a couple of images and the light warmed up, I switched over to a black and white shot to capture the scene in monochrome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The different look each one has is great although I like them both at the the same time. One of the things I do notice on looking at the results is the wonderful colors and glow that Velvia has. There is always colors in the early mooring and classic Velvia 50 always impresses me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLBgfO-08tTlXrtb6j2A_22mZAU0yqp1oKWWGHTBsBnUkCoRNb0Tc3HNE9sJfFnQrl3oSQuixnGhJiTLxoZzn-3ssg6Egfn1P04KU8DOuGdNkpx28iX7jAMALKS2FM1aWv_FBaqKAYXEE/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkLBgfO-08tTlXrtb6j2A_22mZAU0yqp1oKWWGHTBsBnUkCoRNb0Tc3HNE9sJfFnQrl3oSQuixnGhJiTLxoZzn-3ssg6Egfn1P04KU8DOuGdNkpx28iX7jAMALKS2FM1aWv_FBaqKAYXEE/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-3.jpg" height="320" width="253" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I miss that film.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-69733781092360547502013-12-28T06:30:00.000-07:002013-12-28T06:30:01.335-07:00The Chisos from Desert Mountain Overlook<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqbneu1suo0wb52kP_2f5l6-WrnoCY_hlSCKfc9rczcpF3D9FIFUJbE5NUkltESfYDIY8yB4ky0_MwCj7EI1HEVSOpq8_T_Ftx_UZ-Q4v1AUq4ybkNeBCxTPonpeawE1pV4XTOvcNp4sw/s1600/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_10_00072-83.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqbneu1suo0wb52kP_2f5l6-WrnoCY_hlSCKfc9rczcpF3D9FIFUJbE5NUkltESfYDIY8yB4ky0_MwCj7EI1HEVSOpq8_T_Ftx_UZ-Q4v1AUq4ybkNeBCxTPonpeawE1pV4XTOvcNp4sw/s320/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_10_00072-83.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My most visited viewpoint in Big Bend is the Desert Mountain Overlook. I stop here every day as this is the closest view to where I camp at Cottonwood. It also has a several possible compositions in different directions. It has a great view east to the Chisos that is good for sunrise as well as sunset. Across the road are a couple of views west and south along the Rio Grande and the Sierra Ponce. Those varied possibilities make it always a place worth checking out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It also has a good view of the entire sky. Meaning when I leave the campground every morning, I always drive here in the dark. With a clear view of the sky I can judge what the clouds are and use that to help me decide my morning location.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are several great possibilities within a 15 minute drive so by stopping here I can judge the light and then pick the best of several possible locations. Sometimes that means driving a little, other times it means staying put.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7o-hdW57GmvidFb7RbXNw5zwuvd653ZLReVejdcknp1nsnr2zIdsuWsnK_R1BRMLwSgg9u5f3xvruYmNe6PW3gCLPWjZF59BsrxJufHGsjGocDlfWoqtuCdzfTXprgrEFMKo0OfVo88Dc/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7o-hdW57GmvidFb7RbXNw5zwuvd653ZLReVejdcknp1nsnr2zIdsuWsnK_R1BRMLwSgg9u5f3xvruYmNe6PW3gCLPWjZF59BsrxJufHGsjGocDlfWoqtuCdzfTXprgrEFMKo0OfVo88Dc/s320/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was an afternoon and it was a chance to photograph clouds over the Chisos in the afternoon light. Again, that afternoon light offers a view with the Chisos front lit. Add in some big sky clouds and you have a great shot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is very different from the morning view here with the back lit peaks that truly earn the name "Ghost Mountains".</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With the clouds like they were I went with both color and b+w, figuring each might be good. The color was ok, but honestly the wider view I was able to make with my DSLR at 17mm was better. However the b+w image had something the digital did not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is that shot on Efke 25 with DR-5 processing.</span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-51597615490087448812013-12-08T06:20:00.001-07:002013-12-08T06:34:09.305-07:00Tule Mountain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiOVems_cQqQN5_PoZ_VO34uPvNvFT24JAlTKtnv-pYq_1hUzhicGcuUKA_WnZLb9xtFDYnQP4IbDCaCfJiRY7IHpJOcOBDAaOmG1dJLZg0TqLK0MwRsiuphohytwV7437n408tfWV6Z_/s1600/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_12_00077-53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiOVems_cQqQN5_PoZ_VO34uPvNvFT24JAlTKtnv-pYq_1hUzhicGcuUKA_WnZLb9xtFDYnQP4IbDCaCfJiRY7IHpJOcOBDAaOmG1dJLZg0TqLK0MwRsiuphohytwV7437n408tfWV6Z_/s320/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_12_00077-53.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the unique mountains on the west side of Big Bend National Park is Tule Mountain. It is a solitary flat topped peak near the west entrance to the park at Maverick. Geologists will tell you that it is related to the Burro Mesa which is just east of it and that faulting and blocking caused the space between the two to fall.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The result is a peak that stands alone and makes a great subject for the camera.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After spending the middle part of the day west of the national park along the river in Big Bend Ranch State Park, I stopped near Tule in the afternoon to try an image.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being the afternoon and having another location for sunset, I decided to just do a black and white image of Tule.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The view is looking south, so I put on a polarizer to see if it would help the clouds pop slightly. I also used the orange filter to see if that might help darken the sky a little.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUzGb9t3WhNqbKdXcstnxKsz6PjQ9pJQiAvlZBpK7ZofcUBiIn2rvtLg-wIHa8kJR7FrOrse_gxnRR2u19s_doULHFRoq1o5YA50N_at4vjImtluO1Asa1sON3Kvx_NsEskMLZwQ6bkzU/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUzGb9t3WhNqbKdXcstnxKsz6PjQ9pJQiAvlZBpK7ZofcUBiIn2rvtLg-wIHa8kJR7FrOrse_gxnRR2u19s_doULHFRoq1o5YA50N_at4vjImtluO1Asa1sON3Kvx_NsEskMLZwQ6bkzU/s320/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-6.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Otherwise, it was simply metering and adjusting the exposure for the two filters.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is the result on Efke 25 with the DR-5 process for a b+w chrome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I made two exposures to allow for a little safety in case I was off and then it was pack up and go for a sunset location.</span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-15506272994104570722013-10-20T04:54:00.001-06:002013-10-20T04:54:07.318-06:00Clear Sky Morning at Santa Elena<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5p4lveLCirpI_6uNg_SjM-7DtmiW2BDOLB0PulMZ0eFRv3n6KlEyYf6UUreTafFDqZg9orhxA8O59Ks6fgftqUwKilAHbOBaQtJvfeW0N28YTFukvv2NERlORzi7_GTIa45kcmQHdw8R4/s1600/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_13_00077-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5p4lveLCirpI_6uNg_SjM-7DtmiW2BDOLB0PulMZ0eFRv3n6KlEyYf6UUreTafFDqZg9orhxA8O59Ks6fgftqUwKilAHbOBaQtJvfeW0N28YTFukvv2NERlORzi7_GTIa45kcmQHdw8R4/s320/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_13_00077-11.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I made a second morning stop at Santa Elena Canyon a few days after my first visit. It was a completely clear sky day. This morning I decided to photography from a different vantage point to the south and downstream of the canyon and see if I could get the light on the canyon walls.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As soon as the light started to come up I began to make images. When the pink predawn light of a clear sky is in the west before sunrise I was able to get this image. Velvia capturing the softness and delicate color in the sky.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I photographed on through the sunrise and I had hoped the orange light of the first rays of the sun would be stunning, the final results on film lacked the qualities of this image here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That sometimes unknown is one of those fantastic things about photography, you have to try and then see what works.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09vwxHhMmJgdsm6ZkwoFuU-55YevUD5FSks-R3PikMCgfX__wjEqoIpmm-n2qha2dVq63BDm3vNg5JkCNn4W3BRoLesSSMjd94wn8pwMiW7R8z77Sk80Ypqp4XU1_KzboPGEc7LyP6But/s1600/Huski_Large+Format_2013_Jun_09_00104-6-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj09vwxHhMmJgdsm6ZkwoFuU-55YevUD5FSks-R3PikMCgfX__wjEqoIpmm-n2qha2dVq63BDm3vNg5JkCNn4W3BRoLesSSMjd94wn8pwMiW7R8z77Sk80Ypqp4XU1_KzboPGEc7LyP6But/s320/Huski_Large+Format_2013_Jun_09_00104-6-Edit.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span><br />
Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-19532486204561674342013-08-26T16:48:00.002-06:002013-08-26T16:48:24.312-06:00Santa Elena Canyon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9m3_re9HCYznX1UMTMNe2exxXiwkX2TX_BhSKGQ-SCsVK3kKZQilux9Wg1VsuIGFtDFRqGFIDcnUFpxS1QHEGCoJoDrWCDM7jFl7XTaX11vc2Q36xRYIVdyth0Eb5zPYtuVwDKQ21JGZX/s1600/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_11_00077-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9m3_re9HCYznX1UMTMNe2exxXiwkX2TX_BhSKGQ-SCsVK3kKZQilux9Wg1VsuIGFtDFRqGFIDcnUFpxS1QHEGCoJoDrWCDM7jFl7XTaX11vc2Q36xRYIVdyth0Eb5zPYtuVwDKQ21JGZX/s320/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_11_00077-4.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Santa Elena Canyon is my favorite location in Big Bend National Park. It is a location I visit every trip. If you follow my WildernessPhotographer blog you have seen many entries about this amazing location.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After witnessing a spectacular sunrise where I did not even try to use the 4x5, I set up my tripod and the Arca-Swiss and decided to work with black and white.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The amazing light show of the sunrise not only ended but the clouds were rapidly fleeing the sky. Some shadows were still sliding across the canyon and I hoped that monochrome was the way to.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOCnvaNuRQadY2TcrFDrqpNEsNZNKu8AhAS_po3fJsN0gcuLUmqea2elJ6HZECOpdFV_0MSxHeXxK_l5iravKLhnTBnPsQZqKVcA2j2JO4HwQjsngLlFOcfuPQE0iuS06RUNJifiJ2LaT/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOCnvaNuRQadY2TcrFDrqpNEsNZNKu8AhAS_po3fJsN0gcuLUmqea2elJ6HZECOpdFV_0MSxHeXxK_l5iravKLhnTBnPsQZqKVcA2j2JO4HwQjsngLlFOcfuPQE0iuS06RUNJifiJ2LaT/s320/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I worked on two compositions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">First thith the canon centered and then with the canyon left and the the bulk of the Mesa de Anguila as the main subject.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luckily the few clouds were making just the right amount of shadow and light. I worked with Efke 25 and then had it processed by DR-5.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are the best two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSYnlKdfcpdeWvoLVroUJ7YasjRYnuyaLuRmp8TVNZ8EpD9cxBSdaf7kmR3L2eKT8IKPdCy_jcufU7_OouJhf8x8OJbPN8cD1UEDXMj1UAFNOQ746-TVeeGkqOVNQymL_dB168ecrMClb/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSYnlKdfcpdeWvoLVroUJ7YasjRYnuyaLuRmp8TVNZ8EpD9cxBSdaf7kmR3L2eKT8IKPdCy_jcufU7_OouJhf8x8OJbPN8cD1UEDXMj1UAFNOQ746-TVeeGkqOVNQymL_dB168ecrMClb/s320/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-39003671156840207872013-08-07T04:47:00.001-06:002013-08-07T04:47:42.090-06:00The Chisos Mountains<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfK0u_uakkLrIcm_kRMMZfzuS8t44t5fXd1HFqTY41dqBJuUKy1JQ2Do4mbXAismLMEZkiylE_ghtraS7-vE8Uq-iBWktaEfA_NzSzJ-_bBUyHZbolQnvMLqmG3nA-dGvVuqsMxEbwEzqV/s1600/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_12_00077-39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfK0u_uakkLrIcm_kRMMZfzuS8t44t5fXd1HFqTY41dqBJuUKy1JQ2Do4mbXAismLMEZkiylE_ghtraS7-vE8Uq-iBWktaEfA_NzSzJ-_bBUyHZbolQnvMLqmG3nA-dGvVuqsMxEbwEzqV/s320/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_12_00077-39.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Chisos Mountains rising out of the desert in Big Bend National Park. The Chisos are a small compact range of mountains that are in the middle of the park. From the river elevations of around 2000' they reach heights of 7800'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mountains like this are known as a "sky island". The desert is hot, gets little rain, and has limited plant/animal life. The mountains provide cooler temps, gets more rain (the mountain helps generate the rain), and has significantly more plants and animals. The desert is harsh, the Chisos has pines, aspen, and bears. It is an island in a desert sea-hence the name "sky island".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love the view of the Chisos rising out of the desert and usually hope to find some images that can show them for a backdrop of a desert scene. On an afternoon of exploring on was on western side of the mountains and some clouds were starting to build in the sky. I thought it would be a good chance to photograph the Chisos in black and white. I found a location with a good view, however I had limited foreground and since I was west of the park, I was limited by a fence from searching for the right element.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi0d_dLlfitwanvgvHO6gBDeI20ifYlYc_fZrx0L65IYwrrfNplx67iZRQZ1XeLklzWfmGTEpeTq3t3QgLILDLf_aU8Hq68U14mG7QbU5I0RoU3WIR7cteY00YpFpmS_wZrQfQmWgiRmp/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMi0d_dLlfitwanvgvHO6gBDeI20ifYlYc_fZrx0L65IYwrrfNplx67iZRQZ1XeLklzWfmGTEpeTq3t3QgLILDLf_aU8Hq68U14mG7QbU5I0RoU3WIR7cteY00YpFpmS_wZrQfQmWgiRmp/s320/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_08_00104-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Working with what I had, I set up the tripod and framed the view to take in the clouds with the Chisos anchoring the bottom of the frame.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I used Efke 25 that I had processed in DR-5 to a chrome.</span><br />
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Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-57724944815176553702013-07-20T15:00:00.000-06:002013-07-20T15:00:06.234-06:00On the Way to the Chisos<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDFDu_p3sKAXOpLGoDTI1MOVCnXxXdTSzGLbRq8SfdlmTY3qgRZ0o3JAiDPeT-zvV2Q_XmJrvYdrY-X3f21qQtNCtR8E7ravOX2co1abeyr64STSJNFa2gptKQ_YXpIcXjaHnY0BPvkMz/s1600/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_10_00072-40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDFDu_p3sKAXOpLGoDTI1MOVCnXxXdTSzGLbRq8SfdlmTY3qgRZ0o3JAiDPeT-zvV2Q_XmJrvYdrY-X3f21qQtNCtR8E7ravOX2co1abeyr64STSJNFa2gptKQ_YXpIcXjaHnY0BPvkMz/s320/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_10_00072-40.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Heading into Big Bend National Park, I always make a lot of stops for photographs. The view here is big and scenic. I always hope for decent clouds, good light, and a chance to make an image. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Having a combo of light and clouds it was a great day to take my time and do some large format work as I made my way toward the Chisos. It was mid morning and I was making it a relaxing drive of frequent stops. It is roughly 30 miles from the north entrance to the park headquarters at the base of the Chisos. I think it took me almost 3 hours to make that drive with all the frequent stops I made and especially if I thought there was a good spot for the 4x5.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here was one of those spots. I could see this rock pile from the road and carried my gear out with the hopes of making a good image of the desert floor and distant Chisos.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At first I was going to put the pock pile in the image but as I scouted the area with my digital camera it seemed the better image was from the top of the rocks, so it was there I set up the tripod and worked this image.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwVWOSBaK1NFC5yYjSiUscka5s2vHISsoaFljQQT4dzIJ4mkBxa0dsERlJJK2kpcv0N8B2WrcWFy1VwiUhPZeewWI-SuJnBExYYdJIrr9WFvsEDevxzgj8dxRLF2Rvnqhuki8Tec9ti9o/s1600/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_09_00104-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwVWOSBaK1NFC5yYjSiUscka5s2vHISsoaFljQQT4dzIJ4mkBxa0dsERlJJK2kpcv0N8B2WrcWFy1VwiUhPZeewWI-SuJnBExYYdJIrr9WFvsEDevxzgj8dxRLF2Rvnqhuki8Tec9ti9o/s320/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_09_00104-3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The shot is on Astia 100 and this box has not aged well. When I got my film developed, all the Asita looked bad and my Velvia looked great. This is pretty much what the chrome looks like. I could probably work it more in Photoshop but decided to leave it as is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I spent about 30 minutes here and the sun was already warm-and it was early February. I packed up and headed down the road.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-61209047349784890322013-06-30T15:25:00.001-06:002013-06-30T15:25:24.109-06:00Desert Arroyo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVP8vYp3FQNfPLDZDK2B6Bdsuf_TBR7czEJ3LpTJltlX6EANXXYTDVlEars5Wq4RiQb_tA_XFFpf3PZTUhijHBOe0kCwMgl1L73ipZ5KaGQyr4ho5qYwpHyfKEupOz09Bm0lsS9NOenyE/s700/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_10_00077-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVP8vYp3FQNfPLDZDK2B6Bdsuf_TBR7czEJ3LpTJltlX6EANXXYTDVlEars5Wq4RiQb_tA_XFFpf3PZTUhijHBOe0kCwMgl1L73ipZ5KaGQyr4ho5qYwpHyfKEupOz09Bm0lsS9NOenyE/s320/Huski_Big+Bend_2013_Feb_10_00077-3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In February of this year, I had the opportunity to head to Big Bend National Park in west Texas. Big Bend is a park of superlatives that is frankly one of the five best national parks for the landscape photographer. This is big empty country and the end of the road. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I arrived at the north entrance to the park one morning and began the long drive to the Chisos. The light was interesting. Not great, but it had potential for both photography and for using large format film. I crossed a dry desert arroyo the was leading toward the Rosillos Mountains and thought it might be worthy of an image. I snapped a few quick pics and decided to give it a go on color film.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I set up the camera wondering how long it can take for this gully to fill when it flash floods here in the desert. There was a nearby sign that said the road bridge across this gully had been taken by the flood waters more than once. That would be some powerful moving water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I decided to go with the longer 210mm lens to compress the distance to the mountains slightly. 210mm is not very "long" but it is realistically as long a lens as I need.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNIsfo6Tx28oPHr-VGVYzwr6SeGF45vhNGnjrEA9QArvqXH9fKt2jMf3i8NCF9QT4H2aeIbuwhZMKW-hlxAvodOQJdcssNKpW7RLHxZ27wPwYu6gSv6yUUYII1MpC2iBviEngbybcikqc/s700/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_09_00104-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNIsfo6Tx28oPHr-VGVYzwr6SeGF45vhNGnjrEA9QArvqXH9fKt2jMf3i8NCF9QT4H2aeIbuwhZMKW-hlxAvodOQJdcssNKpW7RLHxZ27wPwYu6gSv6yUUYII1MpC2iBviEngbybcikqc/s320/Huski_North+Texas_2013_Jun_09_00104-5.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I framed up the arroyo with the Rosillos Mountains in the upper corner and used Velvia 100.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One image in the bag. With luck I would have the opportunity to make several more on this trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-32151643017205970362013-05-30T15:11:00.000-06:002013-05-30T15:11:00.597-06:00Urban Wilds<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VmJoBykBjSaQRPZiUJdGcq00YoUgzL6s_tvz_HYrd-r2wxJrMh7_Wbs1EQ_YfSgi43r_5FMd4xurF7c6Zncxg9Uuds4GYb55Xpa0MGoX9FPL7CUeDBuC7EEynTG7OJfBzDSs94RfJeJq/s1600/Creek+in+Trinity+Park+Camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VmJoBykBjSaQRPZiUJdGcq00YoUgzL6s_tvz_HYrd-r2wxJrMh7_Wbs1EQ_YfSgi43r_5FMd4xurF7c6Zncxg9Uuds4GYb55Xpa0MGoX9FPL7CUeDBuC7EEynTG7OJfBzDSs94RfJeJq/s320/Creek+in+Trinity+Park+Camera.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finding landscape images in town can be a challenge. The urban setting most people live in keeps getting bigger and finding nature and specifically nature you can photograph and just get the nature part of is tougher. Luckily it is still there if you know where to look. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know of several good local parks where I have found views and scenes that lack the trapping of modern society and I can just photograph nature. Here is one of my locations in Trinity Park. Right across the river from downtown Fort Worth is a great urban park that follows the river for a ways. Much of the park is set up for the "modern" visitor with playgrounds and picnic tables, but there is also some areas where the tress grow thick and small streams run through them.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7Q0UemNqji62Mcj9i3kPk9QblObapUeEcRB0UX_OzIdTJCBL72S2SP2iF5iYSIdlRT1EA06f1tXgETa0N3bj_otCNZzy_xITsAMTcbb052GbZoz8bJaGMS8pyRUeiyq_nXLK0Mu-rylk/s1600/Creek+in+Trinity+Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn7Q0UemNqji62Mcj9i3kPk9QblObapUeEcRB0UX_OzIdTJCBL72S2SP2iF5iYSIdlRT1EA06f1tXgETa0N3bj_otCNZzy_xITsAMTcbb052GbZoz8bJaGMS8pyRUeiyq_nXLK0Mu-rylk/s320/Creek+in+Trinity+Park.jpg" width="254" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a view that is right off of the bike path where it crosses one of those small streams. It is a great view and I set it up specifically to photograph the creek in black and white.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Taken with the 75mm lens and Efke 25 processed in DR-5.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-10354702727418455432013-05-11T15:28:00.000-06:002013-05-11T15:28:21.820-06:00Great Falls of the Clear Fork<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k90c3RuZfwUHisaAdkkUrsQQrDp4TgOqafxXSQrNLS7WxsbRjxg6fV4yGpT7hbN3m7UyctXydcfkfdNhF1h0ucn7cTit1VdEUpHmsWo-c7fzyfmqC6nnC0k_KRyPqG4dscwPKnLlrxDn/s1600/Great+Falls+Clear+Fork+Camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k90c3RuZfwUHisaAdkkUrsQQrDp4TgOqafxXSQrNLS7WxsbRjxg6fV4yGpT7hbN3m7UyctXydcfkfdNhF1h0ucn7cTit1VdEUpHmsWo-c7fzyfmqC6nnC0k_KRyPqG4dscwPKnLlrxDn/s320/Great+Falls+Clear+Fork+Camera.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Great Falls of the Clear Fork of the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Texas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Texas is not known for waterfalls. We have some historic and some very scenic rivers but the Trinity River is not one people seek out like the Rio Grande, Pedernales, Guadalupe or some of the others. The Clear Fork is not a very long river either. Running through only two counties and is about 50 miles long from its headwaters to where it joins with the West Fork in downtown Fort Worth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is a small river. It is also in my backyard (literally) and I often walk, bike and photograph along it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This waterfall is on the river close to where I live and I visit this spot a regular basis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I like finding such a neat spot in town and close to home. Over the last decade I have photographed in a variety of light, seasons, and conditions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a time I was wading in the river as some nice rain had put a nice flow over the rocks and making it a potentially good image. I set up the camera and photographed it in both color and B+W.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZktGlJaf6RgE0t9R_dCHrEiazdcXtch07mtJDcWB-ljN2cSya1lW5-JbHEapwlCkkGI45YiQsm3IwuNTrK1b8NsZY6A7mEhOo-lXTv-O6X20QCaS5R6ToFEGSmWtO0vBIi9F6R0IixbNJ/s1600/Great+Fall+Clear+Fork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZktGlJaf6RgE0t9R_dCHrEiazdcXtch07mtJDcWB-ljN2cSya1lW5-JbHEapwlCkkGI45YiQsm3IwuNTrK1b8NsZY6A7mEhOo-lXTv-O6X20QCaS5R6ToFEGSmWtO0vBIi9F6R0IixbNJ/s320/Great+Fall+Clear+Fork.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is the monochrome version which better captures the scene this day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I need to revisit this scene again as the new view here now has a bridge crossing the river only a few yards behind the falls. My nice scene that might be mistaken for someplace wild will now be firmly pulled into the city.</span><br />
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Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-72896264186754533792013-04-28T05:23:00.000-06:002013-04-28T05:23:00.121-06:00Rock Ledges of the Clear Fork<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkEpvc3yFlFGAZpYn39R-tjYuBm7bFL0748HivS0cYiJoYrO-w3PdX6iZyqJTq_-005BaUdo19gRUu08qL2_K4HP2LZIhBRqExvzcSWrtkisfJcD-EefFJGcJDyEYS251iGLiEIS1NJ-9/s1600/arca+in+clear+fork+cascades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkEpvc3yFlFGAZpYn39R-tjYuBm7bFL0748HivS0cYiJoYrO-w3PdX6iZyqJTq_-005BaUdo19gRUu08qL2_K4HP2LZIhBRqExvzcSWrtkisfJcD-EefFJGcJDyEYS251iGLiEIS1NJ-9/s320/arca+in+clear+fork+cascades.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rock ledges of the Clear Fork of the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Texas.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was a clear morning one day and even though the conditions were less than idea for color photography, I decided to take the camera and walk along the Clear Fork near my home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The rock ledges have always intrigued me and I often spend a sunrise or sunset with my camera. With mostly clear sky I decided to concentrate more on the details of the ledge, water, and some of the early morning light reflecting there.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiiXCXCIPljztP-cZATGu8xmyrvmzHXRY9kdDcyJYEk53Ze7z0AGAdELJetOItR4wFTowS_vyWsx4Z9npv5LtxjwygdrLr57sXu2fS65ZpID6ACthxY4ZCBO1vwElZzeplaZS9HTwJS9p/s1600/clear+fork+cascades.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiiXCXCIPljztP-cZATGu8xmyrvmzHXRY9kdDcyJYEk53Ze7z0AGAdELJetOItR4wFTowS_vyWsx4Z9npv5LtxjwygdrLr57sXu2fS65ZpID6ACthxY4ZCBO1vwElZzeplaZS9HTwJS9p/s320/clear+fork+cascades.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
The river had a decent flow and I waded along the shallow ledges until I found a good set up. I made the shot on Velvia and then with the tripod securely not going anywhere, I walked upsteam some and made the image of the camera in the water. </span></div>
Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-87683125128960144732013-04-09T05:20:00.001-06:002013-04-09T05:20:26.724-06:00The Clear Fork of the Trinity River<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRFXvp0ST1OZbI5rldOfrF-LsF9jbuHIexCfhAJGSymhc-Zig4-kmA1gYLZb-YTIop1anBNzYxGN7CiSIvt-nZJoZy6NoS0U82GgNt6V0bfZ49VPSDuuTDwT8C6wEWUIfs0jPSWqZ55K1/s1600/Clear+Fork+Kelly+bridge+Arca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRFXvp0ST1OZbI5rldOfrF-LsF9jbuHIexCfhAJGSymhc-Zig4-kmA1gYLZb-YTIop1anBNzYxGN7CiSIvt-nZJoZy6NoS0U82GgNt6V0bfZ49VPSDuuTDwT8C6wEWUIfs0jPSWqZ55K1/s320/Clear+Fork+Kelly+bridge+Arca.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Clear Fork of the Trinity River is a small river by almost any standard. It forms in Parker County, just west of Fort Worth and runs southeast into Tarrant County, where it turns northeast and runs to downtown and joins with the West Fork. All told 40-50 miles or so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is the river I live along and one I do like to photograph. Usually I walk or bike along the length of it looking for photographs. I also will drive out into Parker County and look for vantage points of the river. Usually that means finding roads that cross the river as it is all on private property here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is one such location I can see from a bridge. Luckily this is a unbusy side road that lets me safely visit early in the morning and make images.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHm8s_yLdh2ODHZGCVXOajlln-xiRmjsjiFItHgB1MWQ6DZl6WoF2F81tYzZHUE8JUKGPzFe9Kz-m0HexZsgez9BvX2wK_sYjlcAqNn46QWvb4djy6Tc1KJ5yCf7c6aSeQioGJ5Y8l9iJF/s1600/Clear+Fork+off+Kelly+Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHm8s_yLdh2ODHZGCVXOajlln-xiRmjsjiFItHgB1MWQ6DZl6WoF2F81tYzZHUE8JUKGPzFe9Kz-m0HexZsgez9BvX2wK_sYjlcAqNn46QWvb4djy6Tc1KJ5yCf7c6aSeQioGJ5Y8l9iJF/s320/Clear+Fork+off+Kelly+Bridge.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On this spring or early summer morning I was able to set up my camera and work with with greens and the river to make this image with black and white Efke 25 film. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I like the forest view here. The river is young and not really much more than a stream. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It makes me wonder what the view is like around the bend.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-19108444107553695352013-03-01T03:54:00.000-07:002013-03-01T03:54:02.425-07:00Catching the 8:05<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoftchdh1bv9Vll0CP6sWbCYPb4FFEXQjqBWe93AT-I6DubYuhKOJhPtG_rA_bgNkjvgapnZf-aEY2KsgD1fHj9l17xeFU-zXxYKdycR2NNlWERiiMBVMmHjfg45OS1VweYF_nyKARcspH/s1600/Train+cam+era+setup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoftchdh1bv9Vll0CP6sWbCYPb4FFEXQjqBWe93AT-I6DubYuhKOJhPtG_rA_bgNkjvgapnZf-aEY2KsgD1fHj9l17xeFU-zXxYKdycR2NNlWERiiMBVMmHjfg45OS1VweYF_nyKARcspH/s320/Train+cam+era+setup.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was out photographing the prairies here around Fort Worth one morning. I had parked near a railroad track and was photographing a ranch road as it went across the prairie grasses. After making my shot I packed up and put the large format camera back in the SUV.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then I heard the train. I decided to see if I could get an image with the 4x5. I knew the train was close, I had maybe 90 seconds to get set up. Maybe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I sprung into high gear. Set the tripod back up. Opened the camera pack and grabbed the Arca. Racked it out. Put on the 75mm. Did a quick rough focus. Leveled. Put in some Efke 25 and used what I had metered before as my exposure. Cocked the shutter and pulled the slide. The engine was less than 100 yards away. As it sped past I fired this image.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHLhM-FTdHxSB99U8lqSTCmxCfnBRIpehF9NsF8M96zMvL84aTtx9zqkywOLi2p7LphrQvcFHoju2s4w6Hj_6M6OnGRLV9JBQlK-yxmOkyAGKqay84nzoZMGc1BhhjNB6qStspajJzGck/s1600/Train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKHLhM-FTdHxSB99U8lqSTCmxCfnBRIpehF9NsF8M96zMvL84aTtx9zqkywOLi2p7LphrQvcFHoju2s4w6Hj_6M6OnGRLV9JBQlK-yxmOkyAGKqay84nzoZMGc1BhhjNB6qStspajJzGck/s320/Train.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Speed and luck were with me this day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Arca made this possible as it is so easy to set up and use it can be done quick. My buddy with a folding wooden field camera also tried setting up but got no where near ready. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gotta love the Arca!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">FWIW, I took the top image after the train had passed. I was lucky to get set up so quick but had no time for the obligatory camera on tripod shot before.</span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-16667869906739590252013-01-31T08:47:00.000-07:002013-01-31T08:47:00.487-07:00Winter on the Upper Mississippi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtzt7OKy5RnBbqr-wTvc5WsCoeDXUpY0WRX4f0NBQ4ihywFRlJZWo7SuskhyphenhyphenAi9_AJgn0EixcmmptYVDAP_QFMSXYTKULaLghtSdGcur67xPrAjPlU12zQKQ0mVeOLSM4_XUlo0khniMO/s1600/Huski_North+Woods_2008_Jan_27_00327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtzt7OKy5RnBbqr-wTvc5WsCoeDXUpY0WRX4f0NBQ4ihywFRlJZWo7SuskhyphenhyphenAi9_AJgn0EixcmmptYVDAP_QFMSXYTKULaLghtSdGcur67xPrAjPlU12zQKQ0mVeOLSM4_XUlo0khniMO/s320/Huski_North+Woods_2008_Jan_27_00327.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Winter on the Upper Mississippi River is a fantastic time to capture images in another little photographed location. Wisconsin, with the possible exception of Door County, is not much of a vacation destination, let alone a photography destination. However, do not let that fool you. Here on the Upper Mississippi River south of the Twin Cities is a true gem of a photography destination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Most people presume the Midwest is all flat, they are wrong. The glaciers of the last ice age missed this area and the bluffs along the river here are around 500 feet tall. It is like being in the hill country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was lucky enough to have to do a several week job assignment in the area and jumped at the chance to photograph this place in January and February. Yes, it was cold. Several mornings were minus 25 or so. However that did not deter me from getting out early with the camera to chase the winter light.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietHPTAnzYt0LjuKPAejaJhwKFaTtnRbq8Vye3rPqmZxzEFmWlTxlrJCHpi8JsnalaJOtSOwz6ZNiRUvooPetpmVE9QiBTGfHH9ulVdHY0TnWPc985bURcfpRWbIOSIkMI_geXvboqlZe0/s1600/Huski_North+Woods_2008_Feb_18_00046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietHPTAnzYt0LjuKPAejaJhwKFaTtnRbq8Vye3rPqmZxzEFmWlTxlrJCHpi8JsnalaJOtSOwz6ZNiRUvooPetpmVE9QiBTGfHH9ulVdHY0TnWPc985bURcfpRWbIOSIkMI_geXvboqlZe0/s320/Huski_North+Woods_2008_Feb_18_00046.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a set up and shot I made in the marshes along the Mississippi River near LaCrosse, Wisconsin. It was below zero this morning as I hiked into the area in the dark. I found a view of the bluffs and slowly began to set the camera up. Slow and methodical being the key here. Large Format is naturally slow, but the cold adds another layer to it. You have to think about things and you have to be mindful of how you breath. In other words do not exhale under the dark cloth as that will freeze on your ground glass and your day will be over very quickly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I took my time and then waited for the shot. In the clear morning sky the moon hanging over the bluffs was the best composition I could see.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You may also notice the bag hanging from the tripod. I stored my lightmeter and digital camera there and wanted to keep them out of the snow. My large pack was sitting upright in the snow behind me in an area I had stamped down to keep the bag from sinking in the powder. That helped keep things dry and the snow out.</span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-20035647365396252752013-01-13T08:31:00.001-07:002013-01-13T08:31:17.885-07:00Autumn on the Great Plains<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedPQGDkp82_YJngy-0DCp0gTpq-3TF4MzeNgKNIZt85_TTTJ4NuFOfWrQwk0Fls4EAhDFVTQfz-JT41u4_M4vUtGueAnKcAiw-hIq5_FIwxeN_dUdh8Cxb9WxAtvdEo9I6_YqaB6rW4GI/s1600/Huski_Great+Plains_2006_Nov_12_00047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedPQGDkp82_YJngy-0DCp0gTpq-3TF4MzeNgKNIZt85_TTTJ4NuFOfWrQwk0Fls4EAhDFVTQfz-JT41u4_M4vUtGueAnKcAiw-hIq5_FIwxeN_dUdh8Cxb9WxAtvdEo9I6_YqaB6rW4GI/s320/Huski_Great+Plains_2006_Nov_12_00047.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Autumn on the Great Plains is a little different than most places. Primarily that means you have to look harder to find fall colors since you have to work more to find trees. The grasses of the prairies can put on their own colorful display but let's be honest, most people still want trees to photograph.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That usually means looking for cottonwoods along streams and rivers. However, if one knows where to look there can be other places of color. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One such place is the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwest Oklahoma. Smack dab in the middle of the south plains between Wichita Falls, Texas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma a small range of granite mountains pop out of the flat prairies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some of the rocky hills here rise around 800' above the surrounding flatlands. Streams and small lakes fill the flat valleys between the hills. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bison, elk, and longhorn roam the refuge. At some 50,000 acres it is one of the largest areas of public lands on the Great Plains. It is a fantastic location that is off the beaten path of all but a few local photographers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It also can put on a great little fall color display. The rocky slopes of the hills and some of the narrow zig-zag valleys contain some oaks that will put on a little color display in early November.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzAG7RS6GrVDHaPCvzJCzpf2ohpS_KhcHzhU5QsxjlcHQFO_2A1A6UaTGZcpbxtl5muBteCEXlsZVKMzUtfUQHEVHWJhOBI0PjvqZ-YnDk0AkHCNCFZfBKZCeF_l1KZAbG6bq3T8D0qoB/s1600/WMWR+fall+view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzAG7RS6GrVDHaPCvzJCzpf2ohpS_KhcHzhU5QsxjlcHQFO_2A1A6UaTGZcpbxtl5muBteCEXlsZVKMzUtfUQHEVHWJhOBI0PjvqZ-YnDk0AkHCNCFZfBKZCeF_l1KZAbG6bq3T8D0qoB/s320/WMWR+fall+view.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Here are a couple of images of one early November a couple of years ago. This is Mt. Sheridan (I presume named for General Phil Sheridan of Civil War fame) in predawn light.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The colors were in great shape that year and this display was one of my favorite scenes. I am glad I captured it then as the drought of 2011 was severe here and hundreds of acres of the refuge burned that year. This mountain was one that the fires raged on and today many of those trees are just charred remains. So while nature has renewed itself, it may be a few years to capture this scene again in full autumn glory.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-76471635979847807072012-12-17T05:56:00.000-07:002012-12-17T05:56:13.879-07:00West Fork Falls<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy-6FjcMgf82t7jKoxkNJKg2H4p5lTKIC9Cfz54noBbpHqqIoMLC8IbvZDDHOsuX9IyLfI6PynOT9ESNbVJqq_1arfyFIFf532tsptGTpKJ37WoNvgowaOZIlTl9VgjGyJpj4ww7_CJ6x/s1600/P1130276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWy-6FjcMgf82t7jKoxkNJKg2H4p5lTKIC9Cfz54noBbpHqqIoMLC8IbvZDDHOsuX9IyLfI6PynOT9ESNbVJqq_1arfyFIFf532tsptGTpKJ37WoNvgowaOZIlTl9VgjGyJpj4ww7_CJ6x/s320/P1130276.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another view of the falls on the West Fork. After taking the image in the last post I got in closer for more of a profile view of the falls. I really wanted to compress the scene as best I could so I went with a bonus lens I have-the old Bausch and Lomb Rapid Rectilinear. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is 80+ years old that a buddy found and gave me. The shutter only partially works. It will not stop down, so you have to shoot wide open. The speeds are inaccurate at best, but if you need a 2 second or four second exposure, those are easy to do by just counting. It is also a convertible lens, meaning I can remove one element to double the focal length.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So with on element removed this is about a 300mm lens which makes it my longest. Now when I go this long that means I also have to have my extra rail and my standard sized bellows as my normal rail and the bag bellows I normally use are too short for this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With the right set up I am able to bring in my view of the falls to make the water a center piece of my image and not just a small element.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The sky is overcast and I have no problem making it a long exposure to get it right.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCiPBDqhq-a0MfRdEK3VbwE5J4FNZm4fWhZXZX2_k-xqF7F-gweq7wke7ysW_fjAiOhJTCQQTGUTxXP_OjfP1GBexgQsbWXCpJhczCbQsksndbAHfgCVt8gp6JK3mt-X47NnKBWT0JWyY/s1600/Falls+close+up+4x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCiPBDqhq-a0MfRdEK3VbwE5J4FNZm4fWhZXZX2_k-xqF7F-gweq7wke7ysW_fjAiOhJTCQQTGUTxXP_OjfP1GBexgQsbWXCpJhczCbQsksndbAHfgCVt8gp6JK3mt-X47NnKBWT0JWyY/s320/Falls+close+up+4x5.jpg" width="255" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One morning and two images/compositions in about 15 minutes. You know in large format, that is a pretty good day!</span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-23108382015152927142012-11-25T16:07:00.001-07:002012-11-25T16:07:24.295-07:00Great Falls of the West Fork<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF5-vLcc-LLpCI6vfNwQD1AUdvqSetuVEXTn9p_fJdh8EPpTTy-fhwu7s_8V9eSPDZve-OuBuhvEBIXowRgwlQZVPAJMf0hZGkex493GkcoILMVmb9I_JMk92414bYl7AP4GKfqxPnX7T/s1600/P1130270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDF5-vLcc-LLpCI6vfNwQD1AUdvqSetuVEXTn9p_fJdh8EPpTTy-fhwu7s_8V9eSPDZve-OuBuhvEBIXowRgwlQZVPAJMf0hZGkex493GkcoILMVmb9I_JMk92414bYl7AP4GKfqxPnX7T/s320/P1130270.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Great Falls of the West Fork of the Trinity River are a little visited spot in Fort Worth. Hidden under steep bluff in an old park one can find this fantastic 10 foot river spanning waterfall.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It has been one of my favorite places to photograph over the last year. This was a late winter day when the clouds were thick and I was not even sure if there would be a sunrise. It seemed like a good day to take out the 4x5 and shoot some film. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I arrived onsite early in the morning and started picking out a spot for the camera. I framed up an image with the 210mm lens for a slightly longer than normal view. Put on my 2 stop grad ND filter to allow for the sky. Took a meter reading. It would be a long shot, factor in reciprocity and it was roughly a minute in the dim light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Decided to go with color and grabbed some Velvia 100F.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBsLcAJxh7FSPTiomYqrA-yGZzu_9DWbIZ_XjHn8wazHMpu99puoLvUmKQ6IWwNkR2ch5aSqUlUR93LUCDkZZjLfliJZG_DMUVqfRAoHK7zGR84Zibenk1raduD_L43FHU3BfyIzEPNtH/s1600/West+Fork+Falls+with+4x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBsLcAJxh7FSPTiomYqrA-yGZzu_9DWbIZ_XjHn8wazHMpu99puoLvUmKQ6IWwNkR2ch5aSqUlUR93LUCDkZZjLfliJZG_DMUVqfRAoHK7zGR84Zibenk1raduD_L43FHU3BfyIzEPNtH/s320/West+Fork+Falls+with+4x5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Made the image.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then did a longer exposure with Efke 25 B+W film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Several weeks went by until the the film was processed. After looking at them both, I decided the color version, as muted as it was, made the better image.</span></div>
Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-30354669377009873522012-10-27T17:52:00.000-06:002012-10-27T17:52:00.368-06:00Fog and Rain<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6DKJ4Drm-E6Aqrm-AxJpamv36O85HvXiq_Wp0mD29wjtShPdgdd__V4naI3SFKt844FfF91EPMhJ9it0GADtJTPDqya1ZibLp1SIdzMW5PxJVo4c5EuuLC8ZqMq_PUuY9cQpa9TVuiuF/s1600/IMG_6003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6DKJ4Drm-E6Aqrm-AxJpamv36O85HvXiq_Wp0mD29wjtShPdgdd__V4naI3SFKt844FfF91EPMhJ9it0GADtJTPDqya1ZibLp1SIdzMW5PxJVo4c5EuuLC8ZqMq_PUuY9cQpa9TVuiuF/s320/IMG_6003.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a day we had fog and rain in north Texas and I was west of Cowtown out in Palo Pinto County. I like doing this drive as it is an interesting place of winding roads, some hills and valleys, some neat views, and you are highly unlikely to run into other photographers interested in the same subject.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This was a large format day when there were several of us with our 4x5 cameras and we had driven west in the dark, stopped for some Dublin DP, and gotten here in the early gloom of a rainy day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I like days like this, it is ideal for moody black and white and being in the green of summer, it was the order of the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I waited out some rain as it seemed to vary in intensity. Set up and went into focus mode. Ended up covering the camera with my jacket once when it picked up a little and then finally got my shot ready. Efke 25 was the film. DR-5 was the processing so I could get a chrome. Scanned it and tweaked for contrast in Photoshop.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUEeFcTAEv1YoMjjia-B7AwZOHP_MeVcZqcVhPy_eBE5A9QM3m7PkjvGNHLTGSeMN6IqrSyF4JdI_zUrJBTjmv3FVk2wNpnaHA4eaCrQiHITxwkHq7lTylwq4NyJrpRiUaL7OmyhhEL50/s1600/Palo+Pinto+Valley+4x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUEeFcTAEv1YoMjjia-B7AwZOHP_MeVcZqcVhPy_eBE5A9QM3m7PkjvGNHLTGSeMN6IqrSyF4JdI_zUrJBTjmv3FVk2wNpnaHA4eaCrQiHITxwkHq7lTylwq4NyJrpRiUaL7OmyhhEL50/s320/Palo+Pinto+Valley+4x5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of those good days. I think I ended up with 3 or 4 nice images that day. Also, if memory recalls we made it down to Granbury for fried chicken, and that was pretty good too!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-55013809336262600832012-10-06T20:22:00.000-06:002012-10-06T20:22:10.799-06:00El Cap and the Guads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lu855q9EMPbQJDvra_vIz5vdFg5FcBonPX7SRRswK92M0AKNpAzFIYeDlgZt1TKjDXAf9XA349CsDX-2viSCm_CylXBmrovgyieRMyem6Dorc7op5haOJTDTyyo4lWVJmegX65FBa7L3/s1600/arca+at+el+cap+oct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lu855q9EMPbQJDvra_vIz5vdFg5FcBonPX7SRRswK92M0AKNpAzFIYeDlgZt1TKjDXAf9XA349CsDX-2viSCm_CylXBmrovgyieRMyem6Dorc7op5haOJTDTyyo4lWVJmegX65FBa7L3/s320/arca+at+el+cap+oct.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">El Capitan rises from the deserts of west Texas in dramatic fashion. The sheer end of the Guadalupe Mountains is a sight to see and a frequent subject of my cameras. I find the views varied and all of them superb I often wonder why other photographers do not make the trek to photograph this park. Then I remember, its here in Texas and for some reason people think all the good parks are in California or Utah.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Too bad for them. Great for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On a fine fall afternoon, I arrived south of El Cap by one of my favorite roadside views of the mountains to find that fall rains had brought on some wildflowers and I instantly knew I had my image for the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Set up low. Go wide to take it all in. Use a grad filter to hold back the sky. Stop down to f/45. Wait for the wind to slow enough to hopefully get the flowers sharp. Then wait four weeks to see if you got the image. You gotta love large format.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ev3SIDxOolyxODd5-X-Osu5cJeIigahoV9QebtBQQ7ppaTaRcmJAk-vh31SJAee_8nrvX1WGFKR6bkRInZMMYeRvfB8RH1W3dDujfPC0jOr33XQlbFIriIytrPag5yfvr1S0N-GitDtN/s1600/El+Cap+and+FLowers+4x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ev3SIDxOolyxODd5-X-Osu5cJeIigahoV9QebtBQQ7ppaTaRcmJAk-vh31SJAee_8nrvX1WGFKR6bkRInZMMYeRvfB8RH1W3dDujfPC0jOr33XQlbFIriIytrPag5yfvr1S0N-GitDtN/s320/El+Cap+and+FLowers+4x5.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I mostly got the shot. Trying not to blow out the yellow in the flowers it does get kinda dark in the shadows, but as Galen Rowell always said-expose for the most important highlight.</span>Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1023906340373014962.post-5998790064345260952012-09-12T06:09:00.001-06:002012-09-12T06:09:14.461-06:00The Lonely Lost Mesa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYRFDJsSDTasbkOucMteHSRgZpK-nUH0GMUG8qq-vwmKLZhzymJGS1nF3dZ7Tl6CnC0fSsBptQHVlr2XWdtGox9JNzpSyOjbWbKSQeiCFRs_gKdYJhHyLjGzMPYGQ-6lsVopaNPr9C9tS/s1600/_MG_9828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYRFDJsSDTasbkOucMteHSRgZpK-nUH0GMUG8qq-vwmKLZhzymJGS1nF3dZ7Tl6CnC0fSsBptQHVlr2XWdtGox9JNzpSyOjbWbKSQeiCFRs_gKdYJhHyLjGzMPYGQ-6lsVopaNPr9C9tS/s320/_MG_9828.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Lost Mesa is an area of great beauty and mystery. A blank spot on the map has no paved roads, no signs, no towns, and no campgrounds. As I like to say, there is no stumbling upon it. You have to want to get here and you have to know how to find it by taking unmarked rough gravel roads.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you are lucky enough to get here, you will find over one million acres of grasslands and a few distant lonely mountains.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Visit here and you will have it to yourself. I have gone days without seeing another person. Only the occasional rancher who runs cattle on this BLM land.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is a view of a few of the lonely mountains that pop out of the open range here. A few ocotillo still have some leaves from the fall rains.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is a place that says empty and I hope that this image can capture that feeling.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Vco_-VwJuh_EREaaugO3JIA1wnXRmv5lXtWixI4rNjjQ2s-zxfLSERc70mbb2t0nMY1PoaDxAUZe8OlEEiAm8M4m933sbNNh7ImFS1lcM_AD79LdBHPcrKRcVNUtTVV4nJYksxuGXeNu/s1600/Lost+Mesa+and+Ocotillo+view+4x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Vco_-VwJuh_EREaaugO3JIA1wnXRmv5lXtWixI4rNjjQ2s-zxfLSERc70mbb2t0nMY1PoaDxAUZe8OlEEiAm8M4m933sbNNh7ImFS1lcM_AD79LdBHPcrKRcVNUtTVV4nJYksxuGXeNu/s320/Lost+Mesa+and+Ocotillo+view+4x5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Darrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18110049436535489194noreply@blogger.com0