Susan Harlin

Generally, this is the time of the year when I start hearing the question. . . “Where are you and JB headed this year?” I’ll answer Southern Utah and maybe an extra stop along the way. Their response typically is “Weren’t you there last year?” Yes, but there is something about returning to an area that is familiar. It doesn’t have to mean that you’ll return with the same photographs that you shot the previous year. No moment in time can be re-created; no matter how hard you try. As we drive through an area, inevitably there will be, “That’s why I made that image” or “Do you remember the photograph with the tree?” 

As you mature, both as a photographer and a person, you look at things differently. The way you framed a shot may be entirely different now than it was before. I’ve photographed this same tree multiple trips but no two images have looked the same.

Typically one thinks of large vistas when they see a large camera but intimate details are also a great subject to photograph. This past year, I made an effort to focus in on various details. It could be a pattern found on a tree, a rock or water flowing over rocks. 

We’ve photographed a lot in this area of Zion. It is one of the more popular spots to hike. Each year there are more fallen trees and branches. These trees are left where they fall to return to the soil. I had been looking around for close detail shots when I noticed a curled leaf at the base of this fallen tree. It was 11:56 am and the light was fairly harsh.

I was photographing with my 4×10 and knew that depth of field would be an issue with this photograph. To frame the image the way I wanted it to appear on my ground glass, I would need a fairly wide lens and the bellows racked out. The lens that I chose was my Schneider 210 Apo Symmar. By the time I got the image in focus, the bellows was extended 18 ½ inches. Since the 210mm was an 8 ¼ inch lens, this meant that I would be calculating bellows extension into my shot. The next issue was the harsh light and axis lighting. The sun was casting a shadow on part of the area that I wanted to photograph. 

I carry a 22” reflector in my backpack for situations just like this. By using the black side of the reflector, I was able to shade the entire subject area that I was photographing. This smoothed out the lighting. The meter read 15 seconds but after I factored in the bellows extension, the exposure was adjusted to f64 @ 17 seconds.

By isolating this small area, unwanted distractions are removed from the final image. I prefer to utilize every inch of the ground glass area and that is where I crop my image. I haven’t photographed a lot of close-up details before this trip but made an effort to look for opportunities just like this.

Susan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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In this short video you will see Susan with her 4×10 vertical camera making the photograph “WATERFALLS, ZION” December 20, 2012.

JB

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There’s something magical about that moment in time. . . just before sunset.   Whether you’re sitting on a beach watching the sun disappear below the horizon or deep in a canyon with the last glimmer of light reflecting off of the rock walls.  The last light of the day just makes everything glow.

This was our last day of photographing in Zion. We planned to take it easy today.  We were both tired from working long days.  We had started early in the morning. Our first stop was the Narrows parking lot to see how many people were around.  More people were here than when we first arrived.  The cabins looked like they were close to capacity along with Zion Lodge.  The hotels in town are pretty full too. We headed back to the Great White Throne pullout. We hadn’t stopped there during this whole trip.  The light was hitting the trees kind of neat so we decided to pullout the 8×20 vertical.  I made some photographs with the vertical 8×20.  It was time for a light lunch and then our final stop for today.

One of the pullouts along the road to the tunnel had a trail that ran along side a creek.  On occasion, if the conditions were right, there would be icicles hanging from the sides of the canyon walls like organ pipes.  Just the day before there weren’t any icicles.  Today there were lots.  I decided to walk the trail to check it out.  Along the way, I found this little weed.  It was about ¾-1 mile back to the icicles.  By the time I got back to where the icicles were it was about 3:00 pm.  I hurried back to the van, grabbed my 4×10 backpack and headed back for the icicles.  It was 3:30 pm and sunset would be in about 2 ½ hours.  This was such a neat place.

I made several photographs that afternoon.  Trees, rocks, icicles. . . all of my favorite subjects.  My last photograph would be a close-up of the ice with the water flowing beneath it.  It was getting close to 6:00 pm and the light was beginning to reflect in the ice.  For this photograph I would use my 305 G Claron.  I decided on an N+1 ½ development to add more to the tonal range.  The exposure would be f 45 ½ at one minute.  The light was changing so I added a more time to the meter reading to allow for this.  By now it was getting dark and the temperature was 32 degrees.  I loaded up my backup and grabbed my tripod and headed back for the van. Tomorrow we were on the road to our next adventure.

Susan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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