12-NOV-2009
Overwhelmed, Goosenecks State Park, Utah, 2009
I used a superwide angle lens to diminish the size of this photographer as he heads back from a precipice overlooking a massive canyon holding a twisting river. It asks a question of sheer scale – how does one do photographic justice to such a huge slice of nature? I look forward to seeing his solution.
14-NOV-2009
The caress, Moab, Utah, 2009
If one could write a love letter to a camera, this image would make a good illustration. One of our photographers tenderly encourages her camera to do her bidding.
13-NOV-2009
In the Devil’s Garden, Arches National Park, Utah, 2009
The light at this moment was as flat and ugly, yet the colors here in this tiny box canyon remain richly saturated. This photographer recognizes the value of such color on a gray day, and makes the most of it. As he aims his camera into the depths of this mini-canyon with no outlet, I use him to anchor my own image of the scene.
14-NOV-2009
Contemplation, Moab, Utah, 2009
Thoughtful photographers often will take a step back and study a scene before they bring their eye behind the camera. That is what Ken Rockwell, who authors a lively and controversial website on photography (
http://www.kenrockwell.com ), seems to be doing here. I found him staring across a misty valley outside Moab, his hands clasped behind his back – very much embodying one of my favorite quotes from his website. Writing about composition in July, 2008, Rockwell said “I do my most careful work by looking away from the image and composing out of the corner of my eye. By using my peripheral vision, I can concentrate on the fundamental and critical basics without being distracted by details.” I composed this image around the fence that separates Rockwell from his subject matter. The wire strands that run diagonally through the image, broken only by a post, tripod, and camera, reminded me of bars of music. The conductor is about to bring it to life here.
12-NOV-2009
On the road, Monument Valley, Arizona, 2009
The photographers on this trip took turns making the famous image of a distant Monument Valley as seen from a road that runs straight as a Navajo arrow towards the famed monoliths on the horizon. Every few seconds someone would shout “Car,” triggering a quick exit. I liked the contrasting colors of this photographer’s elbow and knee. They help energize an otherwise flat, cloudy day image.
14-NOV-2009
The road to Mexican Hat, Utah, 2009
No, this photographer is not walking all the way to Mexican Hat by himself. Rather, he is hustling back to his van after making his shot of the famous rock that gives the town its name. He seems so lonely out there – and photography is often a lonely pursuit, even when traveling with a group. Each of us is responsible for our own images – the work of others might inspire us, but in the end, we must earn our own stripes.
14-NOV-2009
Patience, Monument Valley, Arizona, 2009
So much of expressive photography involves chasing the light. Sometime we find it, and sometimes we don’t. And sometimes we may even have the flexibility in our schedule to wait for it. We stopped off at Monument Valley again on the way home from our visit to Arches. It was late in the day, and evening clouds had gathered around the massive monoliths in full force. The light was in and out, and we had but 45 minutes to make the most of what we could get. In this shot, I found one of our photographers hunched over his tripod in the wind and cold – waiting patiently for something magical to happen. I don't know what kind of image he was able to make, but I try here to express the calm, carefully measured response to light so critical to expressive photography. Shot from a hotel parking lot overlooking the valley, this image abstracts both photographer and butte, placing them into the context of the shifting clouds and the reflected colors of a setting sun.
12-NOV-2009
Parting shot, Monument Valley, Arizona, 2009
This image speaks for itself. She has spent much of a morning at the bottom of Monument Valley, and it shows. When I shared this image with her, she said “I really don’t even think about what is happening to my clothes when I am making photographs. I do whatever I need to do to get the shot.” She is my kind of photographer.