Technical Information

This site represents “straight” photography.  No special filters, double exposures, or any tricky lighting techniques were used.  Nor was any digital enhancement done beyond bridging the gap between what the film records and the eye sees.  My goal has always been to faithfully render the sense of wonder and mystery experienced when encountering nature in situ.  And yes, the colors actually look like this in certain light.  Occasionally the film’s rendering of a scene can enhance reality, but far more often the film is woefully inadequate to capture the subtle nuance, or the powerful contrast defining a potential image seen by the eye.

Even though everyone should know that photographers make images, not cameras, some might be interested in the technical aspects:  Most of these photos were taken with a Pentax 6x7 or Canham 4x5 view camera. Various lenses were used on both cameras; 55-165mm and 72-300, on the Pentax and Canham respectively.  Maintaining perspective and a larger piece of film are the primary reasons for using this gear over 35mm,  which is infinitely easier to carry and quicker to shoot.  With the larger formats, image making is a slower, more deliberate process, and hauling the gear can take real commitment.  Yet the resultant image quality on large prints makes it worthwhile.

If you’re thinking of moving up to medium or large format, don’t hesitate as you will be astounded by how much better the results can be – simply no comparison with 35mm, or the latest, greatest digital cameras.  My only regret is that I didn’t jump in earlier.

Most of these photos are on Fujichome Velvia, which for many is the film of choice for neutral color balance and good saturation. Exposure metering was done with a Pentax digital spot meter and a Gossen Luna Pro SBC.  Filters used were 81A and an 81B.  Keep in mind that the scans you are seeing will vary depending on your monitor and software; I did my best to capture what was actually on the transparencies.  If you desire further information about the photos or their making, feel free to contact me.

About Me

I currently reside in western locale billed as a great place to live by Money magazine, the national business community, and the plutocrats (who value nothing apart from its commercial potential) that run this country – in other words, a badly overcrowded blight of urban sprawl that is destined to only get worse.  Continually watching a piece of paradise rapidly being paved over has caused me to focus on places still undeveloped.  I suppose this is a fancy way of saying I simply wanted to get out of the city and into the country when I shoot.  Idealistically these images will do more than impart a feeling of wonder (which is what I felt when I took them); they will also stimulate interest towards saving what’s left.

Like many I was bitten by the photo bug in my teens and pursued photography haphazardly, occasionally getting a decent Kodachrome to keep me going.  My  interest almost died until a chance meeting with Tucson photographer Jeff Garton in 1990.  He provided enough encouragement, advice, and contagious enthusiasm to rekindle my passion for photography.  Since then I’ve taken the first small steps down the road towards a well defined personal vision and making consistently strong images.

Acknowledgements

Since no man is an island, it seems fitting to recognize those who have helped along the way.  This site would not exist without the guidance and efforts of Danny Burk and Scott Bacon, who worked on the scans and site development, not to mention their technical advice on image making.  I’d also like to express many thanks to Jeff Garton, Pete Caluori, and Mike Kadillak who are first rate photo partners and were there when many of these shots were taken. Their encouragement, technical advice, and sense of humor was, and still is, greatly valued.  Lastly I’d like to thank Richard Boulware for his sage advice and encouragement to expand my vision beyond the ordinary and cliché.

Photographer’s Mission Statement

This site is dedicated to the joy of photography and the creative process such as it exists for non-professionals with day jobs who take pictures because they want to, not because they have to.  It’s also about keeping first love alive, going out shooting, learning and enjoying it despite frequent failures.  I mean it’s all too easy to get caught up in the intensity of purpose and expectations, or the pressure to produce, and lose the joy of image making…like when you’ve just busted your kiester hiking up a mountain with 45 lbs. of gear on your back only to have the wind and rain ruin your once-in-a-lifetime shot.  Or driving 500 miles for photography and having it rain for five days straight, or watching a Schneider 110XL and Canham DLC fall off a tripod and hit the rocks.  I have a friend who somehow got a 3M post it note from a holder lodged in his bellows and had 60 sheets, including several masterpieces, subsequently ruined by an insidious streak of yellow flare (Pete, I know you’re out there).  In times like these a sense of humor must be maintained.  In other words, you can’t take photography so seriously that it becomes a burden, a chore.