Photographer's Desert Photo

[Artyczar]

I took this in the National Park, catching a real photographer taking old-timey pictures of some amazing rock formations on this ridiculously gorgeous day. Terri can probably tell us more about the sort of photography this woman was working with. I took this picture while she was developing her negative in the back of her SUV. BY the way, I did absolutely nothing to this sky in Photoshop. This image is totally unfiltered. That is the real color of the sky.

 

[Terri]

Nice! Looks like an 8x10 (large format) setup to me. The cloth is to keep out light and glare. Was she really developing in the back of her SUV? That's so awesome. She probably didn't want to leave the area until she was certain she had the lighting or exact composition she wanted.

I totally believe you about this sky. I've been to red rock country and know that amazing hard blue very well.

 

[Queen Bee]

Love it.

 

[Donna T]

What a view! I can see why a photographer would be inspired. What are those kind of trees called? I'm not familiar with the desert and think they are so beautiful.

 

[GrantCee]

Nice! Looks like an 8x10 (large format) setup to me. The cloth is to keep out light and glare. Was she really developing in the back of her SUV? That's so awesome. She probably didn't want to leave the area until she was certain she had the lighting or exact composition she wanted.

Much more likely the photographer is using a wet-plate process, which requires developing immediately after exposure. it's enjoyed something of a renaissance in recent years. Another clue is the lens, which appears to be a vintage barrel-mounted optic. The wet-plate folks go nuts for them due to their "old fashioned" imaging characteristics.

(Having once been a very serious large format photographer, I would never have even considered developing film in the field; there's no reason to, and the lack of temperature control would add significant variability into the results — which was always something we tried to avoid, especially given the cost of film. Today, with film costs even higher, it would be even less desirable.)

 

[Terri]

I know that another large format photographer I admire, Sally Mann, likes to process her wet plates while still in the field. It's messy regardless of technique, but if you're careful with your setup it can apparently be done!

 

[Terri]

What a view! I can see why a photographer would be inspired. What are those kind of trees called? I'm not familiar with the desert and think they are so beautiful.

Ayin can tell us for certain, but the ones on the right look like small Joshua trees to me. I can't even guess about that larger one on the left.

I'd love to shoot infrared out there, especially if I could get some clouds in that sky.

 

[Hermes2020]

Unfortunately the large format digital backs cost several arms and legs.

https://petapixel.com/2021/07/09/la...45-a-full-size-4x5-large-format-digital-back/

 

[snoball]

Gorgeous photo Ayin!

 

[Artyczar]

Yes, she had a glass plate of some kind and I'm pretty sure she was using a wet process like Sally Mann. We asked her how old the camera was and it was early 1900s I believe. She was not a youngster either.

Anyway, Donna: those are Joshua Trees and that's where I was--JT National Park, which is where I live too. Most of those are not small. And some of them are approx. 1000 years old (the big ones), and the medium-ish sized ones are about 500 years old. There are three on my neighbor's front yard that are probably over 1000 years old. Crazy large. I have one in my front yard that's probably 200 years old, or so:

It's actually crime to cut them down here (in the town of Joshua Tree). If you buy property and need to clear your land of them, good luck getting permits to rid of any. You most likely have to build around them.

 

[GrantCee]

She was not a youngster either.

I resemble that!

It's actually crime to cut them down here (in the town of Joshua Tree). If you buy property and need to clear your land of them, good luck getting permits to rid of any. You most likely have to build around them.

I grew up in a logging town and live in a (different) logging town...and still have a bit of a problem seeing trees cut down.

 

[Donna T]

Thanks for explaining about those beautiful trees Ayin and Terri. I'm glad they are protected. I saw the trees in desert paintings by Eric Merrell and thought they were so statuesque and interesting but I never knew what they were called.