Winter’s Last
Strange that it has taken me nearly all spring to bring out a photo of the last sunset of winter. Although not entirely true, as I posted a version of this sunset in The Last of Winter. It is amazing to me how different a few minutes can make in a photograph not to mention the few months that have transpired since I made this photo.
Winter's Last
Time has a way of sneaking past you very quickly. From week to week as I moved from show to show, filling orders made for photos of moments long since past, I had little time to work on new material. When I do get the chance and inspiration to sit down and seriously work on new material, It is like I am looking at the scene for the first time all over again. And although I can remember all the feeleings of elation and joy that coursed through me at the time I made the photo, seeing it again and now intimately working with it for hours to bring out those feelings I once had makes me realize how important photography is. Not only is it a record of time, but for the photographer it is also a record of the experience. So here it is, a recount of my thoughts as they come back to me as I look at this last sunset of the winter of 2009.
Wow, everything is really green this year. The hills are looking good, wildflowers might be aboundant here this year – its to early now, maybe in a month or so. I’ll need to come back. Let me go over to my butterfly hill and see if the wild cucumber is blooming. Nothing yet, but the hills sure are green. What about down in the hollow down there, I can check if I see any poppy plants waiting to bloom. None yet, Hmm. Lets go back up and around to the trillium patch, wow I need to hike more, I’m getting winded to easily. Hey what’s that – that tree is just glowing. That back lighting is unbelieveable! I only have a few minutes. I don’t know if I can pull this one off. Ok quick unload. Let’s see. Maybe the 300, yeah the 300 will do fine. Let me check quickly with the digital, yeah about 100 mm I think the 300 will do fine. I’ll need the ND – work fast. Take care, don’t drop anything, but got to work fast. Ok spin it around, get the dark cloth, Ooh that is nice. I need the loupe, focus, tilting won’t help so check how much depth will I need, where’s that card….. f32 should do. Wait let me get this sunset on the digital and zoom in on the sun. OK got it. Meter quick, the light is going fast, aaah… the lower right for the foreground, now the the sky, wait hit memory, now the sky – keep it plus one, there, its five stops brighter, no six – five and half, ok one stop up I need 4 stops of ND, good. That 2 stop filter is bad all scratched up I need to get a new one – like I have $100 right now anyway. Get the 3 in there, the 1 stop, adjust, oh this is going to be hard to see and adjust that tree is too high in the frame – ….let me see. To dark, open the apeture, its still hard to see, hurry up the light is going ok there, that is good I hope, I wish it was as easy as it was with 35mm argh. Ok f32 on foreground gives 1 sec. Set it, close shutter, test it – good. Uh! film, hurry…. holder, put film in, load in camera, wait, make sure everything is tight, back, tripod head, swings, good, put film in, pull the slide, cock the shutter, ok go. Got it! quick, one more, get the film in – careful don’t move the camera, pull slide, shutter, and go. Got it. What a day. That sunset is just awesome. Let me get this tree on digital. Get this big guy off, Ok, meter darn the light is gone, its totally different now. Get it any way. wow look at those hills , this is really going to be a great photo, that mist is pinking up real nice, zoom in and get that. Wow its so nice out here. Amazing tomorrow is the equinox, this was the last sunset of winter. Its so quiet, so calm. I hope the 4×5’s come out. Well keep one behind in case exposeure was off. It nice out here, alright lets load up.
It all comes screaming back. Photography – memories & life on a piece of celluloid – amazing.
Enjoy Summer! Peace.
