Newsletter No. 42: January 2009

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CONTENTS

1. Back Yard Artist: Flight of the Frosted Flakes
2. An Enduring Landscape: Farwell Canyon Revisited
3. The Story Behind the Image: Getting to the Moment: Is the Reward Worth it?

Hi everyone,

The New Year has begun and I’m extremely excited about the photographic adventures that lie ahead. The thrust of my shooting will of course be on my new volcanic book project. I’ll be exploring new volcanic locations but I’ll also be revisiting several areas because, as you’ll see in the article ‘An Enduring Landscape’, one’s best photographs often come from repeat visits to places that excite you.

Enjoy the Newsletter, and pass it on to interested friends. Our goal here at the Chris Harris Gallery is to share the creative process, promote the arts, and strengthen our artistic community. Thank you.

1. Back Yard Artist

Flight of the Frosted Flakes

While washing breakfast dishes on a beautifully clear -35° morning, I happened to glance out the window and noticed a spectacle I had been wishing for for a long time. The outside window in the conservatory was covered in frost. Leaving the dishes, I went out to inspect.

Flight of the Frosted Flakes

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III;
Lens:100mm macro; ISO: 400;
Shutter speed: 1/20 sec; Aperture: f32

My first impression was a slight disappointment, for the flakes showed no resemblance to the classic frost patterns I had always envisioned. I looked closer, searching for lines and shapes that would arrest my scanning search. No such luck. Instead, I was witness to a dance. I saw movement and rhythm amidst the harmony of light and dark. Now excited, I got my camera, attached my 100mm macro lens and went to work. With tripod in hand, I moved quickly as the sun was just reaching the horizon.

When Rita and I looked at this image on the monitor later that morning, the idea of ‘dance’ changed to ‘flight’. It was as if we were looking at a flock of blackbirds, high above us. The smaller flakes in the background are as if a separate flock were flying high above the others. They were flying in celebration of a new day. The longer I look at this image, the happier I feel inside.

2. An Enduring Landscape

Farwell Canyon Revisited

Last fall, my friend Shayne and I drove to Farwell Canyon for a day of photography. As I drove, I wondered, how would I respond to a landscape I had visited so many times in the past while shooting the grasslands book Spirit in the Grass? As I pondered the day ahead, it occurred to me that the one thing I have learned from experience, is that some of my most enduring photographs have come from repeat visits to places I feel excited or passionate about.

The Chilcotin River

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III;
ISO: 50; Shutter speed: 0.5 sec; Aperture: f32

While walking to the first spot I had chosen to photograph, I found myself looking at the Chilcotin River below me. I became aware of the horizontal lines and shapes; and the colours of the glaciated water, the rock-pebbled beach, and the grassland vegetation.

I stopped, looked through my viewfinder, and quickly realized that if shot in documentary style, there was nothing in the image to hold one’s interest. This is when I set my camera to a slow shutter speed and panned my lens along the lines of the river.The result is an abstract based on the repetition of form and the colours within them.

Abstract images like this take us beyond the obvious subject. They are challenging to visualize but form an important part in the overall coverage of any subject.

The Landslide at Farwell Canyon

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III;
ISO: 200; Shutter speed: 1/20 sec; Aperture: f16

Reaching the river I viewed the landslide area before me. Even though I had made many images here, I realized I was looking at the wall of glacial silt differently than I ever had before. After examining the many features, I arrived at this composition by balancing the small triangular slide on the left, the dash of colour on the right, and the horizontal banding throughout the image.

Abandoned Farmhouse

Next we visited the old abandoned farmhouse situated along the Chilcotin River at Farwell Canyon. Once again, these were buildings I had photographed many times, but on this day, I was to make images unlike any I have ever made here before.

Windows

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III;
Lens: 75-200mm; ISO: 200; Shutter speed: 0.8 sec; Aperture: f32

There was no hurry, so I sat down on a stump and studied the building at leisure. As I searched for all the usual elements of composition, I found the above image starring me in the face. After studying the composition a bit longer, I decided to bring the secondary window closer to the primary window by using a telephoto lens to compress distance.

Doorway and Window

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III;
Lens: 75-200mm; ISO: 250; Shutter speed: 3.2 sec; Aperture: f32

Moving on to another building, I was quick to see a similar composition. Once again I shot with a focal length of 200mm in order to compress distance – bringing the window and the tree beyond that, closer to the doorway. By doing this I was able to place a greater emphasis on the rectangular spaces and the horizontal logs.

Every subject has a plethora of visual design choices. One of the most exciting aspects of photography is making the compositional choice that excites you, and then using your technical expertise to bring your unique personal vision to the rest of the world.

3. The Story Behind the Image

Getting to the Moment: Is the Reward Worth it?

As part of my new book project, my wife Rita and friend Mike and I established a base camp in the Ilgatchuz Mountains in order to photograph its volcanic remains. It was mid August and we were blessed with a full gamut of weather conditions. Did I say ‘blessed’? Yes, indeed, blessed we were with rain, snow, hail, and even a bit of sunshine. For photography it was great!

Base camp

Stonecrop Ridge & Nana Peak

The above image on the left shows our two tents, nestled beside White Creek amidst a passing thunder storm. It’s a time when one wants to be huddled around a large campfire, or better still, tucked deep within one’s sleeping bag reading a book. But not so for photographers. This is the time I dawn my rain gear and rubber boots, set up the tripod with attached umbrella (to keep camera & lens dry), and get to work! The view next morning of snow capped mountains, however, was not what I had planned for!

Erosional Remnant of a Volcanic Dyke

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III;
ISO: 250; Shutter speed: 1/100 sec; Aperture: f20

It was the last day of our adventure and I had been waiting all week to photograph from the impressive Stonecrop Ridge, towering above us at 8000 feet elevation. Still covered in snow at 9:00 am I debated if the hike was worth the effort and the risk. The weather was mixed; it was hard to tell if it would break or close in again with more snow. I decided to go for it! As we climbed toward the Ridge, the day warmed and with occasional sunny breaks, the snow slowly began to melt. As we summited Stonecrop Pass, we were greeted by the amazing view above. Even though I was fighting a strong cold winter wind, I was so excited to be there photographing this incredible 5 million year old geological feature.

Mountain Goats on Volcanic Ridge

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III;
Focal length: 320mm; ISO: 400; Shutter speed: 1/800 sec; Aperture: f8

With all the clothes I had, plus winter gloves and hat, I did my best to capture this intriguing landscape. Suddenly, just as I realized another snow storm was about to hit us, I saw in the distance a family of mountain goats walking along the very crest of a volcanic ridge. Instantly I knew, that the backdrop with its powerful shapes and hues would make for a dramatic photograph. With freezing fingers, I attached my 100 – 400mm lens, cranked up my ISO to 400, and shot at a shutter speed of 1/800th of a second. After making several images, the next snow storm hit. I grabbed my camera backpack as we all headed back downhill toward camp.

I never got all the way to where I had hoped to get that day, but was it worth the effort and the risk to gamble on getting to Stonecrop Ridge? You bet it was!

The two images above are very special to me and I know they will play an integral part in the volcanic story and the proposed book. For me, half of the fun and excitement of making imagery is the experience of getting to that actual moment of pushing the shutter release. The above two moments were unforgettable thrills for me; moments worth every ounce of energy to experience.

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