Newsletter No. 49: September 2009
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
© Chris Harris. All rights reserved.
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CONTENTS
- The Volcanic Itcha Mountains – Part II: Making the Best of Inclement Weather
- The Volcanic Rainbow Mountains – Part I: Getting there is half the Fun!
- Look Where You Are Walking: Colourful Details
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. The Volcanic Itcha Mountains – Part II.
Making the Best of Inclement Weather
View from Camp
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Using my primary body, the Canon EOS-1Ds MarkIII, I used my 100-400 IS lens at ISO 400 to get a shutter speed fast enough to obtain a sharp image with my light weight tripod. Aperture f10.
Newsletter #48 described the journey to Ptarmigan Basin, deep within the Itcha Mountains. It was there that we saw the hundreds of caribou before setting up camp. It rained steadily through the night, but at dawn the clouds rose; providing me with the opportunity to make the above image of a most evocative volcanic landscape.
Black meets Red
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds MarkIII and 24-105 IS lens. I would prefer to use ISO 100 for less noise but opted for ISO 400 due to wind and light weight tripod. My primary consideration for this image is depth of focus and sharpness. Digital noise at ISO 400 is now negligible and can be reduced with software if required. Aperture f23 at 1/10 sec. After breakfast we headed off for a day of photography. It was drizzling on and off but I was excited to be working within a totally new landscape. I had seen the beauty of this area from a distance on horse the year before, but now I was on foot with time to absorb the details and feel the power of the land.
Volcanic Vista
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds MarkIII and 24-105 IS lens. Same considerations as above image. Aperture f23 at 1/32 sec. On a visual ‘high’, I felt extremely lucky to be here, photographing what had probably never been photographed before. Conditions were perfect. The rain had saturated the reds, greens and blacks while the ever threatening clouds evoked thoughts of this land’s very creation.
Volcanic Abstraction
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds MarkIII and 100-400 IS lens. Considering wind and light weight tripod I used ISO 400. Primary considerations are depth of focus and sharpness. Due to the steep slope of the mountain I felt f8 provided the depth of focus needed plus it is an aperture that provides the best optical results with that lens. Shutter speed 1/200 sec. I was surrounded on all sides by the beauty of colours, textures, lines and shapes.
Wherever I walked I could attach any lens, from 14mm to 400mm, and go to work. In this case I used my telephoto lens and shot directly at the volcanic mountain shown in all the above images. The abstract patterns were endlessly exciting.
Chris at Work!
© Mike Duffy
When people look at my prints here at the Gallery, they often remark, “Gee, I wish I had your job”. What is not obvious, of course, is what the job can entail. Capturing the above images, for example, required two days of hiking in snow and rain, carrying 40 lbs. of camera gear; then working in drizzling rain trying to keep my equipment dry and be creative at the same time.
Mike’s picture of me shows my approach to image making in order to be technically proficient in these conditions. When on a backpacking photo expedition, I bring my light weight carbon fiber ‘Mountaineer’ model Gitzo tripod. Because it is so light, I provide extra stability by hanging my camera bag from the tripod’s centre post. The camera bag is covered, while my camera and lens is also covered with a plastic bag. Keeping raindrops off my lens is imperative. I am also well outfitted to work in these conditions.
The fact is, I couldn’t have asked for better weather conditions to photograph this landscape. The rich volcanic colours were beautifully saturated and the mood of the day was inspiring from dawn until dusk.
This trip was supported by Wanda Dorsey and Roger Williams of Six-Mile Ranch Outfitters. Their local knowledge and enthusiasm for this book project is deeply appreciated.
2. The Volcanic Rainbow Mountains – Part I.
Getting There is Half the Fun!This summer, Rita and our friend Mike Duffy and I hiked into the volcanic Rainbow Mountains with the support of David and Joyce Dorsey of Rainbow Mountain Outfitters. Their horses carried our camping gear allowing me to hike with only camera equipment on my back.
Each night we ate and slept at their established camps, which enabled us to day-hike to selected locations of exquisite beauty. Their long time support and enthusiasm has been amazing and deeply appreciated. If anyone wishes to explore the beauties of Tweedsmuir Park, David and Joyce’s pack trips and horse supported hiking trips come highly recommended.
Rita & Mike Bushwacking |
River Crossing |
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Our goal was the painted volcanic Rainbow Mountains but it took two days to hike there. Our route alternated between spectacular vistas and spirit-sapping obstacles. Some of the hardships included feet-soaking swamps; mosquito ridden, head-high willows; river crossings, and obstruction-filled avalanche chutes.
Just one more Valley to go – approaching the Painted Mountains
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon 50D with 17-35mm lens at 1/200 sec. at f18. Primary consideration is a sharp hiker and enough depth of focus to show the distant mountains clearly. Finally, the obstacles of our short-cut route were over and in the distance, our goal of volcanic red rock was in sight. Our spirits soared as from now on there would be a trail (sort of; you can’t miss it!).
Volcanic Beauty – Finally Here!
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III with 24-105mm IS lens. Primary considerations are sharp hikers and sharpness throughout to show detail in foreground rocks and texture in background. ISO 400; 1/250 sec; f18. The rewards of two days of arduous hiking were one of Joyce’s spectacular camp suppers; hot drinks by the fire and a night sleeping with the horse herd content in the meadow.
We awoke the next morning to sunny hot weather. Again after some of Joyce’s famous bannock and campfire coffee, we excitedly headed off to photograph the colour.
As you can see in this image, the rocky terrain made hiking difficult. The colours, textures and stunning vista’s of our surroundings were beyond belief. It was over 30 degrees centigrade, yet composing hikers within the landscape had me running up and down the slopes looking at perspectives.
Over the next few Newsletters, I’ll bring you back to explore these mountains. With not a single person in sight, I was photographing British Columbia at its finest.
3. Look where you are Walking – It’s Amazing!
Colourful DetailsFor the entire time we were hiking in huge compelling landscapes, we were also constantly amazed and captivated by the exquisite formations we were walking through and over. These images are from the four different areas we explored this summer.
Rainbow Mountain Collection
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: All rock images were made with my Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III and 100mm macro lens at ISO 100. Depth of focus was my only concern so all were made at f22. Shutter speed was irrelevant as I used a tripod.
Anahim Peak Collection-obsidian
© Chris Harris
Itcha Mountain Collection
© Chris Harris
Ilgatchuz Mountain Collection
© Chris Harris