Newsletter No. 52: November 2009
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CONTENTS
- The Volcanic Itcha Mountains – Part IV
- The Volcanic Rainbow Mountains – Part III
- The Great Bear Rainforest: Beauty Beyond Bears
- What’s Happening at the Chris Harris Gallery
1. The Volcanic Itcha Mountains – Part IV
The Search for Beauty ContinuesUpon leaving Lunch Lake (Newsletter #50), we headed for a mountain pass that would take us beneath the tallest mountain in the park, Mount Downton.
Rita hikes over Red Rock Pass
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III. As I hike I carry my camera and 24-105mm lens around my neck, ready for action shots as they occur. The most important aspect to this type of photography is anticipation. I always have my camera settings preset to capture the action at hand. I constantly look ahead, anticipate compositions, and then hike to locations that place subjects within those compositions. This means I have to hike further than anyone else on any given day, but it is always worth the effort. In this case I considered the following: hiker to be moving into the composition toward the peak; hiker to be in focus (1/320 sec.) with feet apart to show action; and enough depth of focus (f-16) to show detail from the immediate foreground to the peak beyond. To accomplish this I used ISO 400. Asking a hiker to hold a certain position looks unnatural. Always use a shutter speed fast enough to capture the natural action. Nothing is more exciting than cresting a mountain pass to peer into an unknown valley, anticipating what wonder of the natural world will greet me there.
Peering into the Fukawi Valley
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Before searching for details in the landscape, I first made this four image panorama in an attempt to capture the breadth of this volcanic vista. |
The volcanic vista that greeted us as we hiked over Red Rock Pass was stunning. There was a sense of amazement, and the smoke from a Yukon forest fire added to the effect. The shapes, colours and textures of the landscape spoke of nothing but the volcanic forces of past millennia. I took off my pack, set up my tripod, and before anything else, made a panorama image in an attempt to capture the magnitude of the view ahead.
The Importance of Foreground
After making several panoramas of the grand view, I set about looking for volcanic details. At my very feet, all around me, lay beautifully textured volcanic rocks and boulders of every colour. Also constantly fascinating to us was the sorting process that we could see all around. This called for a wide-angle lens.
Volcanic Red Rock
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III; 17-35mm. lens shot at 22mm. Primary consideration with this image was a large depth of focus and low noise. Normally I would shoot this at ISO 100 but due to windy conditions, I opted to shoot at 1/200 sec. and therefore had to up my ISO to 400. |
I next set about choosing the best volcanic boulders based on colour, texture and juxtaposition with other elements to make the most compelling compositions. The visual balance for this composition is between the large red rock in the foreground, the rock at 45 degrees to the right, the cluster of black rocks to the far left and the three main mountain formations in the distance.
Volcanic Yellow Rock
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III. Same considerations as above. |
To accommodate the triangular shape of the distant mountain, I switched to a vertical format. The flow of this composition moves from the yellow rock in the foreground up to the distant peak with no distractions from either side.
Volcanic Black Rocks below Mount Downton
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III; ISO 100, f-22 at 1/100sec. ; 24-105mm lens shot at 36mm. Primary considerations were low digital noise (ISO 100) and a large depth of focus (f-16). Shutter speed was irrelevant as I used a tripod. |
The most powerful mountain shape that dominated the upper Fukawi Valley was Mount Downton. Even with its striking basalt columns, this image would be very ordinary without the three black boulders in the foreground.
One of the most important aspects of photography is the creation of compositions that influence how a viewer’s eyes travel through a picture. Without those three boulders, the eye would be fixated on the light coloured columns. By including the boulders, the eye travels throughout the picture space placing a higher value on the foreground.
If you would like to explore the Itcha Mountains by horse, contact Six Mile Ranch.
2. The Volcanic Rainbow Mountains – Part III
The Search for Beauty ContinuesAdding the human element to a landscape is very important to me in my photography. Not only does it provide a perspective on relative size; it gives the viewer the chance to share an emotional experience.
Mike hiking on an Unknown Planet
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III: I had to shoot without a tripod here. Using a 100-400mm IS lens at 150mm, I shot at 1/400 sec. in order to keep Mike sharp and in focus. ISO 400 gave me an aperture of 14 for my depth of focus. |
If you can find Mike in this image you will get a sense, not only of the vastness, but how you might feel yourself if you were in Mike’s boots, drawn by the compelling beauty of red, but feeling vulnerable on this precarious slope.
When I felt the energy and the drawing power of those red rocks I knew I had to go there. The journey would not be easy, however, for the slope was significant and the rocks were often large and unstable.
Part of me wanted to lead the way, but to photographic it, I knew I had to stay back.
This image tells a powerful story. It reminds us again of our sense of place on the Planet.
Living Rock like Molten Lava
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III; Still hand holding and using my 100-400mm IS lens, I shot at ISO 320 @ f-11 with a shutter speed of 1/400sec. |
I closer I got to this river of red rock, the more introspective I became.
If you would like to explore the Rainbow Mountains by horse, contact Rainbow Mountain Outfitters.
3. The Great Bear Rainforest: Part I
Beauty Beyond the BearsIn early October, I went aboard the Ocean Light II of Ocean Light II Adventures to view and photograph within the Great Bear Rainforest. Like the Cariboo-Chilcotin region, the Central BC Coast is an area of staggering beauty.
I will be sharing images of bears and whales with you in later Newsletters, but I’m going to start this series of articles with a relatively insignificant sighting of a mother black bear with her two cubs exploring along the shore.
Mother black bear with Cubs
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Using my Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III and 70-200mm IS lens, I decided that Shutter speed was my top priority. Using 1/640 sec. at ISO 400 left me with an aperture of f-8. This I felt was sufficient depth of focus for the bears and their immediate surroundings. Foreground sharpness in this case was irrelevant due to the water’s movement. |
There is a tendency to zoom in for close-ups when photographing wildlife, but in this case, I was equally attracted to the reflections in the ocean.
Alder Tree Reflections
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III and 70-200mm IS lens. When shooting a moving subject such as this reflection, I take full advantage of my LCD screen. As every combination of shutter speed and depth of focus (aperture) results in a different capture, I quickly shoot several combinations, view my LCD screen after each, and then choose the combination I like best. From that point on I concentrate solely on the patterns and shoot freely. |
It wasn’t long after making the above bear image that I found myself totally absorbed in the beautiful patterns of reflected alder trees in the water. As the lines of tree trunks, and the patches of green coloured leaves joyfully danced together, I searched for the combination that resonated most with who I am.
Alder Tree Reflections
© Chris Harris
Photographer’s Notes: Canon EOS-1Ds Mk.III and 70-200mm IS lens. Once I had made my aperture/shutter speed decision (as noted above), I just kept shooting as the patterns changed. |
Suddenly there was a slight change in the wind and lines of tree trunks turned to circles. It was so exciting, but it lasted only for a few seconds. The wind changed again and all the patterns disappeared.
If you would like to explore the Great Bear Rainforest by boat, contact Ocean Light II Adventures.
What’s Happening at the Chris Harris GalleryBook Launch by Sage Birchwater & Lorne Dufour
For those of you reading this newsletter here in the area, we’re excited to host two captivating story tellers here at the gallery.
Sage Birchwater is a long-time journalist and writer, who has spent many years finding and relating the stories of the people of the Cariboo and Chilcotin. His new collection is Gumption & Grit, stories of the remarkable non-native and native women who have made their mark here. Sage edited the collection and wrote some of the stories; other writers have contributed to the collection, including some who tell their own stories. Through these individuals runs the thread that is the history and character of this place, that is like no other.
Lorne Dufour is a poet and writer who in his new book, Jacob’s Prayer, tells a story that is his own but also all of ours. Thirty years ago the community at Alkali Lake, both native and non-native, went through a time of needless loss, tragedy, and a degree of redemption, that still echoes. Lorne was a central player in that story, and it somehow focuses all the sadness and injustice, but also the humour and resilience, that is the lyric of the Chilcotin we have today.
Jacob’s Prayer is a story, a tale, a song and a prayer; and it should be read by all of us.
December 10th at 7:30pm
Please call 250-791-6631 and let us know if you plan to attend. Seating is limited and we expect a full house.Chris Harris Gallery
5577 Back Valley Road
250-791-6631
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