Run and flash, Albion Basin
Imagine my shock when I pulled into the Catherine Pass trailhead parking lot at 5:15 am last Saturday. I scheduled this photowalk the way I schedule my own dawn shoots, which means be there early. I didn't really expect more than a handful of people to show up, but there in the dark were more than a dozen, and by the time we actually geared up and got out of the parking lot, we numbered over 30 photographers.
A flash experiment while waiting for the wind
We spread out over the basin below the parking lot to wait for dawn. Hunting for the perfect foreground was a new experience for many, something that takes more time than you might first imagine. And then there was the wind. In 2006, I camped almost a week at Albion just for the chance to get a wind-free dawn for the Highway 89 project. Saturday was not calm. I got bored waiting, so I messed around with my flash.
Flower's point of view
Scott Jarvie, who later took our group photo, loaned me his 14-24, which I had not used before. I don't think he'd ever used it quite like that either.
Moose crossing
Now I know that in the dark, before we set out for the photowalk, I had described the potential carnage of meeting a moose on the trail. Several photowalkers had made images of this fine specimen earlier in the morning, but none quite as close as when this guy crossed the road. He took one look at us, thought about it, and then declined to engage. Luckily, as I didn't bring a first-aid kit for twenty.
Lensbaby mountainscape
I've often joked that a photowalking event is as good as a trip to NYC for camera gear shopping. I handed off my 12-24 DX lens to a new member, didn't see it for hours, while I was able to try a 60 MM macro (thanks Mark!) and Scott's superwide. I now know enough about those lenses to make a purchasing decision, and have some pictures i might not otherwise have made. Another great thing that happens is folks inspire me to try things that probably wouldn't have occurred to me, like Harley's suggestion to do a Lensbaby landscape. I definitely will try more of that when I'm doing my own work out in the field.
Thanks to everyone who participated. I left at about 10:30, and many folks were not yet back from the hike to Cecret Lake. Check out the photos in our Flickr pool and make plans to attend our next PhotowalkingUtah event.
Comments (1)
Thanks Ann. Nice write-up.
Posted by Scott Cornford | August 8, 2009 4:44 PM
Posted on August 8, 2009 16:44