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Jul, 2012Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This Photograph, titled "Surfing the Wave", was taken back in 2003 in the Utah/Arizona desert. The Native Americans call this area "The Wave". This was a Fine Art Landscape Project of mine with several visits in the years 2001 to 2005.Time
Getting to this spot is not an easy "out of the car, take a snapshot" thing. I was based at Page, Arizona (Lake Powell) from where it's a 2 hour drive on the highway before one has to know here to turn left and then still go around one hour on an unpaved, bumpy, (for rental non 4x4 cars quite challenging road). From there the adventure really begins: A 2,5 hour hike through unmarked territory brings you finally to this tiny small part of the otherwise endless desert landscape, where the sandstone formations look like created with the stroke of a brush. The actual time is not known, as this image was captured on film (see section below). It was around 10:30 AM.Lighting
In terms of lighting, the desert with its specific climatic conditions offers the perfect light early morning and in the blue hour as well as right before and after thunderstorms. The key-factor is timing. Your timing as the Photographer. One has to be on the spot "when the light is right".Equipment
At that time, I used digital cameras only for documenting the shot. Not to take the actual image. The above Photograph was taken with a Canon 5 on my tripod and the EF 20/2.8 lens with a red-filter attached. The one and only film for me was the AGFA Scala BW slide film. Nothing could come even close to the fine details and impressive tonal range of this slide film - the only black&white slide film on the market that time.Inspiration
The story behind this Photograph and the series "Landart - The Wave" this image is part of started back in the year 2000 when I for the first time saw a color image in a travel magazine of those incredible fine swingled sandstone lines. It took some extensive research to find out where I could find this spot and then to organize the trip and prepare for the first Photo trip in 2001. After the first moments and the first few images taken, it was clear to me, that I would have to come back. In the following years, I came back and even spent a night out there sleeping under the stars in order to be "on location" early morning.Editing
After the films got developed and scanned, dust removal and fixing of fine scratches on some of the slides was done. In order to reproduce the look of the original film, some tone and level adjustments were applied. That's it !In my camera bag
At the time the image was taken, usually two SLR bodies and a set of prime lenses (20 to 200mm), color filters, a sturdy tripod and tons of film as well as a cable release. For the third trip to "The Wave" also a film-medium format camera system was in use. Today, I shoot FUJIFILM X-Series cameras (with lenses from 12 to 135mm) and PHASE ONE medium format.Feedback
My story behind this image (and the other ones out of the series "Landart - The Wave") felt like and still feels like 'falling in love for the first time'. Once the fire was on, I could not wait to get there and see it with my own eyes and through my lens. Be passionate about it ! That's my main advice. Organization before the shot is the next important aspect. In my case it was a travel from Europe over to the United States, observing the weather, doing location scouting and talking to locals. If there are complications showing up, that's ok - giving up is not ok .... :-) Some of you might have guessed, I am working on "The return to the Wave" next year.
