bill_proud

January 15, 2014

Sometime after the 97 flood the owners of Lower Antelope were required to install ladders within the canyon and place drop ladders at several points along the passage. I have not seen these drop ladders but would imagine they are rope ladders and if one needed to use them you would leave your equipment behind. I did see boxes along the canyon edges at ground level, which would hold the ladders.

There is also a siren to warn of impending danger, again I haven't heard it.

In the event of a situation, say a siren warning, I would head down canyon to the exit stairs. From the videos you can see that upper entrance is quite narrow and would get clogged with other people quickly.

I'll try and post an image of a ladder about 2/3 of the way in. Most of the ladders are quite pitched but I've not heard of anyone falling on one. Get a good grip.

January 9, 2014

Joe,

Start Lower Antelope in the morning as soon as they open, usually around 8:00, from the bottom and work your way up. The opening is wider there and allows more diffuse light into the canyon slot. Just tell the guides this is what you want and they will point you toward the trail.

If you want the shaft of light through the window, sun will go through around 9:30-10:30 in April, they will also tell you app. times if you ask.

It helps to have someone throw sand from behind the wall to the left if you can find a volunteer.

Wait for the sand to settle, 2-3 seconds, and then shoot.

A bounce reflector would also help to open up the shadow area to the left, or shoot multiples if doing digital, I guess. Do not use a flash!

You already mentioned it but pay attention to weather reports. April is still early for monsoonal rain but it pays to be aware.

November 23, 2012

Hi,

It just sounds like a standard is not zeroed, or a standard doesn't lock down completely between focusing and film exposure.

October 12, 2012

Andrew,

A problem with very wide lenses I didn't see mentioned is the recessed lens board which is awkward to use. I suppose you could get use to it. That said, I never had one but have shot with friends who did and they seem to be a huge problem, in addition to the expensive center filter needs and the bag bellows.

I use a Schneider 75mm f/5.6 Super Angulon, regular bellows on a Monorail which has worked well for me over the years getting close to the subject, but it also has a vignetting possibility if I use fall or rise too much.

It might be a cheaper alternative though.

I also may have the last box of Fuji Quikload in the universe, in my freezer, while waiting for motivation to shoot it.

good luck,

October 12, 2012

Michael,

A good place to start is 100 ISO at f/4.

Select your foreground composition and pre-focus before it gets dark.

Best to wait about two hours after sunset before opening your shutter and closing the shutter well before sunrise.

For camera aiming check to see where in the sky the meteors will show for your area. They may be low on the horizon line and to the east at 1-3:00 A.M.

good luck

June 15, 2011

Rob,

I needed to take an image for a client as a panorama and came up with another alternative.

I already had a 4x5 Cambo. I set up the camera leveling the tripod and then the ball head.

I mounted the camera near the nodal point but not quite since I used a 120mm lens and needed some bellows for focus. I took two images with some overlap on each end of the exposures.

I marked the ground glass for the center three inches to get my approximate image height for the 1:3 ratio.

Sent the film to Photocraft in Boulder where they processed and merged the two in photoshop to give me a 1:3 aspect ratio. They had no problems with the match

I saved $3000.00 on a 6x17 camera.

April 17, 2011

Interesting comment since arriving before daylight means you are working in the dark for your set up whereas the afternoon allows for plenty of time to choose foregrounds. Whatever works for you though.

Again, Jim Johnson's comment about the time window being short is a critical one that does separate pros from amateurs. Sometimes you never know when the sun will light up a scene for just a short period, and when you must be ready to click the trigger.

It is like a pretty girl walking up to you and saying hello. Will you blow it by saying something stupid, or say just that right thing to catch her attention? Most of us blow it by stammering or spitting on ourselves, "Uhhhh".

Photography is a similar situation. The pretty girl is a beautiful scene. She smiles at us, sometimes only at certain times of the year, when the flowers are in bloom, or when the trees turn a gorgeous autumn color. This is when we snap the shutter.

The best way to overcome camera awkwardness, is to put ourselves in the situation enough times that we encounter every circumstance that could possibly happen and know how to react.

I plan my shoots when the season is right and when the time is right during that season.

Best to you,

www.billproudphotography.com

March 26, 2011

Drew,

Reed Photo Imaging, 888 Federal Blvd, just north of Sixth Ave Freeway.

800-999-8084

$2.90/sheet of 4x5 E-6

March 26, 2011

Jason,

It is worth your time to do both upper and lower. Start at the lower canyon and go to the upper about 11:30 for the great shaft which comes down in the large room right at the entrance.

I think the cost for lower was $20.00/4 hours, morning is best, plus $6.00 Indian land fee, which also applies to the upper.

The Navajo try to time the tours for spacing to allow for photography of the shafts but it will still be crowded.

Someone will always be throwing sand into the air to define the shafts. Allow the sand to settle, and the fine dusting will better outline your image.

Also be careful to not overweight your light meter on the bright light. A slight underexposure will give some drama to the image.

Your mid April timing is good for shooting in both canyons. It is dry and usually good light.

You haven't needed a guide at the lower in the past, pay your money and go. But you will have a guide in the upper. The shorter tours are 1 hour length, long enough to get the main shot but too short to wander around for more. Taking the photo tour is 4 hours, or use to be, and allows more time to roam around and compose between the mobs. Once again, go in the morning.

Best, www.billproudphotography.com

March 24, 2011

Bill De Jager,

Thanks for the tips. I was thinking about the gasket seal idea for the tail gate, your comments tell me this is the right direction.

I have used the plastic wrap that came with the mattress and it is effective. All your suggestions are things I have seen happen, especially the sliding windows coming open as you travel if they are not locked.

Great tips

March 22, 2011

Hello,

I've photographed the desert southwest the past 16 years using a 95 Toyota 4WD extended cab truck with cab high camper shell, not much different than other responders. It has never failed me but I recently upgraded to a new Tacoma. Very similar but it has one of those silver sub woofer box thingys you can't opt out of that resembles some sort of afterbirth and gets in the way of storage. Since I'm mostly deaf anyway, a subwoofer doesn't help me at all. It has a little blue light and switch button at the bottom of this contraption, which turns it on, and which I unintentionally activate when I push my tripod into the back seat. The young kids think I'm cool at traffic lights; thump ta thump thump. I am oblivious to all this.

It also has two small storage boxes in the bed with holes to the ground and leaks dust like a sieve.

There is no perfect vehicle. I throw a twin mattress in the back to sleep comfortably on but as others commented, you unload some gear to be able to sleep better. I put in a plywood platform to get a second layer, which hides my gear if I want but puts your head closer to the roof, kind of like being in an MRI.

Thought about going bigger but you lose mobility. Wife has a Subaru Outback, which is also great in snow but is too pretty for me. I'd trash it the first time out.

www.bllproudphotography.com

March 2, 2011

Spencer,

I've lived in and photographed the southwest the past 15 years. My three favorites are Moab, Page, and Grand Canyon. Monument Valley is very scenic but a lot of areas require a guide at $20.00/hr.

If you are considering Moab, it might be more convenient to fly into Grand Junction, Colorado and drive over; about 100 miles and one traffic light. In addition to Arches and Canyonlands, there is Dead Horse Point and the Fisher Towers area, certainly enough to keep you busy for 4 days.

Moab motels are cheap unless there is a dirt bike or off road festival happening the week you are there.

Natural Bridges is west of Blanding, about 40 miles, about 120 total from Moab and really requires work and luck to get shots.

Grand Canyon south rim is just what it says, GRAND. North Rim will be closed until May and offers fewer photo ops.

Page has the slots and the Wave, Allstrom Point, Horseshoe Bend, more slots and cheap motels.

Zion and Bryce are great as well, but as others pointed out, a lot of hiking for some shots.

See some of my stuff at www.billproudphotography.com

Hope this helps.

February 7, 2011

Marvin,

There is a light shaft at Lower Antelope that appears from mid April through the first week of May around 10:30. Best light in the lower in early May is near the exit point around 8:00 A.M., which is when they usually open.

As others mentioned plan on low shutter speeds. I'll try and post an image but if I'm not successful you can find it on my site,

billproudphotography.com

North Rim will probably not be open.

January 26, 2011

Browsing the various photography forums, it seems that every image critique says said image is a winner. A lot of said images I've seen recently, I would send to the circular file but instead I read, "Oh, great work."

A number of years ago when there were flame wars on almost every topic, today, everyone is congenial and respectful, or more what I see as syrupy, sycophantic hyperbole. You say you like my stuff and I'll say I like your stuff. No more can one say that an image is crap.

While some of the flame wars that ocurred were tiresome, at least there was some entertainment value.

Have we grown too nice? This is nauseating. How will one grow if we are lead to believe that our work cannot be improved?

Do you think there should be a section where honest, frank, and even cathartic answers are welcome?

Or are you happy being deceived that the image is great and then wondering why it doesn't sell?

January 5, 2011

Bill,

You are actually going to Page at a great time. The sun is still low enough that the light shafts have begun at both upper and lower Antelope. You can shoot the lower about 10-10:30 and drive across the road for the upper at noon.

It is not monsoon season but do pay attention to the weather reports for rain.

Rain will also make the dirt very slick, even for Jeeps.

You might try Allstrom Point for a sunset, as well as Horseshoe Point. Allstrom is out of Big Water and back east. Ask for directions, it can be a tricky drive 2 hour.

There are also the Hoodoos out of Cottonwood Canyon, another 1/2 day adventure but a great jeep drive. Ask for directions.

December 27, 2010

Tom,

I've seen some pretty impressive enlargements from 35mm format using Genuine Fractals software.

I shoot both 6x9cm and 4x5 using large format glass. You should get great enlargements from the smaller format, however I would not recommend 6x6 as a landscape camera due to the square format. To get a rectangular aspect ratio requires cropping to 6x4.5, which for me gives only a minimal advantage over 35mm images.

Also am not sure a Kiev would give the highest quality if that is what you need, maybe I'm wrong.

www.billproudphotography.com

December 5, 2009

Alas, my wife said no I couldn't spend five weeks with you. She was afraid you were a lousy driver and I might get in an accident.

good luck though,

October 19, 2009

Jon Paul,

Typical questions might be,

is your polarizer on the Nikon lens?

Are both meters reading reflected light?

Are ISO's the same?

September 23, 2009

Ian,

I talked to a friend who says Red Mtn. Pass is prime yellow as well as is the Silverton area. He was also up on Dallas divide which he said was green. He was up this past Saturday and Sunday.

I went up to Lizard Head and Wilson overlook and saw only green Aspen and rain. Very surprising. Sunday and Monday night overnight temps were below freezing, we are at 7000 feet, but Tuesday night was somewhat warmer, mid 30's. Nice day today, current temp is 60.

www.billproudphotography.com

September 3, 2009

Andrew,

I shoot both 6x9 cm and 4x5 inch using a Cambo monorail, which converts to either format.

While the 4x5 tranny is certainly wonderful to behold, I can get acceptable and equal quality from the medium format originals, scanning at 300 dpi, or less, and printing up to 30x40 inches.

I would recommend going to 5x7 or 8x10 if you want to see a huge jump in resolution from medium format.

August 17, 2009

A lot of people go to Disney World. I see all those football players that win the super bowl go there....

I made reservations for the plumbing and drywall conference in Vegas so I could see Billy Mays use that little bathtub caulking tool but he won't be there now. I'm trying to get my money back.

Of course it won't be cold in Vegas but you can sure walk a lot.

good luck,

August 17, 2009

Rob,

I use Velvia 50 all the time but rate it at 40 since it is slow to pick up low level light.

Most of my sunsets require a two to three stop split ND, I've read where others are using even higher than that split.

You might check your meter accuracy during mid day light and see if you get sunny 16 or;

Use a gray card. I usually take a reflected reading and a gray card reading just to see if something in the frame is throwing me off.

July 27, 2009

John,

I shot this image from my truck bed, which only works if you can get your truck into the location you need. There is also the problem of wind and vehicle sway. Several of the images were soft. I will shoot these again this year from a ladder by attaching a window pod to the ladder top with clamps.

Good luck

May 25, 2009

Vinny,

My pricing was based for a 32x38 finished framed size piece and using $4.00/foot moulding and Tru-Vue anti reflection, AR glass, which is $65.00/sheet, all wholesale costs. You can reduce those costs by using a less expensive grade of glass and moulding but it is what sells and looks better for me. Cost will also go down proportionately for smaller pieces.

May 22, 2009

Katelyn,

You can save a lot of money doing 16 images yourself if you already have the equipment. Or you can cost justify the expense after you find out how much the retailer will charge you.

Here is what I have to do my own:

Fletcher 2100 matte cutter with production stops for faster, accurate, cutting. blades

Two miter clamps

10" De Walt chop saw, not a great saw for accurate 45 degree cuts

Mitre Mite disk sander to even out the miter cut.

Compressor and nail gun for nailing corners, Not the best method but much cheaper than the back side connectors.

ATG 700 tape dispenser and tape.

4 foot straight edge for trimming art.

3M adhesive for applying art to foamcore.

Dust cover paper, glue, exacto knives, gloves, wood filler, hooks, hangers, wire and a partridge in a pear tree.

Michael made a good point about logistics. I have a garage with one, 3' by 8' carpeted table and two 4' by 8' carpeted tables. I store the glass, mattes and foamcore under the tables or against the wall.

If you keep your print size around 24x30, you can use standard 32x40 board and glass. I use a four inch border, which gives me a finished size of 32x38.

Since you've done this before, you know you can use the hole cutout to mat a smaller piece of art.

best,

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