mike hardeman

I took the picture Thursday evening last week, September 26.

Thanks, Todd. Actually had to walk up a hill off the road for this one. For some reason, EVERY tree in the forest is not complete without someone's initials carved in them! So you have to walk off the road a ways. You have to get ABOVE the trees to minimize the amount of sky that might end up in the picture and maximize the amount of leaves in the background.

 

There are a few subject for which I bring out the 8x10, and they are usually trees and fall colors. I like to make 30x40 and larger prints and hopefully get the effect of looking out a picture window. I noticed some houses up there where all they need is the window! :)

 

Mike

This is what we got...<div></div>

Having lived in Stillwater twice (and gone to OSU the same), I can state without fear of contradiction that there is NOTHING to photograph in the immediate are, except for Theta Pond and Eskimo Joe's (and some of the more appealing clients of the establishment).

 

However, Great Salt Plains, Gloss Mountains, Tallgrass Prairie and Little Sahara (the ten square feet of which is not destroyed by dune buggy prints) are all within two hours drive.

 

http://www.michaelhardeman.com

I was in the Kebler Pass area Thursday afternoon, Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. Lugged my 8x10 up there, but was frustrated by the storm front bringing so much wind along. I think about 75% of the area will peak this week, but there was also a lot of green. Yes, the Durango area is at least 10 days from peak.

I have felt guilty at times when photographing at Delicate Arch when frustrated that tourists didn't seem to realize that there was the usual "army" of amateur photographers trying to get a shot and would not get out of the way when the light was right, but I have to stop and realize that they are as entitled to this public place as I am. So doing something as off-base as setting an illegal fire seems more than just a "screw-up" as Fatali calls it. It took quite a bit of effort to do that. It's not like you just kept your foot on the pedal a little too long and got that speeding ticket. This incident grows out of Fatali's trademark arrogance.

 

The time I had a brief chat with him in Page, he seemed nice enough. But, I'm also reminded of the time I tried to get his input about my web site and he responded with what seemed a "canned" email that just went on about his on work and didn't ackowledge that I had invited him to view mine. So, that's the impression I have, along with the scornful comments of other photographers that I've picked up here and there down through the years while shooting various spots in the Southwest.

 

I'm also reminded of the insistance on his web site and in his gallery that his prints are not manipulated, when his primary printer has told me that EXTREME manipulation occurs on the final product.

 

Arrogance got you where you are with this incident, Michael. You can no longer be remembered as a talented photographer, but as the guy who set fire to the Arch. That's the nature of being in the public eye. It's not fair. I truly believe that a portion of the scorn you receive from other photographers is a bit of jealousy of your success.

 

But we all want a level playing field. Part of success as an artist is not sinking to the level of the weasel-like Enron executive and stretching the truth to fit your needs or behaving like your the only photographer in the solar system.

 

The sentence would have only had true meaning if you had been banned from Zion and Vermillion Cliffs as well. Your judge is not familiar enough with your work to know that Arches and Canyonlands are not your prime stomping grounds, but only good for the occassional workshop buck.