The Terra Galleria Blog – QT Luong

Each year the North America Nature Photography Association organizes a conference called the Nature Photography Summit, or in short “Summit”. Diverse presentations, a trade show, multiple opportunities to share images, as well as optional portfolios reviews and workshops make it a great opportunity to be inspired, learn, and network with other nature photographers.

I first attended the 2004 Summit in Portland, Oregon. I had a great time, which inspired me to contribute more actively to the Summit.

The 2010 Summit will be held Feb 16-21 in Reno, Nevada. I will give a presentation on my project to photograph the 58 US National Parks on February 19 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, including a discussion of the project background, a quick tour of the 58 parks, and a behind-the-scenes look.

More details about the summit are here. If you plan on attending any portfolio reviews, you should register as soon as possible, since the most popular reviewers are already sold out. Moreover, to get the early bird discount, you need to register before January 18. If you plan to attend specific talks (including mine), be sure also to enroll in the registration form, since seating is limited.

By the way, the cover image for the 2010 Summit is one of my Lake Tahoe Winter pictures.

Capitol Reef National Park offers more geological variety than any other park on the Colorado Plateau, which itself is possibly the most unique area in America for natural landscapes. You can find there multicolored cliffs and domes, slot canyons, arches, stone monoliths, and badlands.

Most visitors stay on UT 24 and the scenic drive, both of which cover only a tiny portion of the park. Venture on the dirt roads south or north of UT 24, and you’ll make fantastic discoveries. You will see only a few souls during a whole day if you come off-season. These opportunities for solitude, as well as the variety of landscapes make Capitol Reef one of my favorite national parks.

The main feature of Capitol Reef National Park is the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile long wrinkle on the earth’s crust consisting of an uplift of sandstone cliffs with colored horizontal layers. After getting the official NPS map of the park, you will notice that they have used an aerial photograph as the cover image, whereas in general the cover images for those maps are landscapes photographed from the ground. This is because it takes a high viewpoint to reveal the structure of the Waterpocket fold, and none is readily available in the park, except for the Strike Valley Overlook, which comes closest.

The Strike Valley Overlook is a remote vista point, far from any facilities, so plan accordingly, which ideally means being ready to camp primitively in the desert under exceptionally clear skies. From the Burr Trail (accessed from Boulder or from the gravel but well maintained Notom Bullfrog Road), take the 3 mile long Upper Muley Twist Canyon road to the north, marked by a “Tour stop” sign. The junction is about a mile from the Burr Trail switchbacks that cannot be missed. The Upper Muley Twist Canyon road can be very rough, but with careful driving does not necessarily require the high-clearance of a 4WD. I have driven it with my Subaru Legacy (not Outback). In doubt, you could always walk. From the trailhead parking, you will see two trails. One heads north into Upper Muley Twist Canyon. The other heads east to the Strike Valley Overlook, first following a sandy wash, and then up a slickrock slope. It takes about half an hour to reach the rim of the Waterpocket fold.

You will be a thousand feet above the Strike Valley with great views. The light is best in the afternoon. Before sunset, the Strike Valley is in the shade, but at dusk, the light becomes even again. I suggest driving by night to Halls Creek overlook, which is nice at sunrise.

View all images of Capitol Reef National Park

I’ve posted a few new images of Crater Lake National Park from last summer.

I got up twice at 4am for the sunrise, but it didn’t work as planned. I went to an unmarked spot about 2.1 miles west from the Rim drive/Rim village junction. If you are not afraid of heights, from a large pullout, scramble up the slope on the left and then down to a natural promontory atop a narrow pinnacle. You will be on an incredible position with a 180 degree view of the lake.

The first day, a bar of low clouds on the eastern horizon totally suppressed the color at sunrise. I came to that same point the next day, but as a low cloud closed in, reducing the visibility to nothing, I quickly moved further south. This allowed me to capture the sunrise, but due to the lower position, there isn’t a good separation between Wizard Island and the rim in the back.

The third image shows more clouds, this time on Mt Scott, the highest point in the park. I abandoned my plans to hike up that mountain.

Another week, another arch. Mesa Arch in Canyonlands is almost as iconic as Delicate Arch, but it couldn’t be more different.

Mesa Arch is only about fifty feet wide and ten feet high, however it is remarkable for two reasons. First, because of its position, right at the edge of the mesa, next to a drop of almost a thousand feet straight down, it frames a vast expense of canyons. Second, for fifteen minutes, after sunrise, light reflects from the wall below onto the underside of the arch, making it glow with a unique intense red light that can be produced only by this particular configuration of terrain and time of the day.

Reflected light almost always enhances the subject, being soft and directional at the same time. This is why reflectors of various sizes are used in sophisticated lighting set-ups. One of the defining characteristics of the Colorado Plateau is that so many of the rock formations are made of red sandstone. Sandstone reflects a lot of light, which is why a polarizing filter is so effective on those rock landscapes. Moreover, the reflected light from such sandstone is much warmer than direct light. When it reaches another patch of sandstone, it will cause it to glow with surreal warm colors. Reflected light is the key to many of the great photos on the Colorado Plateau, not only in canyons such as Antelope Canyon or the Zion Narrows where the walls act as giant reflectors, but also at a spot such as Bryce Canyon (see this picture).

Naturally, you will want to come there for sunrise. The trailhead is about five miles south of the Island in the Sky visitor center, about one hour from Moab. From there, take the trail to the left and walk for about 15 minutes.

Despite the cramped location, there is room for a variety of compositions. In order to see the most of the canyons and the underside of the arch from the opening, it helps to position yourself close – beware of the drop off – therefore an extremely wide angle lens can be useful. For reference, the first photograph below was taken with a 110mm lens on 5×7, which is the equivalent of a 24mm lens on 35mm (or full-frame digital). As you can see, a much wider lens would be needed to capture the span. However, a long lens could also be used to put more emphasis on the canyons, reducing the arch to an bright glowing segment on the top of the photograph.

View all images of Canyonlands National Park

Last year, I licensed 12 images to a calendar company located in Europe for a 2010 National Parks calendar. As part of the deal, I received a limited number of copies (some are on sale here).

Upon opening the package, I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the production. The images are reproduced 23 inch wide on a very glossy paper. However the images didn’t look as I remember them.

At first, I assumed poor color management, but then a comparison with my digital files showed that the colors had been systematically altered, with color warming and saturation increases, in particular in the yellows and oranges. “Calendar art” came to mind.

Because this is a high-end calendar company (judging by the production values), publishing annually dozens of calendars, I had to assume that they knew what they were doing. Yet I was wondering why they had to make those changes to the files I provided to them.

From a photographer’s point of view, there is one reason for increasing drama: emotions influence our reactions and remembrances of a scene. We are sometimes disappointed when an image doesn’t match the excitement that we felt at the scene, or fails to create that excitement in the viewer of our photographs. Enhancing the colors in an image can be a means to remedy the discrepancy between our emotional response, and a literal interpretation. When our experience at the scene was particularly memorable, it is tempting to summon vivid colors to match vivid memories and create impact. There are also individual factors. For instance, if we were hiking, the exhilaration of effort can also bring us to a state where our perception is more sensitive, and therefore the colors look more vivid to us.

In the case of this calendar, the alterations were made by someone who was not present at the scene. Absent the artistic motivation previously described, the most likely reason for enhancing the colors is they thought the calendar would sell better.

It is well-known in the industry that more dramatic images edge others in the marketplace. The same can be observed on photo-sharing sites and contests. Velvia quickly displaced other films used in nature photography. In a world filled with more and more distractions, dramatic color catches your eye, particularly in small images, where there isn’t that much content to hold your attention. Since color photography has been arguably invented to serve commerce, it is not a surprise that “more” color will sell better. Selling is a matter of catching one’s attention fast.

The risk is that there is an increasing “arms race” towards more saturation – and further from reality. This has been in great part aided by the ease of use of just a slider in software. Vibrant images are now expected in nature photography, creating a standard that is somehow arbitrary. If everybody else is offering images with vivid color, and you do not do the same, your images may be perceived as too flat compared to the mainstream.

Since this blog does not let me format the images side by side, please see the comparison here.

Update: After the initial day, the first 100 votes favored the “enhanced” versions by a margin of 56 to 44. This puts me in the minority, but I stand by my original versions. I favor clarity and truthfulness over impact. I try to create images that endure a sustained viewing, rather than attract the eye. I’d like to believe that one of the reasons why the vivid images were favored by the majority is that both series were presented as small web images, whereas I prepare my images for prints. I have found that as the print size increases, and the image is given more consideration, the “wow” factor caused by dramatic color wear out.

I’ve posted new images of the following locations in Oregon: Central Oregon Cascades, Southern Oregon Cascades, and Smith Rock State Park, as well as a few from the coast, which are mixed with older images.

Oregon is a state with a great diversity of terrain. Owing to its drizzly weather in winter, it is reputed for its lush vegetation and waterfalls, however the eastern part of the state is actually part of the Great Basin desert.

Those images were taken on a family trip. We particularly liked Smith Rock State Park, with its scenic cliffs, river, nice grounds, and quiet walk-in campground. Oregon has set up a specific fund for its state parks, that cannot be affected by budget crisis. As a result, we have found the Oregon state parks to offer some of the best and cleanest facilities of any parks. California should follow their example. In fact, there is a current campaign to do just that at http://www.yesforstateparks.com/

Among the more than two thousand arches in Arches National Park, Delicate Arch, chosen by the state of Utah to be its symbol, is distinguised by its graceful shape and location above a curving slickrock basin with the La Sal Mountains as a backdrop. Even if your stay in Arches is brief, you shouldn’t miss Delicate Arch.

I much prefer to photograph Delicate Arch in winter, for three reasons. First, during the winter months, the La Sal Mountains are snow-covered. Second, since the Arch is south-facing, during the winter, it is entirely lit by the last light of sunset. The warm color of the sunset light enhances the natural color of the Arch, causing it to glow with a color that is almost surreal. On the other hand, during the late spring and summer months, part of the Arch is in shadow at sunset, so you’d have to photograph it at least half-an-hour before sunset, when the light isn’t as great. Last, Delicate Arch is a popular sight, so at the height of the visitation, it can be difficult to get a photograph without someone posing beneath the span.

The trail to the Delicate Arch is a mile-and-a-half long, with 500 feet of elevation gain. It takes about 45 minutes to hike one way. To give yourself enough time for photography, you should allow for at least three hours for the round trip. The trail is marked by cairns and by the wear left by generations of visitors on the slickrock. Although obvious by daylight, it requires much attention by dark, especially in winter, when the last hundreds feet of the trail are often frozen. Since you may be descending after sundown, it is essential to take a good light.

There are not a lot of variations in viewpoint, as there is a vertical cliff beyond the Arch. Yet, by using either a short tele or a wide angle lens, and by photographing from the rim or from below, you can include or exclude the mountains or the bowl. Some photographers time their visit so that the moon can be framed within the Arch. Others use a double exposure to include the moon – which doesn’t prevent their image from appearing on the cover of Outdoor Photographer.

On the way to Delicate Arch, there are two sights worth noting. After you cross the suspension bridge over Salt Wash, turn left on a secondary trail along the dry bed and walk for about a hundred feet to a fork, then turn right. You’ll see a nice panel of Ute petroglyphs. Near the summit, close to Delicate Arch, there is a small arch on your right that can be used to frame Delicate Arch (as Galen Rowell did).

On my second visit, during a frigid late November evening, other hikers took a quick look before heading back. As I stayed in the biting wind, the last light intensified the colors of the red entrada sandstone rock, contrasting it with the blue colors of the snow-covered slope behind. By the time I returned to the parking lot, everybody had left. While the temperature had dropped to single digits, my car battery had died, but my expedition-grade sleeping bag kept me warm for the night. I was glad I was well-prepared for winter travel !

View all photos of Arches National Park

I’ve posted new images of Clifton and Morenci, Arizona. If you’ve never heard of those places before, neither did I. One thing that I love about road trips is the possibility to run into places out of the ordinary, although not considered tourist attractions.

Traveling from Arizona to Colorado along US Route 191, the Coronado Trail, as I drove through Clifton, I noticed a side street that had an odd look to it. I parked the car, and walked that street. This felt like a ghost town, with most storefront windows boarded up, some bearing political posters from the Clinton area. But at the same time, the place was not totally abandoned, as it was clear that a few people still live above the storefronts.

A bit further, I noticed an open-pit mine of epic scale. The layers of colors reminded me of some of the canyons of the Southwest. There was an awe-inspiring beauty to be found, which was in tension with the environment destruction at hand. I have always found it fascinating that man could manufacture such artificial landscapes so much faster than the forces of nature. The beauty and spiritual power of wild places is so compelling that it is easy to forget that they are isolated islands in a world radically transformed by man. That’s something I try to keep in the back of my mind when I photograph the natural landscapes for which I am more known.

I immediately thought of Edward Burtynsky’s work. One of the reasons I hadn’t sought those subjects actively is the bureaucratic difficulties involved in access. Although that particular area was thoroughly fenced, the company had provided one viewing area, complete with picnic tables, and even neatly made opening through the chain-link fence, apparently designed for cameras. Upon returning, I did a bit of research, and learned that the Morenci mine is the largest copper mine in North America, and one of the largest in the world.

View more images of Clifton and Morenci, Arizona

Zabriskie Point gives you a good introduction to Death Valley. From there, fantastically eroded and colored badlands surround you, with Telescope Peak (the highest point in Death Valley, at 11,000 feet) and the salt pan in a distance. During the winter, temperatures in the Valley are mild, the air more clear, and Telescope Peak snow-capped, contrasting it with the desert. By mid-March, temperatures are already too warm, sometimes reaching in the 90s or even low 100s.

The location is excellent at sunrise, looking towards Telescope Peak, and also good at sunset, looking towards the badlands in the south. From there, you can either photograph a wide scene or isolate landmarks such as Telescope Peak and Manly Beacon. You can compose more abstract images with details such as the giant “elephant feet”.

Zabriskie point is a just a few miles from Furnace Creek, and about 35 miles from Stove Pipe Wells. From the parking lot, you hike a very short, but steep, paved trail to an observation platform. Almost everybody photographs from that platform, or when making a wide photograph, steps over the stone wall to the edge of the hill to avoid having extra foreground in the frame.

Here is a little tip that took me a couple of visits to figure out. When standing on, or near the platform, during the winter months, you are shooting at sunrise in the same axis as the sun, straight in your back, resulting in a flat lighting. Instead, walk a narrow user trail, starting from the parking lot towards the right (north) of the paved trail, and continue for less than 10 minutes. You will get on a narrow ridge, higher than the platform. From there, you can see more of the salt pan. You can include Manly Beacon and Telescope Peak in the same shot. Last but not least, you can shoot a bit towards the south rather than the east. The cross-lighting will give more relief to the landscape, and a polarizing filter will do a better job at bringing out the colors than from the platform. An additional benefit is that you will escape the crowds that gather at the platform at sunrise and sunset.

After shooting at sunrise from Zabriskie Point, you can hike into the badlands, following a trail to Golden Canyon. If you are in a party with two cars, you can hike one-way, which is about 3 miles, otherwise, try returning through the Cower Gulch. There are good views of Manly Beacon and the Red Cathedral rocks.

All images of Death Valley National Park

I have posted new images of three National Monuments in Arizona: Sunset Crater Volcano, Wupatki and Chiricahua.

Both are volcanic landscapes not usually associated with Arizona, yet they couldn’t be more different. Sunset Crater Volcano preserves lava flows and smooth cinder domes (unfortunately the namesake volcano is closed to hiking), while Chiricahua is a wonderland of rocks with formations of shapes comparable to Bryce Canyon’s famous hoodoos, although lacking their bright colors.

Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki National Monuments are a short distance from each through a scenic parkway, so they can be visited together in a loop starting from Flagstaff, right off I-40. You can visit this interesting loop, which offers a variety of sights, in half-a-day, making it a worthwhile detour.

Chiricahua, in South East Arizona is considerably more out of the way, far away from any urban area, at the end of a 30-mile road that winds from I-10 through rural grasslands. Being at a higher elevation, Chiricahua is a vegetated island above the desert. During my visit in May, the temperatures were surprisingly cold. If you like solitude and unusual landscapes, do not miss the park on your way between Arizona and New Mexico.