Previsualizing in Black and White
I am not quite ready to leave Death Valley. Sure, we are now in Vegas visiting with friends, he a childhood and car-crazy buddy of Arnie’s. We have been having fun catching up, but we have also been talking about our wonderful time in Death Valley.
During our workshop, as most of you know, Arnie and I don’t get to photograph much. When I do, I have to make it count. The images in this blog were one-shot wonders, as one of our alumni calls them.
Carefully compose, think of composition and shape and form, light and shadow, and it is a perfect recipe for a black-and-white photograph. Those who follow this blog have already seen one of them, done on the last day on the way back to our group shot. The one to the left is one I did last year called “Fingers” that has garnered a few awards.
But there were a few others…
From almost the same location where I made the image above, I made this one. It, too, was about lines.
Out on the dunes, I was helping one of our participants look for and recognize patterns. I did a quick grab shot to show her a possibility. When I looked at it later, I
found I really liked it! I guess experience counts for something. I chose to give it a more ethereal look instead of the more-tradition dark-and-moody processing.
On our last evening in Death Valley, we returned to one of our scout-and-shoot locations. I was fascinated by this shape. Remember, Death Valley normally sees little rainfall, less than 2 inches according to the National Park Service, a source I trust more than Wikipedia. Earlier in the week before we arrived in Death Valley, they had gotten nearly that much rain in one or two days. Alas, I cannot find the figures, but suffice it to say, there were puddles along the edges of the roads.
We are already looking forward to next year here, same time, same place!
Next: ???
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Hi- Terrific post and beautiful images. I thoroughly enjoyed your workshop on Kiawah. Great to follow your work here. Thanks.
Jane,
What a lovely message. We did have lots fun on Kiawah, as we did in Death Valley. Great to hear from you!
Take care,
TBC