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May 2016

Monochrome Madness: MM3-7

Double Arch, Arches National Park, Utah, Steve Bruno

Memorial Day is this weekend here in the US, which typically marks the start of summer travel season.  Many of America’s National Parks can be exorbitantly crowded this time of year.  Arches National Park (above) is no exception to the crowds, but doesn’t have the nearby accommodations to handle the masses that visit Great Smoky Mountain or Grand Canyon.  The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th year in 2016, and is offering some free days to visit (in case an incentive is needed) this year.  The remaining days are:  August 25-28, September 24, and November 11.

This photograph is an older one of mine, taken in summer when things were a little quieter in Arches NP.  This is not a conversion from color, and the original is on Kodak Pan-X 4×5 film.  In the past, I made several prints from this in my home darkroom, one of which still hangs on my mom’s walls (she happened to be a few feet away when I released the shutter on this one).  It’s been kind of reassuring to know I learned the printing process correctly when I see this print on my visits, as I have replaced several color prints of hers which have not stood the test of time.

This is my addition to the collection of b&w images for Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness this week.  You can check out other photographers shots on her site.

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Monochrome Madness: MM3-6

Suns rays, desert, clouds

Cumulus clouds and sunsets can often combine for some of my favorite lighting in color photographs.  This was a bit early for the underside of the clouds to display the changing colors, but the atmospheric conditions made the timing for this shot perfect.

This is my contribution to Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness this week.  You can see more b&w images from other photographers on her website’s blog.

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WPC: Face

It has occurred to me that I’ve been on this blog over a year now, and there’s one face you haven’t seen – mine.  We were out hiking a couple weeks ago when a friend took this photo of me on her phone, then later processed it a couple ways.  This is the variation we both liked best.  So, for this week’s challenge, here’s yours truly!

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WPC: Earth

Open pit copper mine, Utah

Earth.  Our one and only home.  Forget about going boldly where no one has gone before, this is it.  Even if we were to find another suitable planet for our existence, history suggests we would strip it of its resources and fight over who gets to claim ownership.

Many civilizations have proven it’s possible to live within the means of the local environment, but our modern society has created demands which leave tremendous scars on our planet.  Forest clearcutting and strip mining would be major examples of this.  Copper, a material we have made essential to our way of living, does not exist in large, solid masses, so can only be extracted through the process of strip mining.

For this week’s challenge, I could have chosen one of many images which I feel portray the special qualities and beauty of this planet. I kept coming back to this one, however.  Earth has this magical quality of rejuvenation, and after we have vanished, will reclaim itself.

This is my hands-down favorite image ever taken from an airplane.  On an early morning flight into Salt Lake City, we passed the Kennecott open pit mine.  After copper is exposed, the oxidation process turns it into a complexity of colors.  This should have been a blight on the land, but all I can see is beauty in this shot.

Need a frame of reference?  Along the line extending to the upper right corner, you will see four dots.  Each of those is a truck capable of moving hundreds of tons of dirt, and having tires that are taller than a semi-trailer.

11

Monochrome Madness: MM3-5

tree branches, patterns

Sometimes flat, overcast skies make for perfect lighting.  Or, in this case, backdrop.  Bright white clouds contrasting with a blue sky would have been a distraction here.  Instead, I was able to showcase the patterns of the branches and leaves.

This photo is included in Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness this week.  You can check out other blogger’s work on her site.

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