Shooting at sunrise at Colorado National Monument.
Day 1 - 2007-05-17
Grand Junction CO
We all gathered in Grand Junction, CO on May 17. I started my trip on the 12th and spent five days shooting Zion, Bryce and Capitol Reef before the meet up in GJ. The participants were: Jim and Kathy Stephanie Sheila Fred Phil Ian Skip and yours truly. The workshop was lead by three pros: Marc Muench Andy Williams and David Rosenthal Ian would be my roomie for the next 4 days. Great guy and a terrific photographer. In fact, they were all very nice people and everyone got along famously. I was feeling a bit intimidated going to the workshop because I was the least experienced of the bunch. However, there was no need as everyone was there to learn and to help each other out. We had dinner at the hotel and were treated to a slide show and lecture by Marc. He didn't go over rules of composition or the techniques. The technical points would come later in the field. His main point, iirc, was the importance of finding your own vision. It was interesting.
Kathy chasing lizards. Colorado National Monument.
Day 2 - 2007-05-18
Grand Junction CO, Hanksville UT
Up at 4am and out of the hotel by 4:45. We piled into our identical Secret Service suburbans and we were off to our first shoot at Colorado National Monument. Ian, Fred and I would be in the same group for the duration of the workshop. Andy drove us the first day. It was still dark when we got to Colorado NM around 5am.
Skip, Jim, Ian, David, and Marc. Colorado National Monument, CO
Driving to Goblin Valley in our Secret Service suburbans.
We then headed for breakfast at a local diner. After breakfast we were off to Goblin Valley State Park. We shot there in the afternoon and had lunch.
Stephanie, taking a picture of Fred, taking of picture of the hoodoos. Goblin Valley State Park, UT
What not to shoot.
We checked into our motel in Hanksville around 3pm. We had our first review session. I think Stephanie and Skip were up. Skip showed a photo that was almost identical to this one. You see something that you find interesting. You center it in the frame, point and shoot. Marc referred to this type of photo as an "I was here" photo. Although you may find it interesting, the only reaction you'll get from anyone else is "yawn, so what?" Try to make interesting subjects interesting to your viewers.
Chowin' down. Hanksville, UT
After the review we were treated to a dutch oven dinner.
Hoodoos and star trails. Goblin Valley State Park, UT
After dinner we raced back to Goblin Valley to catch the sunset. We then had our first night shoot. We did long exposures and painting with light against the hoodoos. We got back to Hanksville around 11pm.
Stephanie, taking a picture of a stump.
We shot till about 8am, then headed back to Hanksville for breakfast at Blondie's. Another review session and then we headed out into the San Rafael Swell with our guides, Gary and Murphy.
Skip, taking a picture. San Rafael Swell, UT
Fred and Andy. San Rafael Swell, UT
Flowers. San Rafael Swell, UT
I tried to do some canyon shots but it was overcast and the light was completely flat. Had to settle for photos of flowers.
San Rafael Swell, UT
The San Rafael Swell was probably my favorite place. The scenery is comparable to Capitol Reef or Canyonlands. The really great thing about it is that it isn't a national park. Places like Zion, though quite stunning, have been processed and packaged to make it safe for busloads of tour groups. The San Rafael Swell still has the rough edges of the American Outback. To enjoy the swell you have to put some effort into it. I think the San Rafael Swell would completely lose its character if it were made into a national park.
We drove along rough dirt roads for a few hours till we got to our dinner site. Gary and Murphy got dinner going while we went out to shoot. The light had improved considerably by then and we got some good photos.
Relaxing after dinner. Kathy, Jim, Skip, Ian, and Sheila.
Petroglyphs and star trails. San Rafael Swell, UT
Afterwards we were off to the petroglyphs for the evening shoot. That lasted until around 11pm. The drive back to Hanksville took an hour and a half over winding dirt roads. We had it easy because we were in the lead car. Andy and David had a hell of a time. We finally got back at 12:30am. A twenty hour day! My photos from San Rafael Swell.
Red dust that gets into everything.
Marc, shooting with his pimpin' gear.
Tunnel vision. Cathedral Valley, UT
Day 4 - 2007-05-20
Hanksville UT
We all decided to sleep in after the long day yesterday. Breakfast at Blondie's then off to Cathedral Valley. Riding with David today. Everyone seemed to be dragging a bit today. I admit, I wasn't feeling too inspired. All the rocks were starting to look the same. In fact I was so desperate to get my inspiration going I started taking weird pictures like this. I was standing at the edge of a ditch about 2 foot deep. At the bottom of the ditch was a little gully, about 6 inches deep. The gully had a mud roof which formed a tunnel. I wanted to see what, if anything, was inside the tunnel. I wasn't about to stick my head in there, so I set the camera on manual focus, manual exposure, and timer. I hit the shutter, held my tripod upside down by its legs, and lowered the camera into the tunnel. Not much to look at and I'm surprised it actually worked.
Andy in the desert. Cathedral Valley, UT
As we went deeper into the valley I started getting my juice back.
After dinner.
Stephanie, Skip, Phil, Fred, Andy, Marc, Ian, Kathy, and David.
Temple of the Moon. Cathedral Valley, UT
The evening shoot was at the Temple of the Sun and Moon. By now we were getting the hang of night photography. My photos from Capitol Reef and Cathedral Valley.
Andy getting in my shot. Factory Butte, San Rafael Swell, UT
Day 5 - 2007-05-21
Hanksville UT, Grand Junction CO
Sunrise shoot at Factory Butte. Again, the light wasn't the best this morning.
Back to Blondie's for one last breakfast. Checked out and drove back to the Doubletree Hotel in Grand Junction. Lunch and a final review session. Workshop wrapped up at 4:30.
Going to workshops is a great learning opportunity. You don't just from the pros, though. You also pick up a lot of information, as well as draw inspiration from the other photographers. Overall a great experience. However, if you do go to one, be warned that you will work your butt off.
