Night photographer Lance Keimig takes you on a journey to the Aurora Borealis and helps you from start to finish, beginning with preparation for cold, Icelandic weather and finishing up with exposure...
Flying out of Salt Lake City airport early on Monday morning I could see
in the distance the breathtaking expanse of southeastern Utah that encompasses
both Arches and Canyonlands national parks. The 3 day weekend that I had just
spent doing photography there was among the most satisfying I'd ever done. I did
more good photography in those 3 days than almost anywhere or anywhen else. This
essay is to try and help you to have a similar experience.
Getting There
Southeastern Utah is remote. The town of Moab is the base from which to
explore both Arches and Canyonlands parks. The best way to get there is by flying
first into Salt Lake City. The airport is efficient and you'll be on your way in
a rental car quickly. From SLC the drive takes about 4.5 hrs, and is quite
scenic. Take Hwy 80 east out of the airport to 215 south. This connects to Hwy 15
south which you follow until the Hwy 6 exit at Spanish Fork. Here the scenery
immediately becomes interesting and you continue on Hwy 6 to Hwy 70. Take 70
eastbound to Hwy 191 and then south on 191 to Moab.
On 6 you will pass through the town of Hope. Be very careful of your speed.
The local police are always out in force with radar. I had been forewarned. In 4
days and 1,000 miles of driving in Utah, other than in Hope I only saw 1 highway
patrol car. Unfortunately he clocked me at 79 MPH in a 55 MPH zone; sigh.
Moab
Moab was not what I expected. Despite its remoteness it is a well developed
town with extensive services for tourists, including a great many motels. Much of
the year you'll find them heavily booked, so reserve early. Incidentally, I was
surprised at the number of Europeans, especially Germans who were there. The weak
US dollar has made a trip to the USA very economical for them. One local told me
that as many as 40% of this year's visitors were European.
The entrance to Arches lies only a 10 minutes drive from the town, while
Canyonlands is further away -- about a 45 minute drive. As a photographer you are
bound to want to be out shooting at first light. Check the time of sunrise and
plan on allowing plenty of time to drive to the park and reach a suitable site.
The dry and clear air of the high desert makes early morning light very
special.
Normally, I use an 81A or B warming filter when shooting before actual
sunrise. It's not needed here. The red sandstone more than makes up for any
pre-dawn blueness.
In late September sunrise was at about 7.15am. This meant getting
up at 5am to arrive on location in time for first light at about 6.30am,
particularly when going to Canyonlands. In the summer it will mean getting up
even earlier. Remember to check on moonrise and moonset times as well. I did, and
by planning was rewarded by a thin waning moon sliver rising over the Lasalle
mountains just minutes before the sun, with first light already illuminating the
clouds and sky. A stunning shot with a 300mm lens.
I won't provide here a detailed guide as to what to see and what to shoot. It
would be redundant in the light of the many fine guide books and pamphlets that
are available locally in Moab. In only 3 days I wasn't able to see everything
anyhow, and any recommendations as to locations would be incomplete at best. I
would suggest though that you pick up a general guide book before you leave home.
This will enable you to develop a sense of where things are and what to plan
for.
National Geographic has just published an excellent jacket pocket sized guide
to the US National Parks. This provides a very good overview before your
trip.
What to Shoot
This region is a feast for landscape and nature photographers. In 3 days I
shot 19 36-exposure rolls of transparency film. Depending on your style and
preferences you'll encounter everything from grand vistas to minute desert
wildflowers. I'll make two location recommendations though. In Arches there is a
section called the Petrified Dunes. Pull into the parking area before dawn and
walk 50 yards or so into the dunes area. Sunrise will be in front of you, rising
from behind the Lasalle mountains in the distance. Behind you are a range of very
high sandstone cliffs that turn fiery red as the first rays of the sun strike
them. On the ground around you you'll find a virtual moonscape with fantastic
vegetation. It doesn't get much better then this!
By the way, though I've never had much success with graduated ND filters the
shot of the cliffs at sunrise demands one so as to hold detail in the foreground
and the cliffs at the same time. Be prepared.
For both sunrise and sunset vistas from a sole location I can highly recommend
Dead Horse State Park. (Great name)! This park lies just before the entrance to
Canyonlands. Don't miss a sunset there whatever you do, but get there at least an
hour before the sun goes down. The vistas are stunning.
Another area not to miss is route 128, just north of Moab. This road parallels
the Colorado river and has some spectacular scenery. Early or late in the day are
great times for this drive. Thanks to Gene Collison for this recommendation.
What John Shaw & Your Mother Never Taught You (Sorry John)
The following are some general tips both about shooting in this region and
outdoor photography in general. I assume that a trip such as this represents a
considerable investment of time, money, and energy, so here is some specific
advice about both general and photographic field equipment and techniques.
I've found that some basic preparation and anticipation goes a long way to
increasing productivity as well as ensuring comfort and safety in the field.
Weather
This region is a high plains desert. This means that during spring, summer and
fall the nights are cold to cool and the days warm to hot. Dress in layers. A
long sleeve denim shirt and a photovest are convenient. A sweater for early
mornings is also welcome. Jeans, in my opinion are a must. I saw many people in
shorts, but as a photographer you'll be kneeling and climbing a lot on rough
stone surfaces. Your knees will thank you.
Because of the climate, locale and altitude, water is a serious issue. The air
is very dry and even with moderate exertion you'll need over a gallon per day to
avoid dehydration as well as serious thirst. There is very little water available
in the parks, and no food whatsoever. I found that a half dozen small bottles of
spring water per day were needed. When hiking, a water bottle is a must to carry
along.
Since there are no food facilities in either park make sure to prepare a
picnic lunch the night before. Fruit, nuts and the like make good hiking
snacks.
Be aware of the altitude. The region is at 5,000 to 7,000 feet. This means
that for lowlanders even moderate exertion is going to make you feel winded
easily. Pace yourself. A few people will find that they can get headaches and
nausea from altitude sickness for the first couple of days, if they overdo
it.
A photo-vest is a great tool. All of the miscellaneous items, from film to
filters to candy bars will find a convenient and accessible pocket. I
particularly like the one made by Domke. It is cool enough to wear on a hot day
and very sturdily made.
Bring a brimmed hat, like a baseball hat. Not only will it keep you cool but
the brim will be very convenient in keeping the sun out of your eyes when looking
into the viewfinder while the sun is low in the sky. Since shading the lens is
vital when the sun is low, a hat held in the right position in front of the lens
makes a great sun shield as well.
Wear low sided hiking boots if you have them. Buy a pair if you don't.
Sneakers are OK, but as you're going to be doing a great deal of walking, much of
it over rough terrain, boots are definitely a plus.
A small flashlight is indispensable. Getting to a site before first light can
be hazardous without one, and changing film and lenses by feel alone awkward at
best. Naturally sunglasses are a must, but be careful if you have Serringeti or
similarly tinted lenses. The red color of the sandstone becomes highly
exaggerated for some reason, and while very beautiful can mislead you into
believing that the film is capturing a similar level of color saturation. Take
off sunglasses regularly for a reality check, or use about a 30cc magenta filter.
(Just kidding).
I usually take a change of clothes and shoes along with me in the car when out
shooting for the day. The number of times I've gotten wet feet and muddy pants
have taught me that hard lesson. While I didn't think I'd experience anything
like that this trip, I was glad of a change of clothes after shooting in a
section of trees and brush that had experienced a small brush fire earlier in the
year. I came out looking like I'd been in a coal bin from brushing against the
burnt branches. As Gilda used to say, "If it's not one thing it's another".
Filters
Speaking of filters, this is big sky country, and a polarizer is a must.
Remember that the effect is strongest at 90 degrees to the sun and if you're
using a lens wider than a 35mm, the effect will become uneven across an expanse
of sky.
Tripods
For many serious lanmdscape photographers the following observation will be
redundant. Do use a tripod at all times. Tripods aren't just for low light and
long lenses. Just because your camera can be handheld, doesn't mean that it
should be. It broke my heart seeing amateurs at these two parks hand holding long
zoom lenses, shooting images that clearly needed lots of depth of field. Unless
they were shooting ISO 400 negative film (maybe they were), they'll be
disappointed.
You really should have two tripods, a heavy duty model for use from the car
and a lighter weight one for hiking. This trip I only brought a light weight
unit, but I regretted not having a heftier one for some moonrise images, where I
put a 2X extender on my 300mm Nikkor for an effective focal length of 600mm,
while shooting at 1-2 second exposures. Even with mirror lockup and self-timer
release only 1 in 3 frames were critically sharp. At 300mm with these conditions
the odds improved to 1 in 2. Oh yes, Murphy was at work and there was a strong
breeze blowing.
A good ballhead is another must. Both Foba and Arca Swiss make great models.
Shooting without one is a huge waste of time and energy. Of course quick mount
plates for all bodies and long lenses which have their own tripod mounts are also
necessary.
Film
This is of course a matter of personal preference, but here are a few
observations. I assume that you are going to be shooting slides. A slow film such
as Velvia is ideal since you'll be doing most of your shooting tripod mounted.
Since my final image destination is Ciba prints (Ilfochrome), I generally shoot
Provia 100, which though a touch grainier than Velvia has a more pleasing pallet
and softer contrast range, not to mention the extra stop of speed in general
use.
Bring a lot of film -- for two reasons. The first is that the picture
opportunities are truly amazing in their diversity. I sometimes found that a
single location would produce as many as 3 or 4 striking images within a few
minutes. Critical or difficult ones would get 2 or 3 exposures and at least 4
bracketed shots; plus and minus a third and two third stops.
Even without exposure bracketing, I always take 2 or 3 frames of every scene.
This gives that many originals, (consider it on-location duping), which comes in
handy for publication submissions as well as backup in the case of a processing
mark, scratch or other disaster. Transparency film is not cheap, but compared to
the opportunity cost, why be frugal?
Film Processing
I usually have all film processed by my favorite lab after I return from a
trip. In Moab I made an exception for two reasons. The most important was that
there is a pro quality lab in town which came highly recommended. The name is
Westlight Photography and their number is (801) 259-7943. They do E6 in just a
few hours, and the quality as well as speed is first rate. I would bring film in
at 4pm and they would drop it off at my hotel by 7pm that same evening. What
service! They also stock many pro emulsions in sizes from 35mm to 4X5". If you
run out, try finding Velvia or Lumiere at a 7-11 store in rural Utah!
In anticipation of having results available for viewing I brought a small
battery operated light box along as well as an 8X loupe. It's a real joy to sit
in the hotel room after dinner and review the days shooting. Instant
feedback.
The reason why this approach was important to me was that I was testing a new
lens (usually not a good idea on a major trip), and happily ended up using it for
at least 40% of my shooting. The lens turned out to meet and even exceed my
expectations. If that had not been the case I would have been able to use
alternative lenses after viewing the first day's results.
Cameras & Lenses
These are, of course, a highly personal matter. Here are some hints that
apply to all systems. A camera body with an illuminated viewfinder or display
panel is a real plus for dawn shooting. So is a mirror lockup feature to dampen
vibration during long exposures. First light exposures can run from a half second
to 4 seconds or more, and especially with long lenses you're fighting vibration
at every turn. I use the self timer instead of a cable release as well, since
this seems to give less vibration.
Forget autofocus. My Nikon system, as do many fine cameras, has a competent
autofocus system. But, since you'll be tripod mounted with stationary subjects,
autofocus serves no purpose in landscape photography. Unless you have a serious
vision deficiency you are capable of focusing more accurately visually than can
the camera, at least at the contemplative speed at which you'll be working.
Lenses are a tough call. I own 8 lenses for my Nikon and took most of them
with me. When shooting from the car this presents no problem since having a
selection of tools is ideal. For hiking though, and you'll be doing a lot of it,
these lenses can turn into a backbreaker. So, I usually carry a second much
smaller hiking bag. Film, filters, extra end caps and other gizmos go in the
photo vest pockets. The camera with one lens attached (wherever happens to be on
it) goes over one shoulder or remains attached to the tripod which I carry like a
rifle at the port-arms position. In the hiking bag I carry 3 additional
lenses.
Here's what they all were. 20mm, 60mm macro, 28mm~70mm zoom, 70mm~210mm zoom,
and a 2X extender which makes the long zoom a 140mm~420mm. The 20mm and 60mm are
treated as one for packing purposes, because I've epoxy glued two end caps
together and then carry the lenses back to back; a real space saver.
Other lenses, including a 300mm stayed in the car. The ratio of usage on this
trip was as follows:
20mm - 10%
28mm~70mm - 40%, (mostly at the 28mm to 35mm end of the range)
60mm macro - 5% (only for close-ups)
70mm~210mm - 40% (mostly at the long end of its range)
180mm - 0%
300mm - 5%
2X extender - 1% (usually on the long zoom)
My 28mm, 35mm and 85mm were unused and left at the hotel because of the
success of the zooms. I'd expected the zooms would dominate usage, and they did.
The 180mm F2.8, normally one of my favorite lenses, got no use at all. It usually
serves as my prime medium-long hiking lens, but the need for a zoom under these
conditions was so strong that the Sigma 70~210 got the nod, as you'll see
shortly.
Since I am almost neurotic about image quality, I usually favor using prime
lenses from my camera maker, Nikon. But, for a shoot like this zooms are vital.
Much of the time one simply can't move a few feet forward or back to accommodate
a single focal length lens, particularly when standing at the edge of a 500 foot
precipice or with your back against a rock face..
Since 95% of the shooting I did was tripod mounted, I was able to always shoot
at at least F8, if not using an even smaller stop for greater depth of field.
This meant that I was at the lens's optimum aperture. Both zooms are F2.8 maximum
aperture, and based on my own prior test as well as those of others, have been
found to be at their best at F8 or F11. At smaller apertures than this
diffraction effects start to limit image quality, and these were only used when
maximum depth of field was needed.
As mentioned, neither of these zooms are Nikkors. This is for two reasons.
Nikon's 80mm~200mm F2.8 is a great lens, but not for me. I simply don't like
push-pull zooms and the lack of a tripod mount on a lens of this size and weight
is a serious drawback. I have been using the Sigma 70mm~210mm F2.8 for the past 2
years and have found it to be optically excellent and mechanically robust.
My newest lens, and the one I was field testing for the first time, is
the just introduced Tokina 28-70mm F2.6-F2.8 Pro zoom. This lens is based in
part, I am told, on a justly famous design by Angenieux. It was recently tested
by a major British magazine, and out of a group of 50 medium focal length zooms
came out in the top 3. It is optically first rate. Mechanically, over the long
term I expect that it will be just as competent. The construction is all metal,
and the zoom and focus rings wide and comfortable to use. From F4 onward I can
detect no significant difference in center or edge sharpness at any part of it's
zoom range compared to Nikon primes. Distortion is very low and contrast high and
smooth. My 28mm, 35mm and 60mm Nikkors aren't ready for retirement just yet, but
the convenience of this zoom, in a situation like this, is not significantly
compromised by any lack of image quality with this lens.
My only criticism is that the lens is quite susceptible to flare. It handles
the flare well though, without much contrast degradation or veiling. I suppose
this problem is inevitable given the large number of lens elements. A well
positioned hat saves the day when shooting at a wide angle setting when the sun
is anywhere near the image.
In summary, for this shoot these two zooms alone would cover 90% of most
photographer's needs, and can be highly recommended.
Exposure
Correct exposure with transparency material is vital. A third stop error is
noticeable and a half stop, particularly on the overexposure side, is nearly a
loss. Though this sounds extreme, when making Cibachrome prints properly exposed
images are quite critical for maximum quality.
Before a shoot like this, confirm by doing tests that your camera's meter
readings are accurate. When shooting, I generally use the F4's built in spot
meter for tricky lighting situations, but usually trust the matrix metering for
general shooting. It has proven to be highly accurate in most situations. I
always carry a hand held meter though, just for backup and double checks.
I usually shoot on fully manual exposure, since it's the easiest way to
bracket exposure. If the lighting and subject are easy, and I don't think
bracketing is needed, I'll shoot in Aperture Priority mode. On the F4 these are
also the only two modes where the depth of field button stops the lens down to
the actual shooting aperture rather than all the way. Of course because I'm
shooting tripod mounted, exposure time is largely irrelevant.
Batteries
Ah yes, batteries. The small MB21 battery grip on my Nikon F4 takes 4
AAs. I put in new batteries before the trip, and though a set are usually good
for 30-40 rolls, I found on the third morning that the batteries were dying, even
though I had only shot about a dozen rolls to that time. Why? Maybe because the
ones I'd loaded weren't as fresh as they might be, but also possibly because it
was close to freezing and I'd been using the body's built in illuminator a great
deal. Where was I? About a half mile from the car. Where were the spare
batteries? In the car, of course.
Happily the batteries held out till I finished shooting at that location, but
my lesson was learned. A set of fresh batteries now live in my photovest, to be
with me at all times.
This brings up the issue of whether or not to use a second camera body as a
backup. Because I was tripod shooting, a second body was redundant for rapid lens
switching. I usually bring a second body in case of a technical failure, but
after thirty five years of taking pictures, ten of them during the 70's as a
professional photojournalist, I have never had a camera body fail. You carry the
weight and you take your chances.
Summary
If you want a photo weekend that will inspire, exhaust and delight you I can
highly recommend southeastern Utah and these two national parks. It will
challenge and develop your skills and hopefully lead to a great many satisfying
images.
I have just come from one week in Moab and one
week driving back to the East Coast arriving at
5/1/98. WestLight may still exist, but the shop
that processes the film is now called Action Shots
801 259-8086 331 North Main, and they use
WestLight's envelops ?. WestLight's telephone is
never answered. Service was always several hours
after being promissed. The quality was good, but
slide numbers are often reversed and faint or
backwards in sequence. They are however dust free
and the best place in town or the area.
I was somewhat shocked to see the amount of
polution in the air from 30 years ago. When it
rained, often, the clouds were great.
I used my 20mm lens about 1%, my 300mm lens 1
time, and all other shots were from my 35-70 f2.8
lens 70% or 80-200 f2.8 lens 29%.
Dawn and sunset yielded excellent slides. Well
worth the trouble to get up early. I suggest you
drive once to the area in the daylight before
going in the dark. There are several interesting
turns.
Oh yes, the tripods were worth their weight in
gold.
Very good! Two years ago we went down there -
stayed at Dead Horse Point in our camper. I shot
some of the best slides I've ever shot of
EVERYTHING: our kids, shadows, rocks, arches, rock
art, everything. We hiked every trail up there and
bunches in Arches and Canyonlands. I shot tons of
film. Good thing. We got home, I found I had
breast cancer and all those good shots and good
vibes got me through the next year. Dead Horse
Point is one of my favorite places in the whole
world. Life's too short, so before you check out,
better check out southern Utah.
Love, Kathi Wagner
On filters: a polarizer is a must, and I suggest a warming filter to help fight the harsh midday desert light. For wide-angle lenses, a warming polarizer like the Hoya Moose lets you use both an 81A and a circular polarizer in one filter to avoid vignetting. Also, think twice about using a red didymium enhancing filter in red rock country, especially with saturated film like Velvia and E100VS. Pleasing landscapes turn into garish, magenta-streaked nightmares.
One thing you'll notice in Moab is that hotels can be both pricy and full, even in the off-season; also, the campgrounds inside the parks fill up quickly. Another option around these parks, and throughout the Southwest for that matter, is free camping on Bureau of Land Management lands. Ask any park official for BLM campsites near the park; there are several right around Moab that are ideal. We stayed in one off Utah 313 just before the drive up the mesa to Dead Horse Point and Island in the Sky district; there are others right outside Arches and Moab.
If you're looking for other locations near Canyonlands and Arches, consider Natural Bridges National Monument. It's at a great stopping point between the Needles district of Canyonlands and Monument Valley. There's also free BLM camping there just off Utah 261.
Shooting in Canyonlands is truly a memorable experience, and I was fortunate enough to luck in to a mountain bike riding trip along the White Rim Trail last year. The "Trail," winds its way along the Island in the Sky district of the Park (there are three districts), and can be done in as little as one day (why?) or stretched out across multiple days.
Our group took 6 days to do the trip on our bikes, supported by a sag. Talk about an ideal shooting trip - the riding wasn't tough, and thus found myself up early every morning along the trail with my camera gear shooting for an hour or two, then wandering back to camp to help out with breakfast and start another day of riding. Mid-day is far too bright to shoot, so the time was spent riding the trail to the next campsite.
When riding got a little too hot under the sun, I spent the time scoping out spots to shoot at dusk by foot under a wide brimmed hat. Eventually, the sag would catch up and I could grab my gear from the truck and saunter off for a few hours of shooting after dinner. The results were spectacular - well, at least to me :) Have a look.
Just be careful when shooting - cryptobiotic soil can be found everywhere, and it's extremely fragile. Stick to the roads, paths, and rocks. Stepping on the cryptobiotic soil will destroy 50 years of nature's handi-work. Getting "That shot," just isn't worth it.
I took two lenses - my Nikkor 17-35 AF-S and my 80-200 AF-S, with the majority of my shooting at the wider end of the lens spectrum. Enjoy!
Westlight Photography, for 35mm processing, could not be located(10/12-18/02) in Moab, only a lab associated with Action Photography. Action apparently primarily functions to take photos(C41) of bikers or rafters doing their thing. The photos probably make great souvenirs. Slide(E6) processing for our group of 25 Nikon shooters was awful: $10/roll, cardboard mounts, slides poorly mounted and many with scratches, and poor color (Fuji Provia, Sensia, Velvia)compared to A&I mail processing. We tried Action only the first day, and most of us brought our film home for local or mail processing. Much of the available film was close to expiration date and very costly. I think all of us brought our own, and the film inquiry was just curiosity.Lots of motels, restaurants, microbreweries - reminded me of ski resort towns, such as Telluride or an early Aspen - very friendly.
One scene in Canyonlands not to miss and isn't in the guide books is Mesa Arch. This was used in a Nikon ad a few years back and is quite impressive, though small.
I'd like to also recommend Zion National Park (about two to two-and-a-half hours from Las Vegas, not sure about from SLC) -- I was there this summer (2004) and while I have many great snapshots to remember it by I was sorely disappointed that I hadn't had the space to pack something a lot more serious than my point and shoot.
For Zion, it's amazing how quickly you can get into the scenery. If you're on a short leash, then inside of a (very, very busy) day you can get everywhere from Angel's Landing down in to the deep gorges where the river runs. Not having been to either of the other parks, I can only suggest that one difference seems to be the height and steepness of the mountains -- on Angel's Landing it is quite literally 1300ft straight down and at times the drop on either side is less than four feet away. A good head for heights helps.
Conveyance around the park is a free electric bus that makes about eight or nine stops and you simply hop out where you are intending to begin your hike. This is the only way in from the entrance so you need to travel lighter than you would with a 'support vehicle.'
Next time I go to Utah I'll let my partner do the yoga and I'll go off with my SLR -- I've never come across scenery that was so abundantly photogenic.
Another way to get to Moab is to Fly to Grand Junction, CO. Moab is only 1 Hr away. From Grand Junction, take Utah Route 128 instead of I-70. The route runs along Colorado river all the way to Moab and is very scenic.
I did a 10 day trip through Southern Utah and Northern Arizona, finishing up at Grand Canyon before flying back out of Vegas. I visited all of the above parks and also Capital Reef. If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would have spent all my time in Utah and covered as much ground as I could. Zion is absolutely amazing and while Angels Landing is great, doing the Narrows hike is essential as well. The reds and oranges of Bryce Canyon were unreal. Canyonlands and Arches were also truly unforgettable. Musts are definitely a tripod, extra batteries and zoom and wide angle lenses. Try to do a little planning before your trip, but leave some leeway for the unexpected and unplanned. I wish my trip wasn't so structured so I could have truly enjoyed my trip to the fullest extent.
Michael's photographic information and perspective is complete and very helpful. However, after 12 years, it's time to update for a digital age. I spent a week camping in Arches about the time Michael wrote his helpful comments. I took minimal equipment. Now, with digital, it would be helpful to cover the problems with dust on sensors as well as storage of many large files. Unless you have power(unlike my last trip) an additional battery for a laptop or an external drive with a built in card reader would be a great help. But the basic philosophy of working the scene and the light covered by Michael is still very much spot on. And yes, Dead Horse is super.
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