Old Favorites

I've decided to try posting one or two of my favorite pictures each day or two with a discussion of what I like about them, what I wish I'd done better and a little background about where, how and why I snapped each photo.

The first one is a personal favorite from a hike in the Shenandoah National Park, which will be a fairly common theme. I've taken hiked over 150 miles of the park's trails and have well over 1000 pictures in all seasons.

This one was taken at a trail marker where the Knob Mountain trail meets the Jeremy's Run trail. I had stopped for a rest and casually snapped a picture of the marker because it seemed to stand out a little differently than most. After contemplating awhile, I decided to try a shot with my hat, backpack and monopod. Normally, I am not a major fan of overly posed or contrived pictures; but this time I thought it just might work.

I've been very pleased with the result and have 20"x30" enlargement of it hanging in a stairwell that complements the verticals, particularly coming up the stairs.

For me, the picture is about the hiker who isn't there. The photo provides multiple hints regarding the hiker's personality from the style of hat to the type of backpack and the use of a monopod instead of a hiking stick. Even the placement of the objects is meant to convey a certain amount of care but also a little whimsy. Hopefully, the viewer will come away with a desire to meet the hiker on the trail and exchange some stories about what makes the SNP such a very special place. At the very least, it always reminds me of a very pleasant lunch on a warm summer's day beside one of the prettiest streams in Virginia.

Thing I would try and do better next time are: tighten up the shot just a bit to exclude the roots in the foreground and possible use a fill flash to improve the contrast around the backpack.

The next picture is from the South Kaibab trail in the Grand Canyon.

I like the sky, but it is the trail itself that makes the pictures. Starting from directly in front of the viewer it stretches forward and curves away out of sight, with a lone hiker just ahead. I have a 24"x36" enlargement of this one in my dining room and it always appears as if I could just walk into the picture and keep heading on down to Phantom Ranch.

The Grand Canyon is very challanging to shoot. First of all, it can be very tricky to balance details in the foreground against the grandure of the background. Second, the sky can be 5 different shades of blue and all of them can end being white in the picture. Third, the shadows can make on part of the picture too dark, while another is too light. The list could go on and on, including 110 degree heat. Nevertheless, every once in awhile I get lucky and this photo is one that gives me hope i just might have some talent after all.

I am not sure what I could do better; but definately hope to go back again and try.