“Chimney Rock & Courthouse Mountain”

On March 12, 2022March 25, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography28 Comments

M20-1(S)—Chimney Rock & Courthouse Mountain, Owl Creek Pass, SW Colorado
Years ago, I was exploring near Ridgway, a tiny town in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. I had photographed the famous Sneffels Range prior to that and was driving along and noticed a sign that said “Owl Creek Pass.” On a lark, I took the road and sort of stumbled across this scene in the Cimarron Range. I’d never heard of Chimney Rock and Courthouse Mountain and was surprised I’d never seen it in any of my photography books, magazines or calendars (this was during my pre-internet days). It’s a startlingly majestic place. I was there just as the leaves were turning, but it was a bit early as far as capturing the brilliant fall colors of that area. This is a place I’d love to revisit to observe its changing personality during different seasons and weather. The San Juan Mountains are world-renown for stunningly beautiful landscapes that would take a lifetime to photograph. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

“Miniature Pot Rose”

On March 9, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography35 Comments

F65-1(S)–Miniature Pot Rose, SE Utah
I don’t have many studio images, which makes sense because I never had a studio or a proper lighting kit. I learned to improvise. I photographed this miniature pot rose in the living room in a make-shift studio many years ago. I thumb-tacked a dark blanket to the ceiling to provide a black background and used lighting from a west-facing window to illuminate the rose. I also employed a whiteboard reflector to bounce some fill-light onto the flower to eliminate harsh shadows. I like the sensuous curve of the stem and the hint of leaves at the bottom. The blood-red hue of the petals really stands out against the dark background. The blossom of the rose was only about an inch in diameter. I’ve always loved flower photography, whether it was in the field or a temporary studio indoors. The advantage of shooting flowers indoors is that I could control the elements (no wind, customized lighting, etc.). I prefer wild flower images made out-of-doors, however. The experience is more profound as I have nature’s symphony of sights, scents and sounds all around me as I compose a shot. Still, I love this image. It is natural beauty even if it was made in an ad hoc living room studio years ago. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

“Old Stump & Island at Sunset”

On March 6, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography35 Comments

W53-1(S)—Old Stump & Island at Sunset, Flathead Lake, Montana
During my trip to Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota in 1996, my buddy Jeff and I visited Flathead Lake, the largest natural body of freshwater in the western U.S. This resulted in one of my favorite images. There’s something so stark and mournful about this scene. To me, the stump resembles an animal crying out in pain to the oblivious heavens. This was shot on color slide film but the lighting conditions rendered it almost completely black and white, which lends a surreal touch to the image. I could have used a graduated neutral density filter to hold back exposure on the sky and give it some color, but it was dusk anyway and the sky was a faded, washed-out blue which appears almost devoid of hue in the final image, an effect I prefer for this scene. The water wasn’t completely calm but the long exposure removed all traces of wavelet movement and produced an almost mist-like appearance. My friend Jeff and I were at the same spot at the same time, and his image of this stump was completely different from mine. It’s fascinating how people can interpret the same scene in vastly distinct and personal ways. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

“Sandstone Cliff & Tower”

On March 3, 2022May 12, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography31 Comments

NP4-1(S)–Sandstone Cliff & Tower, Big Spring Canyon, Canyonlands Natl. Park, SE Utah
Canyonlands National Park in southeast Utah is known for its expansive canyons, sprawling mesas and towering sandstone pinnacles. It also has an infinite variety of more intimate landscapes such as this rock formation standing sentinel above a small canyon. Not everything has to be immense to hold beauty and meaning. I like the contrasting colors, rugged textures and the hint of towers in the background, as well as the sky which seems to go on forever. On this day, two of my young nephews accompanied me (babysitter Uncle Mike) and I had to keep an eagle eye on them as all they saw were rocks and all they wanted to do was climb them. I had the boys nestled in an alcove off to the left to ensure their safety while I composed this image, then we explored some more and had a fun time. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

“Rock, Sheep Mountain & Trout Lake”

On February 27, 2022February 27, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography38 Comments

W39-1(S)—Rock, Sheep Mountain & Trout Lake, SW Colorado
Trout Lake is located about ten miles from the small tourist village of Telluride in southwest Colorado. Situated at nearly 10,000 feet elevation in the Lizard Head Pass area, it’s my second-favorite spot on the planet, just behind Heceta Head Lighthouse on the Oregon Coast. This mid-’90s autumn image was taken after most of the leaves had turned and fallen and a dusting of new snow blanketed the mountain. It was bitter cold when I made this image. My hands were frozen and my fingers were numb, making the operation of the camera difficult. I was hand-holding a rectangular two-stop soft-edged graduated neutral density filter in front of my 24mm f/2.8 wide-angle lens to hold back exposure on the snowy mountain to balance the scene (the filter mount didn’t work properly on wide-angle lenses, resulting in vignetting in the corners, hence the hand-held improvisation). I was shaking and trying not to cloud the lens with my breath. The tripod’s legs were in the water in order to get the rock where I wanted it in the frame. It took several minutes to finally get the shot, but when the slides came back a few days later, it was all worth it. This image is among my favorites. I wanted the essence of simplicity for this shot, a Spartan approach to evoke a sense of loneliness with just the basic elements of the rock, the water and the mountain. The varying shades of blue add to the austere nature of the scene. There is silence here, and contemplation, and a feeling of being part of the scene for me, not just someone behind the camera. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

“Fleabane & Dead Log”

On February 24, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography35 Comments

F43(S)–Fleabane & Dead Log, Taylor Mesa, SW Colorado
I’ve always liked the stark contrast between the small flower and the “eye” of the dead log–sort of a counterpoint of life and death, color and a lack thereof, softness and the dry, almost bone-like texture of the wood. There’s a sense of longing in this photograph, a loneliness, as though the flower is looking skyward in search of hope and compassion, and the “all-seeing eye” is perhaps blind to its supplications for love and mercy. This image was probably my late-mother’s favorite of all of my nature photography. She kept a framed 8×10 of this image on the wall for decades. It brings back a lot of memories. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

“Heceta Head Lighthouse”

On February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography57 Comments

W6—Heceta Head Lighthouse, Heceta Head State Park, Oregon Coast
In late March 1995, I took a solo road trip to the Oregon Coast. I’d never done anything remotely similar prior to that, and it was a long drive from my residence in southwest Colorado, but it was Spring Break at the tech school where I was studying and I had the opportunity, as well as a brand new bottom-of-the-line Canon SLR and a 35-80mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. I spent a week along the coast, heading from Coos Bay in the south to Astoria at the northwest tip, and was in awe the entire time. I shot about ten rolls of “typical touristy snapshots,” but this image spoke volumes to me when I had the film developed and viewed the prints for the first time. This is the image that changed my life and set me on a path of pursuing nature photography, something I’d immerse myself in for the next decade or so. This location is my favorite spot on the planet. I was there during a vicious early spring storm system that produced gale-force winds and massive waves most of the week. This image exemplifies the ruggedness and sheer power of the Oregon Coast. I keep coming back to this simple photograph when I need reassurance that there is still beauty in this world, that perhaps hope still exists. This is a transcendent locale for me. I’ve walked the trail to that distant lighthouse and placed my hands on its alabaster skin and gazed out across the endless sea and felt the sun and salt breeze on my face. It’s my heaven, and when I die I hope to have my ashes spread there. It feels like home to me. So, while this image may not evoke or inspire rave reviews, it is the most important image I’ve ever made and resonates deeply within my heart and soul. I wanted to share it with the good folks in this wonderful WordPress community to spread the beauty and hope I found that seminal day at the Oregon Coast. (Canon gear, Kodak Royal Gold 200)

“Church Rock”

On February 18, 2022February 18, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography33 Comments

D49-1(S)–Church Rock, near Lisbon Valley, SE Utah
Church Rock is a unique sandstone formation located a few miles north of Monticello in southeast Utah. It’s a local icon of sorts, readily visible just off the highway. In 1998, I was commissioned by a local museum to photograph old barns in San Juan County, Utah, and Church Rock was on the list. In the 1940s, the land owner used dynamite to hollow-out a section at the base to use for storage for cattle feed. Visible in this image are the remnants of an old corral and a dilapidated windmill to show the scale of the rock formation, which rises 200 feet above the surrounding desert landscape. The weather the day this image was made was windy and the clouds were magnificent and added texture and contrast to the earthy tones of Church Rock. As for its name, the local myth is that in the 1930s a spiritualist and her small cult deemed San Juan County, Utah and Church Rock to be the spiritual center of the universe, and she ordered the complete hollowing-out of Church Rock to serve as her church. The 16’x24′ hollow section was thought to be proof of this but was proven false. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

“Grand Tetons & Snake River at Sunrise”

On February 15, 2022June 6, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography39 Comments

In August 1996, I took a trip up north to see my buddy Jeff in Montana. During that trip, I visited several national parks and monuments in Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota, including Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and Devils Tower National Monument. On my way home, I spent two nights at Schwabacher Landing in Grand Teton National Park sleeping upright behind the steering wheel of my little truck in bear country (no tents allowed) and woke up both mornings to this very sight. Shortly after making this image, a bald eagle flew lazily across the sky, then three moose decided to stand right smack in the middle of the river for about an hour, watching me. Later that day at another Grand Teton location I saw a black bear. It was incredible. Sometimes nature can be wonderfully generous. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)

“Indian Paintbrush & Bluebird Feather”

On February 12, 2022 By Mike U.In Photography36 Comments

F25–Indian Paintbrush & Bluebird Feather, SE Utah
I came across this Indian paintbrush one late-summer afternoon at the farm. It was surrounded by dry cheatgrass, and a long-dead pinyon pine stood nearby. At the base of the flower were several bluebird feathers, the remnants of a recent meal left by some small predator (perhaps one of the farm cats). Immediately, I was struck by the three primary colors–red, yellow, blue–and how the neutral tones of the cheatgrass provided the perfect background to amplify the colors. I rarely ever manipulate a scene (aside from perhaps clearing away dead sticks or debris to unclutter an image), but this image demanded a bit of artistic license, so I placed a feather in the flower and was pleased with the resultant image. (Canon gear, Kodak Royal Gold 100)

Silent Pariah

Tag: nature