Photographing Death Valley, Winter 2022: Episode 5

In this week's episode, I return to the canyon I scouted the day before in hopes of photographing some of the subjects I found.
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[@peterfritzphoto]

So pleasurable to watch. Except when you tossed you tripod over the rock... I love the way you see the environment around you, and totally agree with your assessment of each image you captured 😬

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Peter, and when it comes to the tripod, that’s one of the reasons to get a Gitzo. They’re expensive because they’re built to last. If you don’t have a bit of dirt on it or some scratches here and there, you’re doing it wrong. :-) Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@peterfritzphoto]

@@BenHorne LOL.

[@johnray424]

The rock you walked under in the beginning, has a cow or bull head appearance. Very kewl

[@BenHorne]

And a very angry cow/bull at that. :-) That sure was a menacing boulder sticking out like that, and it’ll be interesting to see how long it stays there before tumbling to the ground below. Thanks for watching and commenting John!

[@chadroberts44]

I am eagerly anticipating your next visit to that canyon. I just could not see enough of it in your video. Can't wait to see if you get a different composition or different lighting if and when you do get back there. Loved that last photo as well, something really striking about it and it definitely wasn't too warm.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Chad! I was really hoping to squeeze one more trip in to DV this season, but once gas prices shot up, that was out the window. I really wanted to spend some more time in that canyon figuring out when and where the best light is, but that’ll have to wait until next year. I’m still very much going through the learning process with Provia for this type of light, but I was happy to see it handled things like I had imagined. It’s such a wonderful film. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@davehaynes6398]

All three are super great compositions and the first two just need a little bit of color contrast to make them special. That third one is a portfolio image. Beautiful light, color and the subjects are Interesting. Your description of an hourglass is spot on.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Dave! Although I was able to tweak the first two to be a bit better in photoshop, I’m still not convinced I was starting with the best image. I really should haul my wide angle up into that canyon to see what sort of perspective it gives. I suspect it might be interesting for the second composition, and that subject is probably better suited for B&W film anyway. Something else to consider I suppose. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@davidpearce2981]

Thank you Ben, the second image appealed to me more , but all three were excellent

[@VanMierl0]

Rocks, quite a special thing. split by the ice age water has drawn its grooves certainly a beautiful thing to photograph . Nice video and as always have a nice day and see you soon. thank you for this video. curious about the bomber.

[@BenHorne]

It sure is amazing what happens over time to rocks from the elements. I wonder how long those rocks will remain perched there. It could be an earthquake that dislodges them, or tens of thousands of years of weathering. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@oliverhummell]

Great Series from DV once again, Ben!!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Oliver! It sure is a great location, and I’m really looking forward to heading back there again early next year. I was hoping to get one last trip in to Death Valley this season to do some scouting and just enjoy my time, but then the gas prices went crazy so that was out the door. I’m looking forward to it next winter though.

[@oliverhummell]

@@BenHorne Fingers crossed that gas prices go down again soon, so you maybe can go on another scouting trip :)

[@MeasuredLight]

Lovely video, Ben! I am a fan of the second composition. I can't wait to see what you make of it in future visits!!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks! I look forward to returning to this canyon this winter to see what else I can find, and to see if there have been any changes from the massive flooding they saw during the summer monsoon season.

[@stefanpangratz]

I hope ypur trip never ends :) I really like the first composition, definitve more then the other two! I see your point, but i think its still worth to show up! Regards Stefan

[@jaredboazphoto]

Another great video Ben! Really enjoyed all three, you got some beautiful reflected light on that trip.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Jared! There really was such beautiful light in that canyon, and it was nice to see Provia handled it like a champ. I look forward to finding some more subjects there next year. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@praveenwazza5556]

Amazing as always Sir Ben 😊

[@BenHorne]

Thank you Praveen! Much appreciated!

[@Hirsutechin]

I agree with your assessment of these three images and really like the look of #3. Your pack does seem a bit heavy though; perhaps you ought to dispose of Prius Man before the next trip?

[@BenHorne]

Hmmm… I probably should make him carry the pack rather than be all hostagey inside it. Making a note of that one for next year.

[@craigallenphotography]

Great work sir.

[@richardstollar4291]

No such thing as OCD when it comes to Large-Format. With the scary cost of film you can never be too careful. I also liked the final shot the most - thanks for sharing again.

[@BenHorne]

You are very correct! I think each of us creates our own rituals of sorts based on prior mistakes. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@DannyFyffe]

Ben: The first shot you showed through your camera, I saw a screaming face. Strange what we see. I like your starts in your videos these days with the sound, then after some seconds, you come in. Then your scrambling and going back for your camera is so much work and expends lots of energy. You work hard doing these videos. Going down with that backpack was crazy! Your dedication is great.I agree with what you said on the 3 photos. The last is the best. You have another winner here. Hope all is well.

[@BenHorne]

Thank you as always Danny! I definitely enjoy leading with the audio, especially on those days so rich with natural sounds. In that sense, it was nice to have the wind in Death Valley this year, though my spring backpacking trip should also be a good one for audio. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@Flyers8810]

Very interesting to hear about the B2. Wondering if the military is going to start allowing pilots to train the "stars wars" run again. I hope so! Been on my list of things I want to photograph for a long time.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Jason! Yeah, it really was fascinating to see. It was flying very low through the valley, at perhaps the height of the nearby Panamint range, and they timed it to make several passes just as the first rays of sun were illuminating the mountains. I’m sure it could have been the photographer bias in me that was assuming they were photographing the B2, but I don’t see why else they would time it at sunrise at low elevation with the other plan so very close. I never got a chance to see the planes at Star Wars canyon, but the videos sure are intense!

[@brianbeattyphotography]

Nice work Ben! That last image turned out more color balanced than I thought it might. Some really sketchy trailblazing in this one too! At least you know nobody else will find that scene

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Brian! That’s definitely one of the many reasons to be intentionally vague about the location in the videos. It’ll be nice returning to this canyon and once again having it all to myself. Thanks as always for watching!

[@Andrew.J.R.Simpson]

3 fine compositions and have to agree with your appraisal of the light, a good day out. Looking forward to meeting Holly Bush :-)

[@BenHorne]

Thank you as always Andrew! Only one video left in the series, but it’s a fun one. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@hostynphoto]

If you scramble through a canyon like that you can be pretty sure you're making unique work. Nice work once again.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Tijs! There are so many wonderful opportunities to be found there, and I look forward to exploring it even more in the years to come. On this visit, I scouted roughly 70 percent of the canyon, but who know’s what exists around the next bend. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@BryanDorr]

I like the last image for the reasons you stated. The colors, the angle shape, and the appearance the boulder "clogging the hourglass." The strong highlights and shadows in the second image seem to be dueling each other.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Bryan, and I very much agree with you about the second image. The contrast between the dark walls and that bright background sure is intense. In all honesty, I haven’t scanned the color neg version of that one yet, and I really should since it will better control the contrast. That being said, I want to try and photograph that scene next year with an even wider angle lens, and who knows… perhaps that subject is better suited for B&W. We’ll see. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@BryanDorr]

@@BenHorne I think black & white would be interesting to see. I appreciate your reply, and thank you. Keep up the great work on your photos and videos, as always!

[@alanclark9691]

Love the final image Ben. As you suggest, it perfectly represents that Canyon. I made a flying visit to Death Valley some years ago but the temperature was 125degF and not at all conducive to seeking out compositions! My rental car over-heated and cut out twice on the way out, which was rather scary in that heat. Being UK-based nowadays, revisiting the Valley would be a challenge but you have certainly wetted my appetite.

[@BenHorne]

Yikes!!! I can’t even imagine what it must be like visiting that time of year! Even when it’s in the 80’s and 90’s, the light and heat reflecting off the salt flats and sand dunes makes it feel 15 degrees hotter than it is, so it must be downright oppressive that time of year. I’m glad you made it out okay, and that sure is scary about the car overheating too, especially when cell signals are limited within the park. January is a lovely time to visit if you’re ever looking to head back. :-) Thanks for watching and commenting Alan!

[@JohnTomasella]

That last photo was a winner. I love how the ground in the canyon is so level and smooth. I envy the lack of ticks too.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks John! Yeah, the geology of that area was very fascinating. The walls were very crumbly, so there was a constant source of new material for the floor of the canyon, and those large boulders served as choke stones to allow all that fine material to build up behind them. I sure wouldn’t want to be there when it was storming though! Yikes! Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@renepirolt]

Another great episode, Ben. Thank you as always for sharing!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks for watching Rene!

[@mitchellmysliwiecphotography]

Beautiful canyon. Thanks as always for walking us through it with you. The third image captures the geologic motion well.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Mitch! It sure was fun to find that mix of colors and shapes within the canyon. What you can’t see from the video is that my camera is very close to the edge of a significant drop off (the one I had to scoot down in the next scene), so I’m glad I had just the right focal length for that scene. There was no backing up. :-) Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@TheHikeChoseMe]

hiking thru these little canyons i've seen bushes sticking out of the walls of the canyon that look pretty cool. ever see them and try to shoot them?

[@BenHorne]

I have in years past. There are indeed some wonderful plants growing on those canyon walls, and finding them in good light with a pleasing background can be tough at times. Back in 2022 I photographed a Boxelder sapling growing out of a canyon wall in beautiful reflected light. The wind even cooperated which was nice.

[@CraigNiesenPhotography]

Ben, I see the Potential of the other two compositions and agree that the third was the strongest of the day. I feel that the quality of light in the last composition really defined the subjects. Thank you for sharing. Peace and Safe Travels -Craig

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Craig! It sure does show the power of having a good subject in good light. I think there’s potential with the others, but I’ll need to haul my wider lens back in there next year and see if I can come up with some interesting compositions. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@CraigNiesenPhotography]

@@BenHorne I look forward to seeing that trip😉.

[@mrsusan893]

Loved this canyon exploration Ben. It would have been interesting to see how the second image would have turned out if you had a wider lens that allowed you to fit in the smaller rock on the canyon wall. The last image was beautifully composed and the warm light suited the scene perfectly.

[@BenHorne]

Thank you! My thoughts exactly for the second scene with a wider lens. I didn’t bring it with me that day because it’s also my heaviest and bulkiest lens, but now that I have a better feel for that canyon, I’ll definitely want to bring it with me when I return. I also suspect that scene might do better with black and white, but we’ll see. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@trevorsneath4665]

How much did that pack and tripod combo weight!! Watching you do that last descent was just scary. Another pleasant 13 minutes. I have to go and find a page that gives the 35mm lens equivalents of your 10x8 lenses so I can better understand.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Trevor! The weight really isn’t as bad as it looks. It’s more so that the equipment is bulky. I’d say I probably had about 40lbs on my back. A digital kit with a few lenses and other gear can easily be the same weight. When I’m really looking to lighten my load, I can pair the weight down significantly. For example, my backpacking kit including my camera, lenses, tent, survival gear, food, etc is only 34lbs. That’s about as ultralight as it gets for an 8x10 camera kit. When it comes to the focal length conversion, dividing my focal lengths by 8 gets you pretty close. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@CamBlakePhotography]

Beautiful as always Ben. Love the canyons. ❤️👍

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Cam! It sure was a wonderful place to explore!

[@lindahenderson2113]

Thank you, Ben. I like the new canyon discovery.

[@BenHorne]

It sure was a wonderful canyon to explore. Thanks as always for watching Linda!

[@downsouthphotoshow]

Beautiful colour palette in those canyons. Nice work as always Ben. Hope you’re well. G’day from the Down South Photo guys 👍👍👍

[@BenHorne]

Thanks! It sure was an interesting place to explore, and quite the unusual color palette compared to the canyons I’m more accustomed to. Thanks as always for watching!

[@CalebWeston_dubland]

Love the images. I definitely liked the color of the third one best. Looks like you had quite a bit of reflected light on that hike.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Caleb! Yup, that canyon was positively drenched with reflected light. After a while, your eyes grow accustomed to it, but glancing up at the blue sky overhead for a while tends to re-acclimate one’s senses. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

that first composition is so nearly there - it just needs "something". what I don't know, but it's really promising and my favourite from this episode

[@BenHorne]

Yeah, I’m thinking I might try a different lens, or moving around a bit. I do wish my lens was just a little bit wider, but we’ll see. I also think there might be potential for a longer lens shot of just the upper portion of the canyon. It should be a fun one to ponder on future trips. Thanks for watching!

[@sander5086]

Great looking canyon Ben, loads of potential for future trips!! The first image is my favorite, hope you get the perfect image with different lighting conditions next time!!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Sander! It sure was a wonderful canyon, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else I can find there next year, hopefully on a day with a bit less wind. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@robertwhitemoto]

The lack of vegetation struck me this video... Love the suspended boulder, my thought was, that rock was around long before me, and likely will be hung there long after me.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Robert! I hadn’t thought about it until you mentioned it, you’re you’re correct in your observation that the canyon was void of plant life. Perhaps it has to do with the crumbly, unstable nature of the walls of the canyon. It makes for a rather ominous atmosphere, that’s for sure. It’ll be interesting to see if that large boulder every falls during my lifetime, though the extreme circumstance of a tie would be suboptimal. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@404_pagenotfound7]

Hi Ben, you inspired me to explore natural beauty and I finally decided to take my large format camera on a trip to a national park this summer. Is there any parks that you recommend? Thanks!

[@davidellinsworth22]

Very nice, I liked all these images and not just the one you were happy with. Just curious as to why you've gone with Portra on this trip rather than Ektar (your usual colour neg choice).

[@BenHorne]

Thanks David! I was very generously gifted a small stockpile of Portra 160, so that’s the main reason. Ektar does fantastic, but I’m certainly curious about Portra after seeing so much great work shot on it.

[@robertstonephoto]

At ~ 10' don't you mean Between the Wind? ...

[@BenHorne]

Ha! Yup! Very true!

[@DeathValleyDazed]

Like sand stuck in a giant hour glass - word candy!

[@BenHorne]

And it definitely summarizes how I felt in the canyon that day. Thanks as always for watching!

[@oskarschad9856]

I saw the rock formation already in last video and now again. Did you recognize the head of the sheep, or pig or big rat at 2:56 -3:00? That rock looks really amazing! BTW: It's heartbreaking watching when you throw your carbonfibre tripod over the rocks when climbing up.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Oskar! Yup, I definitely see it as a pig. And it’ll be one angry piggy when that rock eventually falls. It’ll be interesting to see how it changes from year to year, especially with those big cracks. When it comes to tripods, Gitzo tripods are made to take abuse. It might seem strange at first, paying that much money for a tripod only to toss it around, but that’s exactly why they cost what they do. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@oskarschad9856]

@@BenHorne Thanks for your reply. Indeed I can underline your opinion on tripod brand, I own two Gitzo, one XLS and one mountaineer. They are the best but still I won't throw it ;-) All the best from here in bavaria!

[@romiemiller7876]

I wasn't here, and it's been decades since I shot large format, but I was wondering if you couldn't use lens tilt to increase depth of field enough instead of using two images. (?).

[@BenHorne]

Hi Romie! When you have strong verticals in a scene, the canyon walls in this case, you really can’t use any front tilt. If I were to tilt for the foreground, imagine a very narrow plane of focus that now connects the foreground to the top of the canyon walls in the background. Even if you stop down as far as you can, the plane of focus will never expand enough to cover the mid ground. You’ll end up with an in-focus foreground, and the top of the canyon wall in the background will be in focus, but the canyon walls will progressively blur as they get lower. Likewise, if you were to connect the foreground to the lower part of the canyon walls in the background, the top of the image would be out of focus. Front tilt works for some scenes, but in a scene with strong verticals, it would make for a very awkward image. It’s better to just focus on the background and let the foreground be a bit out of focus since that closer resembles how we would see the scene, perhaps even adding an element of depth. 8x10 especially has a VERY narrow DOF, limiting what’s possible for some scenes, but that’s just fine with me. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@romiemiller7876]

@@BenHorne OK, Thanks!

[@markbray3038]

Wow lots of climbing, would lowering your bag with a rope be alot easyer Ben?

[@BenHorne]

Hi Mark! For where I was going, it was much easier just to either wear the pack while scrambling, or to toss it up to the next tier. If I were to lower it with a rope, it would scrape against the rocks and likely tear holes in the bag. There have been situations in the past where I did indeed lower it on a rope, but that was over the edge of a sheer cliff and I had the help of a buddy who was with me.

[@davemenard5089]

Damn Ben, these locations are so good it seems you able to place yourself within a really nice composition while shooting an even better composition. Not Fair buddy ;)

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Dave! It sure was a fun place to explore! Thanks as always for watching and commenting!

[@davidewersphotography1013]

question, were you inflended by the work of eliot porter?

[@BenHorne]

Hi David! Although I am now aware of Eliot Porter’s work and it is absolutely beautiful, I can’t really say it was an influence. I wasn’t aware of his work when I was getting started with large format. I will say though that any similarities in the work are likely shaped by the medium itself. The camera itself has a way of shaping the photographer. Thanks for watching and commenting David!

[@davidewersphotography1013]

@@BenHorne actually i think your work is better than his

[@jimarmstrong1458]

Nice work. I’ve spent several decades exploring Death Valley and I know exactly where you are. Thanks for not revealing the location. I still find your bouncing seasick cam annoying. Good work!

[@TheKetchupPacket]

7:46 (kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKmud4acZ9Joptk) feels like your standing in front of a green screen.