Photographing Zion, Fall 2023: Episode 5 (Large Format Landscape Photography)

In this week's video, I share the fifth episode of my adventures in Zion National Park.
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[@davebutton1811]

Whenever I feel stressed, I watch one of your videos and feel calm. I can understand the appeal of large format photography as it must be even more tranquil when actually doing it! Great work

[@joyjoy534]

Makes me appreciate digital format and Adobe LR.

[@user-hk7ol9ls1e]

always listen to natures creatures. That split rock with cactus radiates beauty. One of my favorites.

[@coreyhart1850]

Those new smaller cactus growths really add such a nice balance and interest in that image. Glad you revisited it!

[@andrewsimpson5436]

Dam, Ben and Nick Carver drop a video at the same time, what to watch first? As you pondered the crack in the wall and before you mentioned the bird I was screaming at the laptop, "the bird's saying, take it, take it,," 🤣 both look great. Ah well I guess I better go see what Nick is up to now 🤨

[@VanMierl0]

Always calm and enjoying watching your videos, enjoying and learning because it is nice to see that you study light and darkness well. Greetings and health Martin

[@HeathBarbierPhoto]

Wonderful work my friend. I still dread loading large format film but mostly due to the fear of making a mistake.

[@drewsaunders2531]

Quoth the Raven: “Take the shot!”

[@MaliDaviesPhotography]

I’ve loved everyone episode of this seasons episodes from Zion. The last image has stuck with me and opened up new ways of seeing compositions. You have a way of doing that, beautiful photography Ben, thank you.

[@bflintphotography]

That last shot on the video is terrific! So detailed, sharp and colorful! Great full frame or several different variations of crops could be made as well! The way those reds, oranges, and yellows blend together and contrast against that rough wood is great!

[@jamesbarnes3063]

The images are great, it is always smart to listen to the raven!

[@danrichardsonmedia]

Loved this video! Great content as always, Ben, but as a lover of wildlife I greatly appreciated your inclusion of the opinionated raven, the screaming chipmunk, the canyon wren and the big horn sheep. Really loved the injection of humour too 😆👌🏼 Such great images too. Fantastic work, thanks so much ☺️🙏🏼💚

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

that chipmunk deserves a credit in your next zine 🙂

[@blivieriphoto]

Nature always knows best. Great series Ben!!

[@IsabelCurdes_photos]

Always listen to nature...so true :-). The images are lovely and the colours come out beautifully.

[@robertwhitemoto]

Beautiful as always Ben... that's an iconic crack in the sandstone :)

[@vishwasnagaraju8260]

Indeed a perfect exposure with the Chipmunk's, looking forward for more.

[@mikemcdonald2752]

While you were pondering whether to shoot the cactus, I was betting you'd pass and go shoot the pine tree. I'm glad you fooled me and shot the cactus again. It's been one of my favorite scenes since you first discovered it. I hope you feel it was worth the effort, as I do.

[@sander5086]

Always listen to nature, it's the most clear taught there is!! Really like the last image, there are some beautiful lines in the composition!!!

[@LoraineMorenoPhotography-mo5tn]

I took a picture of a cactus in back of a fence in Barrio Logan. I looked at the same place on streetview and could go back in time and see it grow over the years. I think it was planted in or a little before 2014. They seem to grow pretty fast!

[@Arcticfox7]

That narcissist raven is back.

[@mitchellmysliwiecphotography]

Excellent advice, "listen to nature". Your images definitely capture nature. The three phases of the trip is an interesting progression. I think my personality would enjoy phase 3 the most. I'm a fan of exploring and seeing something new, and it gives you "something to do" when you return next time

[@stohlenttv]

Another fantastic video, Ben. Thank you.

[@caryconover]

Great little run of episodes. You make me want to buy an analog stopwatch! Unrelated, I’ve been curious about how you manage to avoid people/crowds. Is it because you go during the week? You always create this vibe of you having the entire park to yourself and I wonder how realistic it would be for any of us to expect the same. Love your work.

[@peterebel7899]

The song of the canyon wren is the best. Next is the cactus wren ...

[@terrysankey3982]

Nice to see Ben branching out and trying new styles but I'm surprised it's into horror - with the opening sequence of footsteps approaching from the darkness, the eerie cries of the corvid echoing down the canyon and the attack of a (possibly) rabid chipmunk..where will we go next? Darkslides replaced backwards with the subsequent multi-exposure opening a portal into an alternate multiverse? Sepsis from a cut from the film notch while loading the slides (just when he thought it was safe to go back into the changing bag)? Or perhaps the worst of all, a torn teabag and a mouthful of leaves! ;-) I was listening through headphones for a bit of ASMR after a glass of red wine but jokes aside, another great video!

[@chadroberts44]

I like the 3 new little guys. I'm curious if the crack will widen noticeably over the next few years.

[@jasonluther5972]

So I've seen it in a few videos and maybe i missed the explanation but, what is the square in the ground when framing the cactus? My first thought was a reflector but it's small and isn't aimed at anything. Edit: Answered in the very next video: It's a grey card!

[@BenHorne]

Yup! It's a gray card I use as a spot meter target. For many scenes, spot metering off the gray card gives me a good exposure, or at least a good starting point if I find I need to go a bit brighter or darker than it suggests. It really speeds up the process of metering.

[@markhyde1970]

Ben where did you get the frame you look through to imagine your photos?

[@davidellinsworth3299]

I was surprised you walked on from that first subject you framed on your little gadget (I may get one - what are they called again?). The crack and the cactus (especially with those smaller ones developing) will indeed be an interesting intimate landscape to watch develop over the coming years. By the way Ben, I don't know whether you shoot any 35mm film when you're not doing your 8x10 trips but I tried Kodak Aerocolor IV 125 for the first time recently and think you'd like it. Reminds me of Ektar (colourful, very sharp and low grain) but slightly dialed back on saturation, and a little warmth like Kodak Gold or Portra. It's available re-spooled as Flic Film Elektra 100, Santa Colour 100, Film Washi X and Luminar 100.

[@saxmangeoff]

The gadget is, I believe, called the View Catcher and made by The Color Wheel Company. I just bought one, because of seeing Ben use it here and thinking it would be more useful than my current practice of using my phone to scout compositions. If it’s not the exact model Ben has, it’s functionally equivalent.

[@davidellinsworth3299]

@@saxmangeoff many thanks for the info 👍👍👍

[@zonylandy]

I’m stopping at :30 either now or later… a minimum 3 sheets of subject for BW there.

[@JDubyafoto]

Do you suppose that chipmunk was screaming because something else was trying to eat it? Gotta listen to nature.

[@JohnTomasella]

You should probably consider putting adds on your channel. I’m not even eligible for ads and KZbin puts them on anyway. We don’t mind and it will give you more money to do what you love.

[@BenHorne]

In the early days of KZbin, I ran ads but here’s the thing, they pay very little unless you play the clickbait game and try to attract as much attention as possible, which I have no desire for. (Ever wonder why so many channels all seem the same after a while?) I would only make maybe $30 worth of ad revenue per video while annoying people with ads. Meanwhile with the viewer supported model (paypal, patreon), I can earn more while staying true to myself and not annoying people with ads.

[@RobHuntOutside]

I really appreciate you staying true to yourself! It's one of the reasons why I think your channel is one of the very best. @@BenHorne