Photographing Death Valley: Episode 1

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#photography #landscape #largeformat

[@jamesjohnston6765]

Only now getting the chance to sit down and watch these after my travels. Those long flood plains can be tricky to photograph as you said. On film/paper they fool the eye and everything looks out of balance. The mylar balloons don't surprise me but to find them so far from civilization blows me away.

[@BenHorne]

After looking at a map, it looks like the closest area they could come from is really the Bakersfield area, and even that is more than 100 miles away. It's pretty crazy really. I kept all the balloons, and plan on creating a project with them to raise awareness of where they end up and the impact they have. Thanks as always for watching and commenting James!

[@TheNonsenseAdventures]

You just seem so chilled, like how you tell us why you like your compositions. Good man picking up the balloons.

[@BenHorne]

There is something about the open-space of the desert that really does put me at ease. I just love heading out there.

[@TheNonsenseAdventures]

@@BenHorne looking forward to the next one!

[@tbotello]

Fantastic video! I really like the slightly longer format.

[@tlhawkins4671]

Shades of Ansel Adams. Nice video Mr.Horne.

[@warboyssnapper]

Lovely to see you back in Death Valley - keeping all crossed for that Arca Swiss.

[@Poverello2001]

You make the best videos and have mastered the art of storytelling.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks so much Edward! I am always trying to get better at what I do, so that means a lot to me.

[@shaanherbert7172]

I have been champing at the bit for this Death Valley series. After the sneaky preview on your insta page of some of those shots I am busting to see the results.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Shaan! It was definitely a very productive trip, though you'll see the photos I teased in the Instagram story in the second half of the trip.

[@NigelDanson]

I have only just got around to watching this Ben. Loved it as usual. I hadn't quite grasped the scale of the dunes until later in the video. Looking forward to watching Day 2.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Nigel! Your thoughts about the dunes is the same thing that goes through my mind every time I go there. They don't seem all that large until you're at the base of one of them walking up it. At that point, you might as well be climbing a mountain.

[@paulweijenberg5237]

I love to hear you talk, you've such a great voice. Unhurried, as you photography is.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks so much Paul!

[@cascadiabackroads]

Great video as always Ben. I just got back from Death Valley two days ago. Had to call the trip a day early with all of the flash flooding that came through the park Tuesday overnight. An absolutely stunning place. Thanks for inspiring me to get out there and see it for myself, bad weather and all!

[@BenHorne]

I'm so glad you were able to make it out there Joshua! That place sure does melt in the rain, and the recent storm sure sounded like a biggie!

[@KJLanguedoc]

Another terrific dispatch, Ben. Love DVNP. Can’t wait to see the photo on Day 2 ...

[@florianguillonantigny]

Another superb video Ben. An invitation to travel and photograph, taking the time and enjoy being out there. Inspirational. Thanks man!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Florian!

[@stuartbaines2843]

Eyed up your first image straight away 👍 Nice to see some of the death valley variations, rough track though!

[@BenHorne]

I had a feeling there would be some potential in that area, but I couldn't quite remember the specifics from my previous visit nearly 2 years ago. I do remember looking at that area and knowing that I could probably find a composition there.

[@roadtripimages]

Nice intro to the trip. Can’t wait to see the next episodes. We’re in Death Valley now scouting for photographs.

[@BenHorne]

It sounds like all that rain had an impact on certain areas. I have another friend who is there right now as well. I was actually going to head there tomorrow, but I ended up delaying things a bit. It looks like next week might be about 10 degrees cooler. We'll see. In any case, I hope you find some great stuff out there!

[@roadtripimages]

@@BenHorne The rain closed many of the roads for a bit. Some are still closed. We've also had a lot of wind with dust storms in Stovepipe. It's been tough for photography.

[@davidfearn8635]

Just seen this pop up. Haven't watched it yet, waiting for the big screen tv to be free!! Will be awesome, as ever.

[@davidfearn8635]

It was. Love thinking about image possibilities along with you.

[@davidrothschild8913]

Ben your Cinematography gets better and better. I love that sequence of you climbing up the dune and the intro was really cool as well. Look forward to seeing that first composition. I didn't quite understand what you meant about the drainage area messing up the composition.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks as always David! The thing about those drainages is that they slope heavily in one direction, but other than that they look perfectly natural. The mountains and everything else follow the slope of the land. If you simply level the camera, the sloping land and mountains looks like your camera is tilted badly to the side. It ends up being a really big distraction. If however I make the camera uneven to match the natural slope of the land, any clouds in the sky will now be sloping at an awkward angle. It's one of those things where it messes with the mind. There are a lot of areas like that in Death Valley, and usually try to make the photo "read" level by leveling the shot to the slope of the land. Otherwise it looks like a mistake.

[@johnsholian4318]

A proper tease that was Ben. Looking forward to the rest of the journey!

[@MrRabbitshop]

Great stuff Ben! I am a fan of your work and video series, so I'm looking foreward to the upcoming video's of this trip. I also bought your e-book without hesitation and I am excited to read it as soon as possible.

[@BenHorne]

Thanks so much Stef!

[@fubband]

Great to follow along with you Ben, enjoying seeing you working things out 👍🏻 Love the ‘click bait free’ addition to the donation speech at the end :)

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Martin! I figured I had to throw that in there. I have wanted to do a video about what I've learned by not doing click bait videos.... but I think the topic alone would ironically become clickbait. 😂

[@sookephotographyadventures]

This is the first time I noticed your licence plate... love it... as well as the video!

[@tedsmith_photography]

As a not-much travelled person from the UK, whenever I watch your stuff it amazes me how you don't feel a bit vulnerable and isolated on these trips? And I've never been to the USA, and whilst I know its huge of course, I would always be thinking (if I left a camera setup like that overnight) "what if some unpleasant criminals trying to hide a body stumble across the same areas I am in"!! Or have I just been watching to many movies?!! In years gone by, I ventured up into The Peak District which is a UK national park, and its tiny by USA standards but a fair sized area of relative wilderness, wild hills and such, but even in winter, there's always tourists and hikers not too far away. Do you not worry about what you'd do if your car breaks down, or if you fell and broke your leg?

[@BenHorne]

It really depends on where you are. I wouldn't want to leave my camera behind in populated areas, but this is a location where people very seldom visit. The closest primary road was probably 10 or more miles away, and it doesn't lead to where I was at. I don't feel vulnerable out there, but I definitely do feel isolated. I have a 2 way satellite messenger so I can always stay in touch with my wife, and I have an emergency SOS button just in case. I will be doing a video review of that device in the coming weeks. There area that gets to me most is some of the canyons that I backpack into. They are absolutely beautiful, but constantly being surrounded by canyon walls does make me feel a bit imprisoned at times. Being able to see the horizon really helps out, and I certainly have that going for me in some of these desert locations.

[@tedsmith_photography]

@@BenHorne makes sense. Glad its not just me then being a wimp! I have two young kids and a regular non-photography job so I don't get to these things much anymore, but on the rare occasion I do, as much as I like the quiet and alone time, I am pleased to get back to civilisation!

[@ajayattuchirayil292]

Great start to the trip, waiting for that morning shot to materialize Between, I noticed that your number plate too has large format on it :D

[@stevebennettphotography]

I know there’s no-one else about for several miles but just walking off and leaving the camera set up like that is so alien to me 😮. And so the anticipation for the next instalment begins 👍

[@BenHorne]

It really is a strange practice, but it helps so much when setting up shots like this. Otherwise it would be nearly impossible to get the composition and focus just right. That's certainly one of the things I enjoy about getting off the beaten path and having a location like this all to myself.

[@rustypry3704]

This video is a great lead in to the series. Looking forward to what's to come...

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Rusty!

[@AlanBrockImages]

Good stuff man! Looking forward to seeing this trip!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Man!

[@kevindickinson3600]

I hit the like during the intro! Strong video Ben! I love your Death Valley trips!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Kevin!

[@MalanLombard]

If you love this type of landscape you should go visit the Moonscape outside Swakopmund Namibia...Beautiful with it's own dunes and endless textures in the Namib Nature reserve

[@craigfouche]

As well as the Richtersveld region and Fish River Canyon

[@andychattaway5620]

Great video Ben

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Andy!

[@sjmheron]

6:56 casually walks by two hiking poles without acknowledging them. :P 4th wall! 4th wall! Love the video.

[@BenHorne]

Haha! I placed those there earlier to mark where NOT to walk. I knew where the foreground would be for my composition, and I wanted to make sure I didn't trample the sand while recording the video. That being said, it wouldn't have made much of a difference because it was extremely windy overnight and all the footprints were gone by morning.

[@kormakur]

Ohhhh man...... As always a true inspiration. Great video, keep´em coming !

[@RossMcLendon]

Yay! Looking forward to following as this trip progresses. 2 questions: (1) Are the gaiters for sand? (2) Is there an interesting reason for putting your hood up or were you just checking on something?

[@BenHorne]

Yup, the gaiters keep sand from getting in my boots. It works incredibly well. I pop the hood of my 4Runner at night so rodents won't seek shelter in the engine compartment and eat the engine wires. Back in 2017, a rodent chewed through one of my engine wires and disabled my 4Runner. I learned the hood technique after going on that trip. Apparently they like to be on top of the engine block, but when the hood is open, they are vulnerable to predators from above like owls.

[@AnandDandekar0101]

Very cool number plate 👌. And thanks for spotting those balloons and making efforts to keep our planet clean 🙏 Can't wait to watch the next episode of the journey 😊

[@BenHorne]

By the end of the trip, I had picked up I think 8 of them. It's pretty crazy how many of them I found out there. I have a project in mind for them that I will work on this summer. I kept them all.

[@andriyasinsky559]

The intro is very inspirational, really liked it :)

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Andri!

[@ericburke3223]

B-roll must of been fun going up and down those dunes. legs must of gotten tired.

[@BenHorne]

Thankfully my pack was quite light by then. Just some film holders and lenses really. It looks like a heavy pack though.

[@Prashant.Khapane]

Who gives thumbs down to such a great start? I really hope the camera is okay. History does not repeat but it does rhyme.... hoping to see a great image.

[@AdventureswithJerrod]

If I ever go back out west and see a large format camera with no one around I'll sit and wait till you show back up so I can meet you! lol

[@BenHorne]

Haha! Chances are that I would show up at some point.

[@BimblesWithACamera]

Honestly thought you were making an elbarote acme trap for the Wylie Coyote there :) Looking forward to the rest of the story ....

[@BenHorne]

The acme Anvil was just off camera to the left. 😂

[@oddbjrnaustevikfoto]

Certified clickbait free content, me like it :) 6:52 - someone just tossed their trecking poles.. the trash people leave behind.. :) hehe! Seriously, thanks for picking up the trash and being a good role-model mate! Looking forward to the next entry! PS: I like that you included a few extra driving, walking, setting up the camera clips in this video. It really sets the mood and bring me further into the story!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks man! That was one of my goals... to include some longer form clips to give a better sense of place. That fell through a bit as soon as I got to Zion, but I think there is something about Death Valley that lends itself to the longer format videos like that. On a side note, I put the poles there to mark where I wanted to place my camera. That way I wouldn't trample the foreground with my footsteps while doing the walking and talking video. :-)

[@GrainyByNature]

Epic Prius passings!😆

[@BenHorne]

Those Priuses sure are fast!

[@Noealz]

cool timelapse reminds me of a scanner darkly

[@BenHorne]

I filmed that before my fall trip last year, but it didn't really fit with the song I used for that day 1 video, so I didn't end up using it. When I was editing my day one video for this trip, the song I chose matched quite nicely with that timelapse, so I decided to include it. I figured it would be a fun thing to add to set the mood for the trip.

[@joshuarhea1648]

Awesome Ben!

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Joshua!

[@alangibson980]

Excited Ben.

[@matthewboone4248]

This location looks amazing!!! Can’t wait to see the next video. P.S. my almost 2year old likes your videos, too. 😜

[@BenHorne]

Sounds like a future photographer!

[@jeffpotter7958]

Okay.... just noticed the license plate... Well played Mr. Horne, well played..

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Jeff! The great thing about it is that only photographers understand it. :-)

[@pbsalfen]

Perfect timing "...mostly familiar..." LOL Great job on this Ben! Worth the wait. Have you taken the time to drive up to the end of the wash? The road ends at the wilderness boundary, about 2-3 miles further up from your camp. The old mining camp is more historic than photographic, but still an interesting explore.

[@brianmaneely]

1:21 -- THERE IT IS!

[@BenHorne]

Yup! Such a speedy Prius!

[@ErikBahle]

hey ben what is that really cool quick-tach deal you have for your ball head to tripod link?

[@BenHorne]

That is the Arca-Swiss Quick-Link system. I have a write-up about them in the resource section of my website. It is a really cool system that allows you to quickly and easily attach/detach a tripod head so you can keep the far more fragile tripod head in your camera bag, and you don't have to hike with it attached to the tripod itself.

[@tordc]

Can't wait for this!

[@e1337air]

Uh oh, new Death Valley trip! Large format cameras fear those the most!

[@BenHorne]

Haha! Thankfully the large format gear survived without issue. I can't say the same for my video gear though.... Just after filming my last clip in this video, a very strong wind gust slammed my A7sII, Zeiss Loxia 21mm, and my Rode Mic to the ground. The lens was damaged, but still worked for the rest of the trip, and the mic started giving me problems from day 3 through day 7. I try really hard to take good care of the equipment, but nature sure can be rough at times.

[@Shepard4711]

7:01 That S curve formed by the bushes in the foreground and the dune in the background... :-O~ I hope that's your shot. :-)

[@BenHorne]

Sure was a cool scene huh? It was nice to have that mixture of bushes, dunes, and the mountain.

[@BobbyGibbons]

Sleeping in the car is always the way to roll!

[@BenHorne]

It's definitely quite comfortable!

[@danielwheeler423]

I'll ask the question that's on everybody's mind, did you re-use the footage of the Prius overtaking you? Or do you genuinely get overtaken by them on a regular basis? Captivating start to the trip as always Ben! Really looking forward to seeing more :-)

[@BenHorne]

Haha! I can guarantee you that I am passed by a different Prius on each trip. It's one of those checklist clips I look for on my drive. I spot their headlights in my rear view mirror, then grab the camera to film the clip. A different Prius makes an appearance later in the trip too. :-)

[@gwelland]

Just wondering why given that the 8x10 is a rail camera you don’t just lock everything down, note the rail position and remove the camera and remount in the morning? All movements locked on the camera obviously.

[@BenHorne]

After finishing filming my videos for the day, I was back at camp and it was getting EXTREMELY windy. So much so that I worried what might happen if the sand was eaten out from under the tripod legs and I lost some stability. I hiked back out to my camera with a second tripod, set it up low to the ground, transferred the camera to the second tripod, and covered it in a huge black trash bag to protect it from blowing sand. When I returned the next morning, I put the camera back on the proper tripod. This worked fine since I wasn't parked all that far from my camera - but if I was quite a ways away, I probably wouldn't have done that. In all reality, the camera would have been just fine like that anchored to the ground. It is a super strong tether.

[@KentMearig]

Great first-day lead in to the trip, as usual. I'm heading down to the Phoenix as a jumping off point for five days of photography in a week and a half. Watching this video reminds me that I still haven't settled on whether to head straight north toward the canyons of Utah or over to the desserts and mountains of California. Do you have any sense of what would be the bigger potential payoff in the middle of March?

[@progtom7585]

8x10FLM!!! Ha! Only just spotted that!!

[@BenHorne]

Good eye. ;-)

[@danlovaj]

Just wondering Ben. I admire your guts in leaving your gear out overnight. Do you leave a note on it in case someone did come across it that the owner will be back for it and not to worry about trying to find the owner? Thanks for the continual inspiration!

[@BenHorne]

Good question! I am very particular about where I leave it. In this case, I was at a place that is very seldom visited, and I was the only one around for maybe 10 miles. Even if other people were there, chances are they wouldn't be able to find the camera because I was with it at sunset, then again well before sunrise. Finding it in the dark would be tough.

[@davidfearn8635]

Using the Z2+ instead of the Cube head because of risk of sand in the gears, perhaps?

[@BenHorne]

It was for two reasons, getting sand in the gears, but also the Z2+ is a bit more rigid and is more resistant to micro vibrations from wind. The Cube is more versatile when shooting intimate landscapes on the ground, but the Z2+ is a really solid choice for more straightforward shots like I was setting up here.

[@jeffreyhawker9042]

You drop the pressure 15 lbs or drop pressure to 15 lbs in each tire?

[@BenHorne]

I run my tires at about 45 PSI on the highway, and somewhere between 15 and 20psi when going offroad depending on if there will be any deep sand.

[@woodsoncole5077]

@benhorne I love your videos, just a question, were you wearing the gators to keep the sand out of your boots or for snakes?

[@BenHorne]

Woodson Cole I use them to keep sand out of my boots. It is especially helpful when walking up/down the soft side of the dunes where you really sink in. In all the years I have been going to Death Valley, I have never seen a single snake. I know there are some out there, but they seem to be rather elusive.

[@TheHikeChoseMe]

do you ever have to worry about flash flooding there?

[@BenHorne]

Definitely! This is not a place I would want to visit if there was any chance of rain. There road cuts across several large alluvial fans where there are numerous large drainages. The place I chose to camp is safe from all that, but it wouldn't take much rain to make the "road" impassible by eroding it away. As it was, there were a few areas that were quite narrow and being eaten away from erosion. When I visited this location back in 2017, I saw that there was some rain in the forecast, so I booked it out of there to avoid getting stranded.

[@glennmiller2116]

OK, why do you leave the hood up on the SUV? I see this a lot in the desert.

[@BenHorne]

During my 2017 visit to Death Valley, a rodent climbed up into my engine compartment, and onto the top of the engine block. While it was there, it found a tasty wire that it decided to chew through. It was an ignition wire leading to one of the cylinders in my engine. The next morning when I started my truck, it was running incredibly rough with all sorts of lights blinking on the dash. It took me a while to figure out what was going on. The little fella chewed through the wire completely, right at a connector. As a result, I was flat bed towed about 80 miles to a repair shop that was able to get me up and running. From what I understand, rodents like to seek shelter in the engine compartments at night, then eat the wires simply because they are convenient to nibble on. If you raise the hood, they are now vulnerable to owls, and they no longer feel comfortable hanging out there.

[@glennmiller2116]

@@BenHorne Thanks, thought that was the reason. Keep up your amazing work on this channel.

[@vladepast4936]

I join the opinion "it is a fantastic video..!' really entertaining! Question, what is it you wearing on your feet? It is not boots...

[@BenHorne]

Those are gaiters to keep the sand out of my boots. While climbing sand dunes, there are times that my feet pretty much disappear into the soft sand. Without wearing the gaiters, I would end up with a lot of sand in my boots at the end of the day.

[@jimioutback2662]

What do you mean in the intro' about ongoing government shutdown Ben? Cheers

[@BenHorne]

jimi outback In January of this year, funding was temporary cut off to the national parks due to a political disagreement. As a result, some parks were closed, and others like Death Valley and Zion weren’t staffed and certain services were not available. In the case of Death Valley, several of the popular campgrounds were closed.

[@jimioutback2662]

@@BenHorne Cheers for the explanation Ben. I hope things improve soon. Even an Iron Ranger solution (an honesty box steel post with a payment slot for camping fees like they have in some remote forest service places) might let them keep the campsites open with minimal staff.

[@MatthewSaville]

Judging by the number of lateral frame traverses here, I just realized that you might be a Wes Anderson fan? ;-) And then, just when I was about to tell myself, "ehh, I could get my Subaru there" ...at 4:13 I almost heard you say, "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need ROADS."

[@BenHorne]

I hadn't thought about that before, but I definitely do enjoy Wes Anderson's movies. I filmed the clips like that to show a sense of scale. It's such a difficult thing to show with video. As a little side fact, that section of the "road" at 4:13 is one that I had to walk the first time I visited this location. I couldn't tell if that was indeed the road I was suppose to take, or if it was just the remnants of an old mining road that hasn't been used for decades. I walked about a half mile, then realized it was indeed the route I was suppose to take. This is certainly a place I would not want to be at if rain threatened. There are so many areas where the road could wash out and I would be stranded.

[@BryanDorr]

Looks like Death Valley has been receiving much rain, seeing the sand appears quite firm from your footprint. 6:53 - Are those your hiking poles or did someone leave behind their hiking poles?

[@BenHorne]

Yup, those are my poles. I put them there to mark the area I was hoping to set up my camera. That way I wouldn't accidentally walk all over the area that was going to be the foreground of my photo.

[@terrywbreedlove]

I might be in Death Valley in May :)

[@BenHorne]

Should be pretty hot by then! Even by late March it can get pretty intense.

[@terrywbreedlove]

Ben Horne I need a break from winter and snow ❄️ :)

[@robertgrenader858]

I see our perpetual friend, Mr WIndow Crack, is still with us!

[@BenHorne]

Yup! I don't even notice it anymore. At some point when I get a bit crack in the windshield, I'll get it replaced. Until then, we might as well give it a name. :-)

[@davidewersphotography1013]

do you find you need a four wheel drive truck for these trips

[@BenHorne]

The key thing is good off-road rated tires and high ground clearance. I really didn't need 4WD for where I went, but the tires and clearance are a must. There were some parts later in the trip with deep sand, but I had momentum so 2WD would have been fine. There are some routes where 4WD is definitely necessary, but I avoid the technical stuff like that since I am solo.

[@davidewersphotography1013]

@@BenHorne I am converting a chevy astro into a camper dedicated to photography. I am planning on a lift kit and now will add some good off road tires. I may put a winch setup for getting out o trouble. I am just north from you I believe and you may see me in Zion this next fall.

[@BenHorne]

It would be pretty cool to have the interior space of a van. I would love to have something along those lines. I suppose a Tacoma plus a pop-up shell would be a great solution for me. Maybe some day. Be sure to say hi if you see me! Always great to put a face to a name.

[@davidewersphotography1013]

@@BenHorne I will definitely say hello. My original plan was to use a 10x10 tent. But in windy or colder situations. Having only a tent is a liability. Also a small truck is not the best solution. Since many places I will go. I will have that golden in the photo with me.

[@pbsalfen]

@@davidewersphotography1013 Journeys Off Road has a purpose built winch bumper for the Astro and Safari (second generation only, I think). And with the stock bumper cover cut out for the winch, it looks factory. They also sell a conversion kit to install a Hi/Lo transfer case. If that's what you're into. (A friend and I spent years exploring DVNM in a Datsun 2dr F10 wagon. It's not WHAT you drive, it's HOW you drive what you drive.)

[@terrywbreedlove]

Are these the same dunes your camera fell over on and broke ? Edit never mind it is.

[@BenHorne]

Yup. The Ebony tumbled down those dunes back in 2017, but wasn't damaged since it was the soft side of the dunes. The lens that was attached to the camera that day has taken 3 different falls, and has survived all of them.

[@Brentbrussell]

I've always wondered why no one else ever stakes their tripods down.

[@BenHorne]

It really depends on the location. A place like the sand dunes is one thing, but if the ground is a bit more fragile and it will leave a scar, I wouldn't want to do that. It sure did make life much easier though - especially for that second scene where I wouldn't have been able to take my hand off the tripod for quite a while.

[@markkemp7608]

You live in San DIego?

[@BenHorne]

Yup!!! Born and raised.

[@markkemp7608]

@@BenHorne MIra Mesa High Class of 1979 for me. I miss San Diego!

[@heresmyurl]

Damn, you passed a prius, then a prius passed you. WILD

[@BenHorne]

I just can't win with those Prius drivers! 😂

[@vishwasnagaraju8260]

Oh Ben! Disappointed :( Disappointed that I have to wait for some more time before I see that image. Your video making quality has improved even further. Great video man! :)

[@BenHorne]

Thanks Vishwas! See ya next Saturday! ;-)

[@Beano_z]

How do you guys get to write comments 20 hours ago on a video that’s just been released for 4 minutes?

[@BenHorne]

Good eye! I did something a bit different this time, and sent out an email to my email list with a sneak peak of the day one video the day before it went live. I figured it was a good way of getting the word out there since the notifications sometimes don't work. I will do the same for my upcoming spring trip, and you can sign up for the email list on the front page of my website. :-)

[@Beano_z]

Ben Horne, them I’m surprised and embarrassed why I’m not yet subscribed!!

[@BrianLackey]

1:21 :)

[@MatthewSaville]

"mostly familiar" LOL

[@MatthewSaville]

I'm surprised that Ben didn't wax on about exposing light-sensitive cellulose to radiation from a nearby star... (AKA, the definition of sanity.)

[@m1k869]

Hah. So slow even a Prius passed you ;)

[@Hirsutechin]

Not in Death Valley, it wouldn't, lol.

[@BenHorne]

Yup! Seems to happen every time.😉