Old Faithful

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As an amature, the experience of exploring the world with my camera is as important as the results. Perhaps the my best experience in Yellowstone was exploring the geyser basin with the light of a September (1997) moon. Image taken with a 1950s TL Rolliflex, on Tmax 400, f5.6 for most of the eruption.



-- Larry Korhnak (lvk@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu), January 04, 1999

Answers

I really like this image. It has an artistic feel to it. It has an interesting exposure and the printing is great. I would have moved the camera a little to the right. Congratulations.

-- Bahman Farzad (cpgbooks@mindspring.com), January 04, 1999.

Well Done. I was just thinking as I saw your post that I had never seen a night shot of Old Faithful and as if you read my mind..... The composition seems a little weak to me. Exposure is very moody and I, for one, like it. Try this crop. 5-10% from the bottom and 10-15% from the left. A little more on the right would be nice too. Emphasise the feathery appearance of the water. Is the forground detail gone on the print?

One for the Wall....

Cheers

-- Bill (Bill.Wyman@utas.edu.au), January 04, 1999.


Great shot Larry. It would be nice if the reflection of the stream in the moonlight was a tad brighter. (on my screen at least)

-- Micheal F. Kelly (kellys@clipper.net), January 05, 1999.

Very interesting shot. Like Bill, I don't recall seeing any night shot of Old Faithful. The problem with the composition of this type of time exposure is that you aren't sure how the image will be like when you shoot. I too would crop part of the left side and the bottom.

-- Shun Cheung (shun@worldnet.att.net), January 05, 1999.

A very different, surrealistic shot of Old Faithful that really conveys a feeling of the "explosiveness" of the geyser. I also like the glow of moonlight just above the trees and the highlights on what I imagine are hot springs in the lower left foreground. I also wish there was a bit more room on the right for the geyser to move into.

-- Barbara Kelly (kellys@alaska.net), January 06, 1999.


Thank-you Bahman, Bill, Micheal, Shun, and Barbara for taking time to share your thoughts. This was more of spontaneous snapshot than a carefully planned image. I only had one night to roam around the geyser basin, and of course you have to wait over an hour between eruptions. Frankly I was just elated when I pulled the film from the fixer to see anything on the negative. I found Yellowstone to be a truly magical place, but the day time crowds spoil the mood. Ah but at night, the hisses, bubbles, steam, smells, and ghostly light take you to another world. It's probably a good thing I live so far away as I would probably be obsessed in getting the "perfect" image and addressing some of the improvements that you have suggested. This image is on my wall and its does evoke some of the mood for me. I'm pleased that you good photographers have responded to it as well.

-- Larry Korhnak (lvk@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu), January 06, 1999.

Sans caption, I'm not sure that the image would read effectively. With detailed inspection, one can discern what appear to be a line of treetops, but nothing else in the image grounds it for the viewer. A tough subject under tough conditions.

-- Duane Galensky (duane@wild-light.com), January 08, 1999.

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