Jediadiah Smith STP

[mike c]

Heading up to So. west Oregon this week end and will be stopping to take photos at Jed. Smith State Park Monday or Tuesday,probably around Stout Grove. If there is any local Apug'rs that can give any advise to time or places to go I will appreciate.Will be using my 5x7 camera equipment with a small wagon to carry the stuff.

Mike

 

[Vaughn]

Howland Hill Road through Jed Smith is a must. Photograph right from the road! (On Google Maps, just type in the name of the road and "crescent city, ca") The attached image is an 8x10 set up on the edge of the road in February.

You might want to take a drive up Hwy 199 a ways. Some nice views of the Smith River, if you can find a turn-out.

On your way north, take the Avenue of the Giants in southern Humboldt County -- and Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkwa through Prairie Creek Redwoods SP in northern Humboldt County. Some nice short hikes off the Drury Parkway -- check out the Corkscrew Tree.

Looks like you are in for some mixed weather -- not always the easiest to photograph in, but a great way to experience the redwoods. Enjoy!

Vaughn

 

[mike c]

Thanks Vaughn,I will try to make some carbon trans. negs.The weather is some that can't be predicted,don,t get up there often so will do what I can.
Mike

 

[Vaughn]

Let me know if I can be of any help when you are up this way!

Vaughn

 

[mike c]

Vaughn,I'm going to be using adox 25 and arista 100 and my old stand by TXP in 5x7.From what I gather carbon transfer works better with higher contrast negs.Is this the case for you also.Thinking the adox is a pretty contrasty film,but in the past I have used other films with my med format camera and have had the shadow area's go empty.Under the canopy of those tall tree shadow areas can get very black.How do you deal with that situation and still keep a neg suitable for Carbon printing.
Mike

 

[Vaughn]

Same old thing -- exposing for those shadows. And adding a couple stops for reciprocity failure, as I am usually around f64 give or take a stop. I let the very small areas I don't need detail in to be clear -- gives me that extra raised relief. The reciprocity failure (RF) can provide a boost in contrast, too. If I accidently do anything wrong, it is usually not compensating for the RF enough on those multiple minute exposures. (TMax and Acros are easier to work with because of that.)

And then I give the film about double the "normal" development to boost the contrast if I need to. Sunny days, with sunlight coming through the trees, I do not need to boost the development much -- overcast days, I do.

Vaughn

 

[mike c]

Thank you Vaughn, that was about what I was thinking,looks like I'm going to have overcast days there next week but you never know.
Mike

 

[Vaughn]

Climate is something one has, and weather is what one gets...and it looks like weather is what we'll be getting for the next week or so. Saturday is looking the best, but that can change!

Vaughn

 

[mike c]

I don't mind the weather to much when photographing some time there is really cool stuff happening, sort of lighting.Its the driving that makes it tough.