This picture of the Devil's Crags was taken from Observation Basin in 1988. I used a Gowland 4x5 with VPL negative film. The same as Joel Meyerowitz. I made an 8x10 Vericolor print positive which was used for drum scanning at Evercolor in Worcester, Mass. at the time. John Wawrzonek made the scan. The smoke clouds were caused by a raging fire west of Kings Canyon. The spot is twenty six miles into the range and I'm eight days into a two week trip with my wife Nancy. This was the second picture in 1985 three years I made that I felt meant something.
Thanks for the compliments. I don't have any pics squirreled away from 1985-1988 unfortunately. I never, hard to believe, made more than one composition from any one place. Part of this was using a 4x5, film cost, how much effort was needed to move around, etc. I would go on a ten day trip and make 6-10 pictures. I spent a lot of time map reading figuring out lighting and possible big landscape compositions. Of course I did respond to what was there when I got to any one place.
I walked around a potential scene and let things soak in. During this meditation I left the camera in camp.
