THE EQUIPMENT

Visitors to Earth and Light Gallery frequently ask what types of cameras I use to capture my images and why are they so sharp and colorful. My camera and format selection is often based on the physical weight of the system and the scene that I am photographing, and how quickly the light is changing.

In recent years I have rarely used 35mm film for image capture as the format simply is not capable of providing large, high resolution prints. It seemed illogical as a landscape photographer to carry a heavy, expensive 35mm body into the field, when a medium format camera can provide far better results at about the same expense and weight. For those occasions when I would have previously considered shooting with 35mm film, I now use a Canon 40D digital SLR system with Canon L series lenses. Airline weight allowances have become more restrictive since 9/11 and I normally take only the Canon digital system with me when traveling out of the country.

When I am in the field for a day hike or a multi-day backpack to a remote location, a Pentax 645n medium format camera often is my camera system of choice. The 645 image size on the film is nearly three times that of 35mm film and can be enlarged to produce 20" x 30" prints or larger, with excellent sharpness and color rendition. The 645n has a motor drive system, excellent metering and manual or autofocus, and can be used almost as easily as a conventional 35mm SLR camera but with superior results when shooting most landscape/nature scenes.

If time and weight constraints allow, I frequently bring along a Horseman multi-format view camera system that can be used with 120 size roll film (2.2.5" x 3.25" frame size/6 x 9 cm format) or 4" x 5" sheet film.

The 6 x 9 cm format produces a frame size twice that of the 645 medium format, and almost six times the frame size of 35mm film. Print images remain incredibly sharp up to 30" x 40" or more. And my 4" x 5" format cameras (Horseman and a classic Crown Graphic with modern Schneider and Fujinon lens) deliver images of yet additional sharpness.

From the time I saw my first Cinemascope film as a child I have loved the widescreen format. And I prefer to capture many of the epic southwestern images with a medium format panorama camera. My choice is a Fuji professional 617 format camera. The actual film image size is 2.25" x 6.75" - approximately eleven times the image size of a 35mm frame. Images remain very detailed with wonderful color resolution up to 3x9 feet or larger in size. To put that in perspective, a 617 film frame scanned at 3200 dots per inch will produce a file size of about 850 megapixels, delivering the sharpest images among all the formats that I shoot.


FILM SELECTION

Another question frequently raised by visitors to my gallery is "How do you get such color?" I start by shooting in the early morning at or near sunrise, or in the evening at or near sunset, when sunlight is the richest and most golden. And I shoot almost exclusively with three film stocks: Fuji Velvia 50 - the most popular film in the world among nature and landscape photographers and my personal favorite, and Kodak 100VS, my second choice along with Fuji Provia 100/100F. If the shooting situation requires higher film speed, I use Provia 100F and push it one stop. All three are transparency (slide) films.

My film is processed at A&I Labs in Hollywood - quite simply one of the very best film processing labs in the country, in my opinion. Once my film is returned, I inspect it and select the images I feel to be worthy for inclusion in my gallery or on this website. I scan my film using an Imacon film scanner. Minor color corrections, dust spec removal and sizing are performed in Adobe PhotoShop, and then stored on hard drives and disc backup. I resize the master file to meet the image size requirements of my clients and I do so from the original digital file.

If I shoot digital files I shoot in the RAW format, allowing extremely accurate ‘tuning’ of the final image. I also use HDR processing when the light conditions demand high dynamic range.


PRINTERS

I currently employ two printers, depending on customer desires and the type of paper selected. If a print is to be a large panorama extending beyond 22 inches in width, I use a Canon IPF 8000. This allows me to print images 42 inches in height and as wide as necessary. Inks designed for use in this printer, in combination with high quality fine art canvas and papers, will deliver prints rated for a lifespan of over 100 years before fading.

Gallery notecards, photocards and smaller prints are produced on a Canon Pro9000. Properly matted and displayed behind glass, the images from the 9000 will last 35-50 years, or more, before fading.

I use papers and canvas almost exclusively from Canon, Epson and Breathing Color.