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My name is Michael Morris, I am a photographer who came to photography later in life. I started with digital and found it unrewarding so after a short time with MF, I moved to LF 4X5. Almost everything I do now is large format B&W. I am working to improve my technical and artistic skills constantly. Living in Phoenix, I have access to some very good photographers who are willing to help and teach. I am on a journey exploring photography, the US, and myself to some extent. Along with my wife Mary, we are traveling the US together, cameras follow us everywhere and as we travel, this BLOG is updated. It is very much a journal of my journey with ramblings about everything from the photograph I took while traveling, to the ah-ha moments when something new is grasped.

The old masters work is enthralling to me and I spend a lot of time looking at their work as well as most other work I have access to.

Entries in wupatki (2)

Tuesday

Jan122010

Flagstaff Area

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 7:05AM

Last Sunday a friend and I went to the Wupatki/Sunset Crater area in search of snow on the ruins and in the lava fields. Alas, no snow on the ruins, but plenty in the lava fields. I have been to this area many times and never found snow on the ruins in Wupatki, it is a bit lower in elevation than Sunset Crater and so when they get snow, it doesn't last long.

It was another exercise in bold contrast to shoot B&W in the lava field. I am looking forward to printing a few to see what they are like. The scanner does not do a very good job with them. Perhaps later today or tomorrow I will make some time to print a few.

The clouds had the sun obscured most of the day, totally flat light, we celebrated when we spotted a shadow. So it was a game of waiting for the right light and looking for things to shoot that did not depend so much on shadows. The sun did make a brief appearance in the afternoon just before we started for home. Then the clouds almost all dissipated while we were driving home.

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Cloth Session 2

Monday, September 21, 2009 at 7:56PM

Today I played some more with the cloth. The ribbed cloth has really captured my imagination. I have spent hours trying to get it to do what I want it to do but in most cases, it simply does not cooperate. Tomorrow I hope to be able to make time to do some printing. If so, the next post will have scans of some prints.

The first 8X10 negative was made today, same setup as abouve but woth a 210mm lens rather than the 135mm used for the 4X5 and of course a bit different setup. I have no tank to develop in yet so until I can borrow on or when the one I bought arrives, it will simple sit in the refrigerator. It was nice to shoot it but it will take some acclimatization before I am fully comfortable with it.

Yesterday the trip was not productive in terms of photography but it was useful. I was very tired and had to sleep in the car while Mary drove on 2 occasions. Walking 100yds was exhausting. Although I am no longer on any medication, the treatment took a lot out of me and it will probably take a few months to get back where I was before it started. Only a couple of photos were made on the trip. The photo att he bottom of this post is one of them. The clouds were great, the wind quite fresh but it was great nontheless.

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