photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Ray Mathis | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Desert Wall Art, Capitol Reef NP, Utah tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Desert Wall Art, Capitol Reef NP, Utah

There is no place I've found that has as much, and as beautiful wall patterns and shapes than Capitol Reef National Park. The entire drive from the east entrance to the park to the Visitor Center is lined with walls covered with all types and shapes of designs and earth tone colors. There is also a significant amount of wall art in Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge. Depending on the time of day and year, the light will bounce off one wall and cast reflected warm light on the opposing wall, causing colors to be enriched and the sandstone to glow. There is so much to select from that shooting it in 4x5 could get really expensive, and even tricky, because you often have to stand in the middle of a 45 mph road to take the pictures in between passing cars. So on a recent trip, I came up with the idea to shoot my favorite patterns in 35mm. Plus, it gave me something very creative and entertaining to do with the middle of the day, between that sweet light in at sunrise (Capitol Reef is mainly a sunset place) and sunset. These are the results of that endeavor from just one afternoon. I used a 50mm, 35mm and 28mm lens and metered the reflected light off a white card and set my dials on the spot meter accordingly, and crosschecked the readings against the readings off the walls. Now I wish I had shot some of these in 4x5. Good luck in me trying to find the exact ones and composing them the same way again.
Desert Wall Art
Desert Wall Art
2
2
5
5
7
7
9
9
10
10
11
11
8
8
13
13
15
15
17
17
18
18
19
19
20
20
14
14
22
22
23
23
24
24
25
25
26
26
27
27
29
29
21
21
32
32
33
33
35
35
37
37
38
38
41
41
45
45
46
46
48
48
49
49
50
50
51
51
53
53
54
54
55
55
56
56
58
58
60
60
61
61
62
62
63
63
64
64
66
66
67
67
68
68
69
69
70
70
71
71
72
72
3
3
4
4
6
6
12
12
16
16
28
28
30
30
31
31
34
34
36
36
39
39
40
40
42
42
44
44
47
47
52
52
57
57
59
59
73
73