[LargeFormat] The Lost (Photo) Weekend
Ronald Schilling
largeformat@f32.net
Wed Oct 1 20:18:01 2003
The Fall Color thread has prompted me to relate my story of a
photographic weekend that didn't quite happen.
The setup:
My wife and I wanted to go to Swallow Falls State Park (Maryland) on the
weekend of Oct. 11th but because nearby Oakland, MD has their Autumn
Glory Festival that weekend, we decided to avoid the crowds and go on
September 26th through 29th.
Day one:
Stopped at Sideling Hill Visitor Center to view the cut where the road
goes through the hill.
(http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/sidelinghill.html) Took
some pictures there with the small cameras (35 mm) but not with the 4 X
5 camera--time constraints. Lost opportunity number one.
Day two:
After a good night's sleep at Swallow Falls, we went out with a minimum
of photo gear to visit a favorite spot without too much intrusion from
photography. Just wanted to experience the place. Nice misty morning
just right for good pictures. Lost opportunity number two.
Day three:
After a rainy night we went out hiking with the 4 X 5 but nothing seemed
to come together photograph-wise. The falls were big and not very
photogenic or the sun would come out of the clouds and the light range
was more than the 4 or 5 stops I would have liked. I was wishing I had
taken the 4 X 5 on day two when the photo opportunities were there! Took
two pictures of fungus and ferns, one of which is bad because I forgot
to stop down the lens!
Day four:
Returned home. Missed opportunities and regrets.
Anybody ever had a photographic experience they were looking forward to
only to have it not come together? Ever put aside photography just to
experience a place?