Early Morning, Seneca Lake, NY.

This was for me, my first significant black and white photograph with which I am still happy to this day.  Others tend not to see it as one of my best, but I guess it holds a special place for me.  The place had a timeless feel to it, and I could see the final image in my mind’s eye- an image that was significantly different from how the scene appears to the casual eye.  The moment seemed to be waiting for me and for the first time, I had a clear grasp of what I “saw” in that moment, and what technical choices I had to make to carry that through to the final print- something that is a rather intangible process to explain.   Truly effective photos I believe, contain reality but also transcend reality, and bring larger concepts, ideas and feelings into our perceptions, as the photographer, or viewer of a successful image.  Like any good art, it makes you think, feel and dream.   I set up my 4×5″ camera with a Schneider Xenar 135mm lens, discovered a stripped thread adapter in the tripod mount, took one out of another camera, while feeling that the moment may be slipping away. It didn’t, and I triggered the cable release, at f32 for 1/2 second with a yellow filter.  I still remember that.  The fog was starting to clear and was completely clear within minutes, but I got my shot.   I love it when moments like that happen and I am still searching for more of them to this day.