Feather River
Filed under: Stories behind the scenes — stevegilb @ 1:27 pm
Driving along the Feather River in northern California with my nephew we came across this scene laid out along the opposite slope. We jumped out of the Van, set up the tripod, attached the 4X5 camera, selected a lens, focused the camera, inserted the film back and just then the sun rested behind the building clouds. A long wait began in the rain under umbrellas as we waited for the sun to return and set the stage again. I had already taken a light meter reading before the sun disappeared and the shutter speed and aperature was set for an exposure value of 13. I had my nephew hold the meter on the bare tree across the river and when it reached 13 to tell me. Forty five minutes later, wha-laa, the sun re-appeared for a split second before disappearing again and finally dropping over the mountain for good.
Comments (0)Lightning over Barstow
Filed under: Stories behind the scenes — stevegilb @ 1:12 pm
I had gone up to Big Bear that weekend to photograph an area east of Big Bear City. That night while I was setting near my campfire I kept hearing thunder in the background. I turned and looked for awhile and discovered a lightning storm was moving along over Barstow. Curious, I set up my 4X5 camera, aimed it in the direction of the storm, focused on a small light in the valley and opened the lens. An exposure time of two beers @ f 22 was just enough.
Comments (0)Portarait of a Hopi Indian
Filed under: Stories behind the scenes — stevegilb @ 1:05 pm
Back when I traveled the earth in a Volkswagen Van, had long hair and more time than money I stopped by the New Oraibi Trading Post to visit a friend. While we where walking around inside the trading post I asked Mel if he knew any interesting Indians that wouldn’t mind being photographed. Just then Nicholas stepped around the corner and Mel asked if he would do? My mouth dropped to the floor as I looked at a person with so much character and a lifetime of stories in his face I stood in disbelief. Mel approached Nicholas and asked if he would mind and to Mel’s surprise he declined the offer. He said he had never seen him act like that before and my guess it was some sort of spiritual thing but Mel didn’t believe so. It was impossible for me to leave New Oraibi now that I’ve met Nicholas. The following day I stopped by Nicholas house where he was setting outside eating pumpkin seeds. I joined him without my camera and started chatting about New Oraibi and his life there. He lived a very interesting life and I found myself speaking to a man at a new level, as a friend and mentor. I bought more pumpkin seeds, I fixed his leaky faucet and just hung out with him for two days. My final day in New Oraibi I drove up to his house and asked him one more time if I could photograph him, this time he said yes. Come to find out, he was exploited by some other photographer that promised him a print but he never recieved it. I made a promise to send him a print and that I would never sell his image to anyone. Six weeks later Mel invited him into his office where he handed over a 16X20 print of himself that I had mailed. Nicholas cried, that was payment enough.
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