"Hidden superpowers" claimed for Reverse ND Grad can't be confirmed

On the last day of November, outdoor photographer Jamie Fullerton and a photographer friend started out early from his home in Redmond, Washington, headed for Chinook Pass -- the east entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. "I had offered to drive up into the mountains," says Jamie, "on what might be our last chance before the roads closed for the winter. As we left Redmond, a steady drizzle fell from a television sky. As we neared Lake Tipsoo, a starry sky opened up above us. Charles kept pointing toward the mountain and wowing. We soon met up with several other photographers just as the show began.

"That morning, we witnessed a sunrise like no other I had seen from that location. It was simply incredible. My favorite place to shoot in this area is a point at the edge of a small pond near the parking area. But on this morning, as we were hurrying along to that favorite location, I glanced over at Mount Rainier and saw the scene in the photo above. I stopped in my tracks -- thinking I could certainly spare sixty seconds for such an magical view! Very quickly, I mounted my Singh-Ray 3-Stop Reverse Graduated ND Filter onto my 24-70 f/2.8L and shot two horizontal frames to be stitched together for a panoramic view. I then captured two more vertical frames in the same manner, just in case, and quickly sprinted off to my "hot spot." For the vertical shot, I stacked the 3-Stop Reverse ND Grad on top of the LB Warming Polarizer, using just enough polarization to enhance reflections while taming Mount Rainier with 3 stops of added ND density.

"The decision to use the 3-Stop Reverse ND Graduated filter for this scene had actually been made in my mind long before I had even purchased the filter. After reviewing my photographs from a previous visit to this location, I concluded that many of the images indicated my standard 3-Stop Graduated ND filter left the sky unnaturally dark and lacking in detail. By using the 3-Stop Reverse ND Grad, I was able to hold back the snowy peak by 3 stops while holding back the sky by only 2 stops. This tactic worked wonders throughout the morning and led to many successful images.

"You can see several more shots from that morning at my website. All of them were made using the same approach with the 3-Stop Reverse ND Grad filter. Yet again, I am impressed! I believe that this filter may contain hidden superpowers available to those willing to experiment with it!"

A strong case for shooting "cityscapes"

Outdoor stock photographer Adam Barker wonders, "Why is it we hear folks mention they’re 'going to the countryside' for the weekend, but I’ve never once heard anyone mention going to the cityside? I'm guessing 'cityside' isn’t even a word, but it does help me make a point. 'Country' implies beautiful and serene, whereas 'city' implies industrial and noisy. I find in my own photography, however, that cities can be seen as every bit as beautiful as a majestic mountain vista. It all hinges on my own perspective and having the right light and air quality.

"I recently completed an extensive tour of various 'citysides' throughout the US and Canada. No, I didn't find the same wilderness opportunities that abound near my Utah home, but I must say there can be something strangely beautiful and dramatic about a city skyline. Under the right light, skyscrapers take on a stately and sophisticated feel. A silhouetted skyline has an inimitable shape and many are instantly recognizable as national icons.

"As with any other shoot, I kept my Singh-Ray filters close at hand to capture whatever images came my way. I find the soft-step ND Grads to be my tools of choice for shooting city skylines at dawn or dusk. Jutting rooftops and other objects above the horizon can be clipped by the abrupt transition line of hard-step filters. In some cases, a Reverse ND Grad may be more suitable if you are shooting into the sun at sunrise or sunset.

"The image (above) of the Salt Lake City Capitol Building and surrounding fog was shot on a particularly frosty evening. A recent winter storm had just pushed through, guaranteeing crystal-clear air and some spectacular, unobstructed views of the city. I chose to use my 3-stop Reverse ND Grad to hold the color and detail across the brightly lit horizon while also achieving an accurate exposure on the city in the foreground. As I do with most images when using my Reverse ND Grad, I handheld the filter, moving it up and down just slightly across the horizon, thus enabling me to hide any filter line that might appear.

"This image of the Seattle skyline was shot from an often photographed location at Alki Beach. The city was about to get pounded with rain, and the stormy light was a sight to behold. I chose my Singh-Ray 4-stop soft-step ND Grad to close the giant gap in dynamic range between the intense pink cloud and the shaded buildings. While this certainly isn’t a new take on Seattle, I believe the difference in this image is the exceptional quality of the light. Don’t forget that spectacular light can lend an entirely new feel to a seemingly old composition.

"During my time in San Francisco, I was blessed with unbelievably clear skies. On the one hand, that made for fewer dramatic clouds. On the other, I could see for miles. I chose to shoot this cityscape from the Twin Peaks Overlook on one particular evening. The air was pleasantly crisp, as San Fran’s enjoyable Indian summer was in full effect. For this panoramic image, I chose to use a 2-stop soft-step ND Grad to add some extra punch to the dusk color in the sky. This also allowed me to slightly overexpose the city, letting the buildings soak up just a bit more reflected light from the opposing horizon. When shooting panos to be stitched in post-processing, take special care to have an accurately consistent filter placement in each image. With today’s panoramic stitching software, it’s fairly easy to produce evenly toned skies. However, some care must be taken not to have drastic tonal differences at the time of capture.

"The image with the full moon was shot using my 3-stop Reverse ND Grad. The filter was essential to get an accurately balanced exposure of the moon as well as the city. This image is not a digital blend, nor is it a color-altered photograph. Used in combination with a long focal length lens and relatively large aperture, the Reverse ND Grad accentuated the dusk glow, or 'earth shadow,' producing an intense pink and orange hue on the horizon.

"So, if you live in or near a city and long for something special to shoot, be sure to look around you. See through the traffic, noise, pollution and hubbub of everyday life and get to an overlook on a clear day. You might be amazed at how beautiful the place where you live really can be."

To find more of Adam's varied images, check out his photo gallery and his lively -- and often opinionated -- blog.

Just how far do we go to get that awesome shot? ...a question well worth pondering

"In today’s outdoor photography market," says leading landscape photographer Kevin McNeal, "competition is ever-more intense -- due in part to the wonderful advances in digital imaging. With today's camera bodies being lighter, stronger, and more versatile, getting good images has become simpler and easier for every photographer -- including me. For example, cameras are being built that can survive a 10-foot drop, resist water and scratches, and even operate underwater, all this while fitting in our coat pocket. Fortunately, image quality has advanced as well. In fact, improved sensors enable some point-and-shoot cameras to produce prints as large as 20x30 inches with exceptional quality.

Because of this greater mobility and performance, a serious photographer can now carry his camera and filters in his pocket and reach precarious places once thought to be too dangerous and inaccessible. Thus, a new sport -- and business -- of extreme photography is emerging. So then, how far should we go and how much should we risk to get that elusive image?

"Whether it is landscape or wildlife photography, nature photographers are redefining the boundaries of what is acceptable -- and necessary -- when it comes to 'getting the shot.' Today's more intrepid photographers are ready and able to explore uncharted landscapes. Not only is our camera equipment more convenient to carry, but such accessories as Singh-Ray filters make it possible to capture images that more closely match what the scene actually looks like. (For that, let's all thank Galen Rowell one more time.)

"All this has led to a new look for outdoor photographs, as many creative photographers push the boundaries of realism and create surreal images of otherwise natural scenes. Examples of this are photographers who will wear full-body dry suits to reach destinations such as waterfalls, caves, or even never seen before creeks. I also see many photographers who are willing to risk their lives in terms of getting ocean images. Battling oncoming waves, while treading water to reach new frontiers in terms of haystacks, arches, and coastal caves. If they are not swimming, they're kayaking into tides that could easily turn for the worse at any moment. So I am finally asking myself, 'How far do we go'?

"I've been seriously wrestling with that question after my own recent failure to realize just how far I, myself, would go. When browsing photography forums, I constantly come across images of scenic spots taken from a new vantage point I would have previously considered impossible. While viewing these highly successful images, I began to believe I would need to engage in risky behavior if I was going to keep pace. Sorry to say, I chose not to heed the advice of those close to me, and decided to jump right in and do whatever it took to capture images from new directions. As time passed, I began to reconsider whether the ends justified the means. Would I continue putting my life in jeopardy, or would I be perceptive enough to realize when to stop? After several close calls with danger -- and having nothing to show for it -- and after destroying three cameras, I needed to step back.

"My last incident was the wake-up call I needed. Off the coast of Oregon, wading in chest-high seawater, I treaded out to a headland. Once there, I then dodged waves that were head high before settling in on a rock I thought would be secure (that's me out there on the rock). I then set up my camera only to be met with the consequences I was bound to face sooner or later. I was thrown by a ten-foot wave clear off the rocks with my camera, lenses, and most of my Singh-Ray filters in the bag. After resurfacing, I gasped for some air and tried to make for land. Not having any luck, I was thrown against the rocks several times before another wave eventually carried to me to shore. Standing there with no camera, no lenses, and the loss of my Singh-Ray filters, I asked myself was it worth it? For me the loss of my equipment left me with a sense of helplessness, and a question of how I was going to ever get back to where I was at one time.

"Somewhere along the line in the last few years, my photography had changed into an extreme sport. My escalation of risky behavior and taking chances had slowly increased, making the appearance of my absurdity unrecognizable. By capturing images never seen before, some photographers will succeed and never look back. But I can’t help looking back and wondering, at what point did I push things too far"?

We're happy to report Kevin has fully renewed his confidence and enthusiasm and has replaced most of his lost gear. The top two photos were both taken by Kevin at Indian Beach, Ecola Beach State Park, not too far from where the wipeout occurred. For the first image, Kevin used a 3-stop Reverse ND Grad filter due to the position of the sun near the horizon and his LB ColorCombo to boost the color in the sky. For the second image, he combined a Singh-Ray Vari-N-Duo and 5-stop Mor-Slo ND filters to get a very long exposure and achieve a more "surreal" look.

The third, fourth and sixth images are very recent photos made by Kevin. Image 3 was taken at Silver Falls State Park with the Vari-N-Duo. "This was a shot that I bracketed several times," says Kevin, "adjusting the neutral density to get the right water motion without blowing highlights. The filter's built-in polarizer kept the glare from becoming an issue and at the same time increased the saturation of the fall foliage. I took the fourth photo near Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park -- the home of many great sunsets. I used my LB ColorCombo and 3-Stop Soft ND Grad. In the winter, the snow acts as a great reflector for the sun's color. To capture the fairy tale beauty in the sixth (bottom) photo, taken at Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, I used the LB ColorCombo."

The fifth image, showing Kevin at Bean Hollow Beach, California, just before he and his gear were washed into the surf, was taken by his friend John Harrison.

A visit to his website will quickly confirm that Kevin is totally back in business and continuing to shoot amazing images.

This Vari-N-Duo image -- shot with flash fill -- is not as shocking as it might have been

"Every time I see water, I imagine how it would look photographed at 15 seconds or longer." says Colorado photographer Tom Bol. "But a lot of our outdoor stock photography includes the use of models to create eye-catching images for a variety of clients. I had a scene in my mind that would involve using the Vari-N-Duo filter for its long exposure abilities and introducing flash to create the right mood and sun-lit effect on my model fisherman. The real trick would be finding a model to sit in a freezing river while I triggered an 1100-watt flash head* placed about a foot above the surface of the water. If the flash fell into the river, things would be exciting!

"The other challenge was finding the right location. Ideally I needed a large rock or spot near the bank where I could set up the flash pack, and a stable place for my tripod. The final exposure would be around 15 seconds. After scouting the Poudre river near my house I found a large boulder in the river that would work, and just below it a small rapid that would look great with a fisherman tying a fly in the middle of it. I called another photographer, Randy, who was intrigued with this idea, and he volunteered to 'model.' Better yet, he likes to fly fish and has all the gear for it!

"The day was a mix of sun and clouds, and even with my aperture at f22 and ISO at 100, my exposure was still faster than 1 second. I put on the Vari-N-Duo filter and instantly two things happened. First, I was able to get my exposure down to 15 seconds. And second, the polarizing effect of the filter reduced the glare and saturated the water. Perfect! But then new challenges arose. Even with the flash set to full power it couldn't produce enough power to overcome the dark effect of the filter. We were reducing the light by almost 7 stops, and at f22, the flash didn't show up. We tried triggering the flash multiple times during the long exposure, but the flash still didn't register.

"Our solution was to make a double exposure in the camera. Our first exposure was set for 15 seconds to bring in the silky effect in the water using the filter. Then I took off the Vari-N-Duo filter, changed the shutter speed to 1/250 so only the flash would register, and took the second shot. Only the flash came through on the second image due to the fast shutter speed. But then another technical challenge came up. Anywhere the flash hit the water it 'froze' the motion, eliminating the silky effect created in the first part of the double exposure. I started with a small soft box on the flash, but changed this to a 20 degree grid spot to narrow the angle of coverage of the flash. This focused the flash on the model, with limited spill onto the moving water. Finally things were coming together. I underexposed the background by about 1 1/2 stops to create some mood in the image. This looked nice, but I decided to set my white balance to tungsten and 'counter filtrate' the flash with an orange gell. Anything the gelled flash hit would render a normal daylight balance, while the surrounding water would go deep blue due to the tungsten white balance. Randy was practically frozen by the time we figured all this out. Randy's hat and hand showed a little motion in the final image, it is hard to stay perfectly still for 15 seconds shivering in an icy river!

"Shooting near water with high voltage flash is always tricky. The last thing you want to have happen is for a flash head or pack to fall in the river. As we were breaking the gear down we accidentally dropped a flash head into the river -- just after disconnecting the power. When I got home I used a hairdryer to dry things out, and the flash worked just fine. And Randy was never shocked! I definitely plan to try this setup again, perhaps with a waterfall in the background, I'm just not sure if the waterfall is frozen or not at this point. All in all, we learned a lot from this flash-fill with Vari-N-Duo experience that we thought would be worth sharing."

To follow Tom's many outdoor workshops and other photos adventures, be sure to visit his website often.

*NOTE: Singh-Ray urges all photographers and readers to use proper safety precautions when using any sort of potentially dangerous equipment. Refer to your equipment owner's manual or manufacturer for complete safety information.

Rambling photographer finds some great light at White Sands National Monument

Here's the latest word from Ethan Meleg, who has nothing better to do than drive his VW camper around North America for the next year or more photographing landscapes, birds and other wildlife. "After two intense weeks of photographing birds at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico," says Ethan, "I packed up and drove south to White Sands National Monument in late November.

"I'd been up since 3:30 am and was completely exhausted when I pulled into White Sands in mid-afternoon. It was rainy and overcast, so I did what any self-employed landscape photographer would do -- I found a quiet parking lot, put my feet up and dozed off almost instantly. When I woke up a couple hours later, the clouds were breaking and it was shaping up as a great sunset. In my groggy state, I instinctively grabbed my camera gear and ran out into the dunes. Time was precious!

"The combination of the dramatic clouds and the stark white dunes was tantalyzing, so I chose a two-filter combination to capture the scene: a Singh-Ray LB Polarizer and a 2-stop hard-edge ND grad (the handy 4x6" size). The polarizer helped emphasize the drama of the clouds without shifting the natural color of the dunes. And the grad allowed me to control contrast throughout the image -- preserving detail in both the sky and dunes.

"There was only a brief window of great light that evening, but I made the most of it by staying until well after sunset.

"Although I went back the next morning and spent several hours shooting the dunes, the clear blue skies just couldn't compare to what I had experienced the night before. I don't know how often rain and ominous clouds descend on White Sands, but I felt very lucky that it happened on the day I was there."

All of Ethan's images were taken with his Canon EOS 1Ds III on a tripod and using a cable release and mirror lock-up. Each image was made with a Singh-Ray 4x6-inch ND Grad handheld in front of lens.

Ethan will report again soon to update us on his travels. It's certain he'll find many more great images just up the road. You can track his photo journey by bookmarking his website and blog. Ethan is also a regular contributor for Outdoor Photography Canada magazine.

His new Vari-N-Duo is the "perfect solution" for capturing Yosemite's streams and lakes

When outdoor photographer Rick Walker traveled to Yosemite National Park this fall, he was eager to try out his new Singh-Ray Vari-N-Duo. "I've been a real fan of the regular Vari-ND, says Rick, "and since water is an important feature in so many of my landscapes, I was eager to try the new polarizing 'Duo' version. Here are several photos from my trip that clearly show just how effectively the LB Polarizer inside the new Vari-N-Duo controls the strong specular highlights and glare from water and wet rocks. For my needs, the new Vari-N-Duo filter is the perfect solution.

"During my shoot in Yosemite, I spent a great deal of time photographing flowing water in the park's mountain streams, as seen in the first three photos here. With the Vari-N-Duo mounted on my lens, I could slow my exposures to get the flowing water effect I wanted and -- at the same time -- vary the amount of polarization to remove just the right amount of light reflection from the water's surface.

"You can see that the beautiful reflections of trees and rocks in the water weren't removed -- just the unappealing glare from the surface. In the image taken at Mono Lake (at bottom), the slow exposure stabilized the surface of the water and gave it a more silky appearance."

The basic shooting technique Rick uses with the Vari-N-Duo mounted on his lens is as follows:

• Set the camera for the ISO desired, usually the lowest one available on the camera.

• Set the camera to manual exposure mode and preset the appropriate aperture for the depth of field required. In the case of these photos, it was f/16 because he wanted a great deal of depth of field.

• Set the desired shutter speed for the shot. For these shots, Rick chose shutter speeds ranging from 1 second to 10 seconds. He chose the shorter shutter speeds to blur the water and the longer ones to "average out" the movement of the water and gave the appearance of stillness -- even when there was actually some movement. This improved the quality of the reflections in these images.

• Adjust the front "Min/Max" neutral density control ring until the camera's meter indicates the exposure is correct, including any adjustments needed for the subject's tonalities. This may also involve making a few test shots and carefully reviewing the images and their histograms.

• Rotate the polarization ring -- just behind the front ring -- until the polarizing effect is correct for the image. This isn't always full-strength polarization; sometimes a partial setting is better. It varies with the subject and lighting situation.

• Make the final exposure(s) and review the histogram. It may be helpful to 'bracket' the degree of polarization for later review.

Rick's equipment used for these shots included his Nikon D3 camera, a 70-200mm 2.8, a 300mm 4.0 and a 17-35mm 2.8 lens. A good tripod was essential, given the slow shutter speeds involved.

In addition to his photography, Rick Walker teaches photo workshops and serves as co-host of The Image Doctors, a weekly podcast program for Nikon users. "Most of the topics," says Rick, "are of interest to other serious photographers as well, and an iPod is not required to listen to the programs -- any computer or device that can play MP3 files will work." More information on the Yosemite shoot and Vari-N-Duo can be found in the 30 October 2008 episode. Learn more about Rick and his workshops by visiting his website.

To get the image he came for, with no time to spare, it was Singh-Ray filter time!

When Shane McDermott recently visited Lake Basin in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, he was hoping to photograph mountain waterfalls. "Luck was on my side when I found this one," he says. "What made this waterfall so intriguing was that it was actually flowing right out of the mountain -- emanating from an underground source fed by a melting ice pack somewhere higher up the mountain. It appeared that the mountain was actually weeping!

"When I arrived, I noticed a big storm moving in. The light was changing extremely fast, and the dark thunderheads started to really subdue the colors. Because the two features I wanted to bring to this scene were increased color enhancement and a slower shutter speed to blur the water, I quickly decided to stack my trusty Singh-Ray LB ColorCombo and the 5-stop Mor-Slo filters on my lens.

"I also decided to make two images -- one using the ColorCombo and Mor-Slo filters and one using no filter -- to demonstrate the comparative benefits of using these two versatile filters. To properly compare the subtle, but important, differences between the two images, click on the image above.

"Both images were processed with exactly the same adjustments. The differences we see between the two images are the result of the two filters I used at the time of capture. By using my various Singh-Ray filters in in the field, I'm able to save much valuable time in post processing. Whenever I can enhance color saturation by using the LB ColorCombo in the field as the imsage is captured, it allows me to skip that step in my post processing. "In fact," adds Shane, "I'm not a digital artist. My image file adjustments are limited to color, contrast and sharpness. That's why the ColorCombo is such an important tool for me."

To fully appreciate Shane's special talent for using his Singh-Ray filters in the field, you will want to monitor his website and blog.

To get the very best images from Graduated ND Filters, remember to play the angles

Living in the San Francisco South Bay area allows Stephen Oachs many opportunities to photograph the Central California coast, which includes some of the most rugged and beautiful landscapes on the planet. "A quick 30-minute drive puts me in Santa Cruz, the portal to the Monterey/Big Sur coastline," says Stephen.

"One of the challenges of photographing the California coast is fog. During the summer months, high pressure systems cause the fog to lodge all along the shores, hindering optimal conditions. However, when winter arrives, the fog dissipates, making it an opportune time to capture the stunning light.

“After monitoring the arrival of winter weather patterns for awhile, I headed to a couple of my favorite locations, Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz and Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur.

"I really enjoy shooting at sunset at Natural Bridges, an impressive land bridge formed by tidal erosion. When capturing the image above, the shape of the beach, along with the ‘bridge,’ created a challenge. When using my ND Grad filters, it can be difficult to keep the scene looking natural while still balancing the light. For this scene, I found that slightly turning my Galen Rowell 2-stop soft-step ND filter on a 10-4 o'clock angle (with the filter's mid-line following the edge of the tide), allowed the light diffusion to appear natural. I have often added a 2- or 3-stop solid ND filter in conjunction with a soft-step ND Grad, and since the second filter is solid, the rotation/angle of the graduated filter still works fine."

Another of Stephen's favorite locations is Pfeiffer Beach, in the heart of Big Sur. “Pfeiffer is a pristine area graced with some amazing rock formations. A short hike down the beach brings you to an amazing opening where the surf crashes relentlessly through the arch and onto the rock-lined beach. For a photo here, my goal was to arrive in late afternoon when the sun would blaze through the opening in the rock and illuminate the sea mist.

“As I set up for the shot, I realized the light was going to be very tricky, given that the rock face was fairly dark in contrast to the white surf and the light shining through the portal was extremely bright. It was a canvas of harsh contrasts and distorted light. I resorted to a combination of a 2-stop solid ND filter and a 2-stop soft step graduated ND filter, and turned the mid-line of the filter on a 11-5 o'clock angle across the middle of the bright opening. This allowed me to balance the light, as well as achieve a slower shutter speed to catch the surf as it splashed up into the sunlight.

"I often experiment by turning my Graduated ND filters at different angles. In some cases, where the foreground may be brighter than the distant background, I have even used them upside down. By orienting the filter's mid-line to suit each scene, I've found that many times I can give my images a turn for the better. And, a little luck never hurts.”

Stephen's dramatic landscape images are currently winning recognition and awards in several photo publications and contests. The best way to follow his success is to visit his blog and his impressive website gallery.

By working with large-format film, he learned to photograph "with clear intent"

Arizona photographer Laurent Baig feels right at home in his natural surroundings. "I first realized I'm an 'outdoor junkie' when I was 24 years old and moved to Tucson," he says. "A friend introduced me to the world of hiking and mountain biking, and a couple years later I discovered climbing. Rock climbing soon became my life, and I spent almost every weekend for several years climbing in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and California. Then I began taking a camera on my adventures and discovered I had a passion for composition and light. While most photographers have gone from film to digital photography in order to 'free' their creativity, I changed from film to digital and then back to large format film after seeing an exhibition of prints at the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum near Tucson. I was blown away by the detail and clarity of large-format images.

"In my days with 35mm cameras, and with my first digital cameras, I would run around trying this and that composition only to return with many rolls or CF cards filled with uninspiring images. Soon after I discovered 4x5 film photography, I learned to slow down. I now concentrate on 'making' one image rather than taking many. I'm still just as excited about creating new images, but before I set up the view camera, I now look and look and look. This slower, more deliberate pace has helped me step up the quality of my images. And, since I'm using film, I'm careful to use one of my Singh-Ray Graduated ND filters whenever I include the sky in my image. As I'll explain later, I now use a digital camera again as a 'back-up.' No matter what other cameras may be in my future, however, it's been my work with 4x5 film that's taught me how to photograph with clear intent.

"Galen Rowell taught outdoor photographers how to expose land and sky more successfully through the use of the graduated neutral density filter. Today, we're still using these filters with great success. I've wanted for many years to make an image of Yosemite's Lembert Dome. I got my chance in July of this year. Seeing some soft clouds in the sky, I knew the chance for sunset color would be good. I'd been having a problem with smoke from several fires in the Sierra which really diffused the light. Still, I composed my image and kept my fingers crossed. In order to keep the sky from blowing out, I selected a 2-stop hard-step ND Grad. I wanted to keep the gradient line of the filter just above the the peak of the dome and Tioga peak in the background, so I stopped down the lens and rotated the filter while raising and lowering it to find the right position on the ground glass. I waited for the light to be just the way I wanted it and then exposed the film.

"Photographing the nearby mountains in Southern Arizona is a challenge for me. So many 'typical' mountain landscapes feature either an alpine tarn or a creek with some rocky peak in the background. Unfortunately, the prickly nature of the desert, also makes it difficult to make grand scenics without being too generic. I've hiked this Pontatoc trail a few times and I knew -- with the right light and clouds -- I'd be able to make an interesting image. When a late spring storm brought some clouds to Tucson, I knew I had my chance. The challenge was to make a meaningful composition. I studied the land then boulder hopped up to a vantage where I could see that the saguaro cacti, in late light, would form diagonal lines leading off to the left. The next thing was to see if the canyon would fill with shadow and create a line leading back into the image. I wanted capture the dramatic sky and clouds in this image, and experience told me that a 2-stop hard edged Graduated ND filter would keep detail in the clouds as I exposed for the foreground.

"Quite recently, I've started using a digital camera again to help me experiment in the situations where 4x5 film is too costly to 'just try things.' This image of Weaver's Needle in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona was a case where I'd run out of film. A summer monsoon storm passed by the backside of the needle just at sunset and lit up the entire area in a warm glow. I wanted to capture that warm glow, but I also wanted the contrast of the smooth gradient of sky versus the craggy ground below the needle. So I set up my digital camera and started hand holding and bouncing a 2-stop hard step ND grad. Why bouncing? I've discovered that, by blurring the edge of the gradient, I can hold back the light in the areas I need to -- moving the filter up and down during the exposure. This technique is especially useful where vertical rocks, towers, trees or other things stick up into the sky as we see in this image."

Laurent is now well on his way to success as a fine-art landscape photographer. "While we will always pursue that unattainable goal of perfection," he says, it's nice to know my prints are already gracing the homes of friends, family, and extremely satisfied clients." There's much more of his work to enjoy by visiting his website and blog.