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Photo Trek: Stone Mountain, NC
Photo Trek: 12-08-2007 -- 12-11-2007, Stone Mountain State Park, Roaring Gap, NC
Winter seems to have taken a short hiatus and has left us with unseasonably warm weather for December. To take advantage of that, Jennifer and I decided to pack up and head to Stone Mountain which is one of the few mountain campgrounds that remains open within a short drive. What wonderful weather we had for the most part. Except for a little rain our first night, we spent the majority of the time there under partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the 60's during the day. The lows were a little chilly the first two nights, but on our third night, I doubt if the temperatures dropped below 55.
The first full day there I went on a little photo exploration of the area. There was a small creek behind the campsite which provided some very soothing "water music" for us. There were some very small cascades scattered about the creek, so I had some subjects to choose from. Compositions were difficult because of the clutter in the creek, and the angles at which I could work. I managed to find a passable composition at one point, and it can be found in my Landscapes Room.
Upon returning to the campsite, I realized much to my amazement that something was amiss with my tripod. After collapsing the legs, I could hear something rattling around inside of one of the legs. I removed the rubber foot which let several pieces of plastic fall out. I quickly realized that one of the flip lock assemblies had disintegrated. I kept shaking more and more plastic out of the leg, and quickly realized that the leg would no longer lock in position...the tripod was dead. This meant that the remainder of my Trek would have to be handheld. It's been a long time since I've been in that position, and I don't like it a bit.
Winter Camping Photo Copyright © 2007 G. Kiser
However, I made use of several tricks to get the sharpest possible picture without the tripod. A slight bump in the ISO, and a little creative work with the aperture and depth of field, allowed me to hover at a quick enough shutter speed to allow some hand held photography. What you see above is the results of careful breathing, and strict body positioning. I just couldn't pass up on the way the clouds were interacting with the mountains. This photograph can be found in the Landscapes Room.
With very little hope for a full-on Trek at this point, I decided to kick back and have fun camping with my wife. The days were lazy and restful. We both got a lot of reading done, which we both enjoy. On the second full day, Jennifer suggested that we go for a short walk to take a look at a piece of agricultural equipment that she had seen as we came into the park. I was up for a short hike, and went ahead and took my camera along. It felt funny not to be carrying the tripod, but I enjoyed the mobility.
What she had seen tucked deep in the woods was some sort of spiked drum that was similar to an aerator, but with larger spikes. It was rusty, abandoned, and in the woods...a perfect recipe for a picture.
Laid To Rest Photo Copyright © 2007 G. Kiser
This piece of equipment intrigued me to no end. I loved the dichotomy of wood and iron, with both laying claim to the land here. It was also a natural for inclusion in my Rustic Room. The texture of the rust, and peeling yellow paint drew me in...so much so, that I got up close and personal with the drum. You can find this interesting abstract in my Macro Room.
While disappointing in a way, this Trek actually broadened my horizons in a few ways. First, I didn't have the use of my tripod which I have grown to love. Don't get me wrong, I still think a tripod is indispensable in landscape photography, but it is nice to know that I am able to make due without one. Secondly, taking the advice of a book that I was reading, I stepped well outside of my normal comfort zone in dealing with this spiked drum. I refused to look at this in the typical way, but instead pushed myself to find new angles and patterns to work with.
Maybe I missed out on some great images by not having my tripod available to me. I will never know the answer to that. However, I do know for a fact that not having the tripod forced me to get creative and really push the envelope of creative compromise.
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i am once again amazed............tripod or not, i love the drum. so much going on in that one shot........and it is perfect for the RUSTIC ROOM. i love the colors in the sky of the first shot. sigh...............thanks once again greg.
regina
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Too bad about your tripod! I don't use one very often..but probably should. It is so cold here in Seattle I just can't imagine camping out! That steel drum photo is very interesting indeed. Sounds like you had a nice trip. Take it easy and stay warm. Maria
12/14/07 9:47 AM
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