On the Road to Great Smoky Mountains NP

Last week I loaded up the FJ Cruiser with 4x5 gear and some digital equipment and headed northeast to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I had never visited GSM and honestly I wasn't expecting as much as I quickly found there. From the moment I began driving into the mountains on the road from Townsend to the Cades Cove area I immediately began to feel that I was in a mountain town. Drove past some great looking backpacking and canoe/kayak outfitters as well as the typical mountain stream (Laurel Creek) leading me into the park. Needless to say I was quickly 'liking' the Great Smoky Mountains more and more.

Entering Cades Cove I found myself in a lovely Appalachian setting. What was most interesting to me was the various cabins, mills and churches. It was immediately evident that Cades Cove was at one time a pretty good size working farm community. I was also impressed by the amount of wildlife that was in the area. I saw many deer, turkeys and even three black bears. It's always fun to see bears in the wild. On a few occassions, in other parks out West, I have been shooting with my 4x5 equipment and I would see a bear out in the meadow, or just inside a treeline within 150 yards or so. I have gone 'under the cloth' to compose and focus on the ground glass and when I came out from under the cloth the bear would be 'much' closer. Now, I have learned to make frequent checks from under the 4x5 focusing cloth when I know a bear in the area. Note, mind you, that these encounters have all been with black bears...not grizzlies. The Cades Cove bears were easily within about 60 - 70 yards of me but paid no attention at all. That said I am quite familiar with a bears speed and always pay them plenty of respect.

From a photography standpoint I scouted some locations that I would return to before dawn the following day and a few areas that I thought would make nice evening shots. At first impression however, I immediately knew that the one GSM 'iconic' park photograph that I will make for the exhibit will most likey be made in the Fall. It was readily apparent looking at the hardwood covered hillsides that this area would be truly spectacular in autumn colors.

I'll be adding a few of the final black & white images from Great Smoky Mountains NP to the project website soon. Here's a couple snapshots from the trip....Can't wait to come back in the Fall!

Shooting Again - Saguaro NP and Joshua Tree NP

With the Holidays behind and Spring in the air I was anxious to get back on the road. On March 15th I started shooting back in Saguaro National Park just outside Tucson. Actually Saguaro is split into two units; Saguaro East and Saguaro West. The eastern unit lies right up against the east side of Tucson. The western unit is a little farther out of town near the Old Tucson film set.

I tend to spend almost all of my time in shooting in Saguaro West. I just like the views much better on the western side. I've photographed there a lot and I know the area well. It's always very interesting to me how the changes in the sun angle throughout the day tend to change the 'look' of a Saguaro cactus in a photograph. It's the way light reflects off the sort of semi satiny 'skin' of the cactus. It's also apparent in the angle of the shadows along the verticle ridges of the cactus.

After shooting in Saguaro I drove to Joshua Tree National Park near Palm Springs, California. I had never photographed Joshua Tree and I found it quite interesting. The two main natural features in the park were 'of course' the Joshua Trees and the very interesting rock formations. After shooting there for a couple days I finally narrowed in on an area called 'Intersection Rock'. It offered some great looking Joshua Trees and large 'very cool' rock formations.

Like almost always, I'm shooting very early...normally in the park and ready to go just before dawn. Joshua Tree was no exception. And good thing that I was...the first full day that I shot there a major Pacific storm was blowing in and by about 10:00 AM it was pouring rain and the dry washes were filling with water. On the second day that I shot dawn was perfect...but by a little after 12:00 noon it was snowing like crazy! I was quite surprised to be standing in Joshua Tree on March 18th with huge snowflakes coming down everywhere. Fortunately, I had the shot that I wanted by about 7:30AM.

Below is a photo of the Saguaro and Joshua Tree signs and a photo of me in the Joshua Tree snow and wrapping up a shot near a rock formation.

Drawing the Renderings

One of the things that I learned when I designed and produced 'The Culture of Wine' exhibit was to create good visuals that would help others 'see' the vision that I had for the project. With 'The National Parks Photography Project' I decided to draw a series of project renderings. In total, I have over a dozen finished renderings that show almost every exhibit componet from signs to structures to kiosks.

Below are four renderings showing the faux adobe entrance wall to the core Black & White photography section, one of the faux adobe wall panels that will display prints, as well as a couple signs designed in the classic 'Parkitecture' style... This type of work is one of the many things required to produce an entire exhibit, rather than just shooting the photographs. I take a lot of pride in this work as well as my photography...

Project Prints in Auction

On November 17, 2011 the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation hosted it's third Wine Auction and Vintner Dinner at The Houstonian Hotel in Houston, TX. This year the featured wines were 'Pursued by Bear' from actor Kyle MacLachlan and 'Dunham Cellars' from winemaker Eric Dunham.

This year I was asked to donate a couple of my prints photographed for The National Parks Photography Project to the auction. I was very pleased when they sold for $850 and $950 each!

Below is a photo of me with Kyle MacLachlan and Eric Dunham before the auction started and a photo of one of my prints in the auction.

A Project Is Conceived - The Preliminary Shoots

I'm excited to finally begin this blog, chronicling the photography and creation of The National Parks Photography Project. Looking back, there are so many obstacles that had to be overcome to get to this point.

The concept and planning for this project first began in January of 2010 at a dinner with Jean Becker, the Chief of Staff for former President George H.W. Bush. At that time I had a major exhibit on exhibition at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum named 'The Culture of Wine'. During dinner the conversation randomly moved into discussion about the potential for a future exhibit celebrating the upcoming centennial anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016. As a photographer there are few things that I love more than Black & White landscape photography. Combine that with the awe inspiring beauty and history of America's cathedrals of nature, our national parks, and I was looking at the project of a lifetime. From that dinner the road began. Soon, at the recommendation of a friend, David Jones, we formed a 'Project Advisory Committee'. That was probably some of the best advice that I have ever taken. After many meetings in Houston and some with the National Park Foundation in Washington DC the project evolved into 'The National Parks Photography Project'.

In the early stages I spent many hours in the field shooting some preliminary photography to use in presentations. Some of that early project work is actually pretty remarkable. In the top photo above I am in White Sands NM in New Mexico. In the lower photo, I was checking focus while shooting some 4x5 film of Half Dome in Yosemite NP. All in all, during the preliminary shooting I traveled to Yosemite NP, Grand Canyon NP, Saguaro NP, Carlsbad Caverns NP, Guadalupe Mtns NP, Redwood NP, White Sands NM, and Bandelier NM.

I sincerely thank you for having an interest in this blog and hope that you will check back along the road to completion for future posts. Mark Burns