I just returned from a week in the Badlands using an Ebony 8x10 and Chamonix 5x8. And when I say "using" I really should say I attempted to use large format. Not sure if my experience is due to the time of the year I was there, or if my experience in normal. The wind never stopped. Not only did it not stop, is was 20 to 30 mph at most times. Fortunately I was able to find a few "protected" areas for some attempts. I would set up most mornings and evenings for a composition (usually with the 8x10), and on everyone except one, I gave up due to the incessant wind. I did attempt to use the Chamonix 5x8 on a few shots where the wind was blowing. It seemed to me that the Chamonix could handle the wind a little bit better than the Ebony 8x10, but then again, the Chamonix was a bit smaller, but did seem quite rigid. I won't know if in fact the film is any good for another week to ten days as the film was just sent to my lab.
This time of year, you pretty much have the Badlands to yourself which is nice. It is very dry there as they are way behind on moisture. In my talks with the Park Service, late April is when the grasses start to green up. That would make for some interesting contrasts in the landscape. I would think fall would be nice also depending on where in the park one chooses to photograph. I personally found the western side (from the Contata Road and west) of the park more to my liking. However, it is all interesting. Skies can dominate here. In Utah (red rock country) I can find all sorts of intimate images to photograph, in the Badlands, it was a struggle. For the most part, the rock/soil is a gray with a few bands of red thrown in. Now mind you, I can only relay my experiences, but finding the smaller scenes was difficult for me. This is going to sound rather crazy, but most of the 8x10 film I used was in a little wash that had some amazing ice patterns that would form over night. I hate to tell you how many sheets I burned, suffice to say it was plenty. Finding ice patterns in the Badlands was an unexpected surprise as water is a rare commodity there.
I suppose I have to wait for my film to come back to decide of the trip was a success, although it was fun, the wind can drive you to "drink." Yesterday on the way home, the wind was so strong out of the east, that I could hardly keep my car at 60 mph on an 80 mph interstate. So, if anyone wants to use large format in the Badlands, plan on having to fight the wind. That, or maybe decide to use a DSLR or other smaller format camera. Then again, maybe I just hit the motherlode of windy days. It would be interesting to hear other experiences of those who have photographed in the Badlands.
Bookmarks