Shiprock Trip.

[Robert Langham]

Upcoming run to Shiprock for a few days. I will sleep at the rock most nights to be set for the next morning's photo. Taking 5X7 and 8X10. I can't enlarge 8X10 but there were a couple of places I thought I might try and tease out a dyptic or tryptic. I've got three little spots I've never been to that I plan to visit. Never foot-walked around the end of the famous South Dike, (and never seen a photo from down there), never climbed around the base of the white tower on the North West corner- there is a little cleft tucked in behind it that I want to get into, and never been one other place that I'm curious about: the fabled bone shrine.

Compared to what the rock climbers experience, none of us photographers have ever seen Shiprock at all. I'd love to shoot the shadow from the summit or on top almost anywhere, but very hard to climb solo with a big camera even in pack. I have climbed to the memorial to a fallen climber up in the black bowl and past a bit, but that is a spooky place by yourself.

I've got two specific shots of the West Dike I want to work on, my old friend the Meteorite and the three little towers on the very end where Navajo go and sing some mornings. There is also a scenic crack on the north side of the South Dike that needs some attention about 9:00 am. Schedule starts getting busy.

Oh yeah, maybe tease out a view of the grave on the back side where someone, (I suspect climbers), have buried someone under a stack of rocks up against a solid wall.

The more I shoot at Shiprock the more there IS to shoot, it seems.

94914

[Chauncey Walden]

I suspect the grave is of a photographer who was trespassing on Navajo land.

[ROL]

It was my limited understanding that Shiprock, being sacred to the Navajo and tribally governed, has for a long time been been unavailable for exploitation by non tribal visitors (I am aware of historical surreptitious climbing activity). Unless that situation has changed, you are Diné yourself, or have a permit, it would seem wiser not to advertise your activities, nor make the LFPF community complicit in them.

[David Lobato]

The three little towers interest me. There must be something interesting if the Navajo go there to sing. Have a good trip and bring back pictures and stories. I may get out there later this year.

[Eric James]

Robert, perhaps you are a tribal member or you have made arrangement through the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department (http://navajonationparks.org). If the latter is true, would you please enlighten us as to the cost and restrictions of your permit? Thank you.

[Robert Langham]

Here's a little shot of my wife standing next to the three men on the end of the West Dike. Never seen a photo of this structure. Love to see it on an overcast day or before sunup when the sunlight and shade pattern doesn't tangle it so. This shot is pretty early.

94918

On a solo trip, decades ago, I was just to the North of the structures across a little seasonal lake. I had slept in the truck there. Before dawn a beat-up pickup came bouncing through the sage on a little track from the nearest road to the West, slid to a halt and a Navajo man ran up the the rocks and began to sing. I had my camera out several hundred yards away so I laid it over on the tripod, wrapped the darkcloth around myself so I could be plainly seen and turned away so he wouldn't think I was staring. He sang for about a minute, then walked back to truck and drove out. I went to the rocks the next day. There's nothing there except a road intersection and the wind. Every time I go past I stop for a few minutes to consider a viewpoint. Maybe this time I'll see it.

[Robert Langham]

I've asked that specific permit question of some of my Navajo friends who are from Window Rock and Tuba City and one who lives here. They just rolled their eyes and snorted. One time I talked to the Chief Detective of the Tribal Police in Shiprock when some kids stole a bag out of my truck. I had their description and license plate. He rolled HIS eyes and snorted! I'm sure you could find someone to take money if you insisted, but most tourists just come and go.

94923 West Dike, 2012.

I always figured the person under the rockpile was a climber, because it's on the main route. Always stopped to offer up the appropriate prayer....for a climber. I never considered it might be a photographer! What could he have shot last?

[Kirk Gittings]

Yes I agree the permit system is sadly a joke , I've talked to a Navajo sheriff on the main road by SR. He laughed and told me to go on in but be careful cause no one was going to go in there and save my butt if I did anything stupid.

[Robert Langham]

This was painted over and concealed 20+ years ago. Used to be on the storage tank on the vandalized windmill on the East side. Seems like I saw the tank full of water with the windmill running long ago. It was perforated with bullet holes and destroyed for a few years, and the angel appeared, then repaired partially but hasn't been in operation this century. Shiprock area overgrazed long ago and most of the thin topsoil went down the San Juan. The tank still gets painted on often and kids park out here to get away from parents, smoke, drink, et. Big concrete chunks of some larger project scattered around. I never sleep out here because you can't tell who might show up at 2:00 in the morning.

95040 Angel graffiti, Shiprock.

[Joseph Dickerson]

Upcoming run to Shiprock for a few days. I will sleep at the rock most nights to be set for the next morning's photo. Taking 5X7 and 8X10. I can't enlarge 8X10 but there were a couple of places I thought I might try and tease out a dyptic or tryptic. I've got three little spots I've never been to that I plan to visit. Never foot-walked around the end of the famous South Dike, (and never seen a photo from down there), never climbed around the base of the white tower on the North West corner- there is a little cleft tucked in behind it that I want to get into, and never been one other place that I'm curious about: the fabled bone shrine.

Compared to what the rock climbers experience, none of us photographers have ever seen Shiprock at all. I'd love to shoot the shadow from the summit or on top almost anywhere, but very hard to climb solo with a big camera even in pack. I have climbed to the memorial to a fallen climber up in the black bowl and past a bit, but that is a spooky place by yourself.

I've got two specific shots of the West Dike I want to work on, my old friend the Meteorite and the three little towers on the very end where Navajo go and sing some mornings. There is also a scenic crack on the north side of the South Dike that needs some attention about 9:00 am. Schedule starts getting busy.

Oh yeah, maybe tease out a view of the grave on the back side where someone, (I suspect climbers), have buried someone under a stack of rocks up against a solid wall.

The more I shoot at Shiprock the more there IS to shoot, it seems.

94914

I think that Tony Hillerman once buried a body up there...but Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee solved that one. :p

Seriously, your shoot sounds great, just don't buy the potato salad at the Safeway in Farmington. I've never been so sick in my whole life.

JD

[ROL]

The inscrutable native permit system aside, IMO one needs to respect other cultures, even if you are Texan. Perhaps that is the reason you find so many of Shiprock's features "unphotographed".

Many years ago I self supported solo through Desolation/Gray Canyons on the Green River, mostly run by hordes of squealing tourist commercial rubber. The printed river map indicated that much of one bank was tribal land (Uinta Ute, if I remember correctly) and landing was not allowed without permit. The only problem is that, although tribal permitting agencies were listed, no one running the river had apparently ever been successful in actually obtaining a permit, no matter how far in advance. 3 days into my 5 day trip, I found none of the BLM bank side springs to be running and began drinking from the river itself. As I approached the tribal side, I noticed someone wandering about at marked permanent spring, and eddied out. Still in my boat, I got his attention and explained my predicament. He said I was free to use any of their springs and to hike anywhere I wished on tribal land. But here's the freaky part. He said that I had been watched all along the river and that my presence had already been noted, that no one would bother me. Having not seen a soul on the tribal side, and having seen perhaps too many westerns, it did bring to mind the possibility of unseen arrows whizzing above my head.

Somehow, for me at least, this parable seemed to suggest something in value akin to a lack of entitlement and mutual respect.

[Robert Langham]

That's a great story.

95067 Navajo Prayer Wheel, Shiprock, 1980s.

[John Jarosz]

Being from the East, I was intrigued by Shiprock when I planned a trip to the Four Corners area. After reading about the tribal lands issue and then seeing how desolate it is out there I decided to forego getting any closer to it than the paved Highway 64. That was my only disappointment on that trip.

John

[Kirk Gittings]

That's a great story.

95067 Navajo Prayer Wheel, Shiprock, 1980s.

Hmmm. Knowing a lot of Navajo spiritual people I think that title may be a bit offensive.

[Robert Langham]

Kirk, I didn't know WHAT it was, so I asked my friend who lives here. She didn't know, but her brother who has some issues and gets passed around by the family said that's what it was. (His name, not mine.) He said in the 80s a bunch of plains indians came down to the October Fair at Shiprock. They were more into prayer circles and wheels than the Navajo and did several while in the area. The kids who were using Shiprock to get away from supervision, see their girlfriends, drink, do drugs, all the teenage stuff they weren't supposed to be doing, started leaving them at the scene of parties. He was inHigh School and says thats what they called the process: Prayer wheel or Whisky prayer wheel. That's about when I saw this one. Haven't seen any since the early 90s, though they were quite common for a while. I think this was on the East side at a road junction, a little ways out from the rock.

Never printed this negative. Just a proof. You are right, of course: That title wouldn't be the right fit for public image.

Found much stranger stuff than this in the desert. Once I found a mason jar full of burnt pennies. No touching that. Another time a deer or sheep scapula wrapped in string and stuffed in a crack at a spot Clift had talked about climbing up. In a little tree: a dessicated owl, wings folded around around a store manikin hand, the whole thing wrapped in barbed wire. And of course the desert to the South East is full of man-sized hand stacked stone towers on every little ridge and hill. My friend say they are sickness curing spells, bad luck breakers, rain watchers, etc. Best just to not touch and leave alone. Clift has a photo of a walking stick and necklace shrine in his book. That one looks a more anglo to me, but you never can tell. They don't stay in place long.

95129 White House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly, 2012

[Kirk Gittings]

There are a lot of plains indians up around sleeping Ute Mountain, quite a few Cheyennes, Arapahoes and a few Sioux. Not sure why-probably married into the Southern Utes. I used to go to Native American Church ceremonies up that way by Towaoc and around Ignacio and Shiprock. A lot of people from different tribes participating but mainly Utes and Navajos. Well meaning good people. Some are still friends.

Yeah, I run across a lot of strange shit in the desert-seemingly many times to reflect some odd spiritual practice or probably more likely maybe just kids screwing around.

[Robert Langham]

I can't tell ever so I don't touch anything or stay long. I'm inclined to pick up and bag trash, but didn't touch this bottle wheel just in case it was still active in some way.

95143 Canyon de Chelly walls and stripe.

[Robert Langham]

A different experience of Shiprock. I don't think many climbers are into the visuals- too busy paying attention to the task at hand, but really incredible to see some of the scenes they climb through.

I don't think any of this is permitted, though about 40-80 folks summit Shiprock every year.

http://vimeo.com/15685135

[Robert Langham]

Cropped bit of a much bigger negative. Can't wait to see this again and cut it down to just about this amount. Easy subject approach off the road that comes in along the South Dike. 10:00 light or in overcast.

95227

Gotten to where I shoot digital images of many of the complex wall systems and look at them when I am back at my computer. I've gotten very familiar with the details.

Excited to be going back. Like visiting old friends.

[Robert Langham]

Framed this guy today. From the 90s. That's the morning shadow, pretty early, from the North buttress, along with the West Dike. 5X7 and TX and HC110. Probably a 120 Super Angulon.

95369

[D. Bryant]

Framed this guy today. From the 90s. That's the morning shadow, pretty early, from the North buttress, along with the West Dike. 5X7 and TX and HC110. Probably a 120 Super Angulon.



Ever notice the small arch at the top of Shiprock?

I visited a few years ago and took open roads to a point where I could not travel any farther. Never had an issue. I was surprised to find garbage, empty beer bottles, and old furniture tossed into a ravine.

Don Bryant

[Robert Langham]

There are enough radial tires scattered around to...well...make a big stack of radial tires.

I haven't noticed an arch up on Shiprock. There is a pretty terrific little hook formation. It's in the top middle of this shot. I wouldn't be surprised at anything.

95491

[Cletus]

I'll be headed toward Shiprock today. After reading through this thread I'm excited about getting up there and giving it a go.

Robert - check your mail and give me a call if you want to hook up.

[Andrew Plume]

Upcoming run to Shiprock for a few days. I will sleep at the rock most nights to be set for the next morning's photo. Taking 5X7 and 8X10. I can't enlarge 8X10 but there were a couple of places I thought I might try and tease out a dyptic or tryptic. I've got three little spots I've never been to that I plan to visit. Never foot-walked around the end of the famous South Dike, (and never seen a photo from down there), never climbed around the base of the white tower on the North West corner- there is a little cleft tucked in behind it that I want to get into, and never been one other place that I'm curious about: the fabled bone shrine.

Compared to what the rock climbers experience, none of us photographers have ever seen Shiprock at all. I'd love to shoot the shadow from the summit or on top almost anywhere, but very hard to climb solo with a big camera even in pack. I have climbed to the memorial to a fallen climber up in the black bowl and past a bit, but that is a spooky place by yourself.

I've got two specific shots of the West Dike I want to work on, my old friend the Meteorite and the three little towers on the very end where Navajo go and sing some mornings. There is also a scenic crack on the north side of the South Dike that needs some attention about 9:00 am. Schedule starts getting busy.

Oh yeah, maybe tease out a view of the grave on the back side where someone, (I suspect climbers), have buried someone under a stack of rocks up against a solid wall.

The more I shoot at Shiprock the more there IS to shoot, it seems.

94914


that's a great image Robert

regards

andrew

[Robert Langham]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]95829[/ATTACH

Thanks. We had made a little middle-of-the-day run up to Monument Valley and coming back in drove down the West side instead of going through town. There were wildfires out in Arizona that were hazing up the light and the air. That grove of cottonwoods is one of the VERY remarkable places near the rock. They are in the bottom of an old stock tank, seven of them, and the tank fills and evaporates, making a flat bare ground under them we call the Dancefloor. I go there every trip but have never gotten an image out of them. 450 Nikon on the 5X7. I'm sure I polarized to take the shine off the leaves. We were there several times during the trip, usually using them for the shade through mid-day. There are parts of an old Dodge around, including a couple of fenders. (I found a little Dodge hubcap once, brought it home for a decade, then took it back). Always run a Great Horned owl out of the trees. Couple of them are easy climbs. My friend puzzled a really nice image of an old corral under there with the cottonwood limbs hanging over and Shiprock in the background. Last time there was an empty gallon jug hanging from a string with a few coins and bills in it. I reload filmholders, fix lunch, take nap. You are off the road and out of sight, though I'm not sure I would try sleeping there.

[Robert Langham]

Three shadows at Shiprock.

95830 95831 95832

[Robert Langham]

Shot when I was a child. Never gotten a satisfying print. Boulders in the foreground pretty grafittied-up these days. I've tried it big and I've tried it small. Shot some variations. Rainstorm over the end of the dike. I didn't realize how rare that was to see. Just 50 yards below where Clift shot Desert Form #1.

95833

[Robert Langham]

Packing to hit the road. Going to take 8X10 with some diptyics in mind. Mostly 5X7 as always. Nights are running coolish still but the trend is warming.

95835 95836

Road, shadow, Shiprock, 2010. 20 seconds between the two shots. Off the top of 4-runner in the wind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRlTt_S00zM

[Robert Langham]

East dike over the years.

95838 95839 95840

[Robert Langham]

Wall work.

95841 95842 95844

[Robert Langham]

Couple of views from the West side.

95855

[Andrew Plume]

Robert

you really are "the Shiprock man"

great work, well done, I'm enjoying them all

regards

andrew

[Robert Langham]

I don't know about that but thanks! Going to be like seeing an old friend in a bit. Packed and ready to get rolling. I'm sure I will be facebooking about the trip as it happens. I have an open page that anyone can see. It's such a spectacular place that it needs more work done there by everyone.

95906 95907 Shiprock from the East at Dawn and the South at dusk.

[Robert Langham]

Back safe and sound with a huge stack of film to be processed. I managed to find and do everything on my list plus a couple of surprises. Eight days sleeping in and working out of a Nissan Pathfinder 4WD without a break. Almost more than a man can stand.

Short list:

1. Worked the little neck area on the NE side. Video to post.

2. Hiked up the North slope of the North buttress to the Hermit's cave, just a little nook up there. Video to post.

3. Drove around far South Tip of South Dike. Video to post.

4. Around the base of White Tower on the NW side and into the cleft behind it. Salt Spot cave, leaning slab. Videos to post.

5. Found the Bone Shrine!

I also worked along the East side of the South Dike, hiked up three times and shot off a little hill with a grave cairn at the top of the West Dike, tried again to find a viewpoint for the three brothers formation at the end of the West Dike. Visited the Dance Floor, the Meteorite, plus Great Horned Owls, Ravens, Rattlesnakes, Aspen porn.

Charming folks everywhere. Talked to counter women, cooks, firewatchers, police radio techs, pastors, ranchers.

96639 The Salt Spot Cave.

[Robert Langham]

Third gallon of Xtol cooling right now. Tap water running 91, so this process is ice-intensive. Taking about as long to process as it did to shoot.

Most scenes got a couple sheets, minimum. When I got that "twitch" (which means you are in the presence of a subject), I would try it several ways, shoot with different filters, wait on the light to move a bit. During some intense sequences, say dawn or dusk, I would keep shooting. If I saw it twice, which of course I did over the course of eight days, I would look twice. I'm more interested in a scene than a moment. Helps me to kind of beaver away at something, rather than shoot and move on.

30 sheets to go. Half was HP5 and half FP4. I think I like the HP5 better, though it's been a long time since I shot this much FP4.

Negatives almost done. Next: Proofing hell!

96907

[jb7]

Looks great, can't wait-

Thanks again for all your help and assistance, that last one looks really good-
Good luck with all the rest-

[Robert Langham]

The Bone Shrine, at Blackfork.

http://blackforkblog.blogspot.com

[marfa boomboom tx]

Third gallon of Xtol cooling right now. Tap water running 91, so this process is ice-intensive. Taking about as long to process as it did to shoot.

Most scenes got a couple sheets, minimum. When I got that "twitch" (which means you are in the presence of a subject), I would try it several ways, shoot with different filters, wait on the light to move a bit. During some intense sequences, say dawn or dusk, I would keep shooting. If I saw it twice, which of course I did over the course of eight days, I would look twice. I'm more interested in a scene than a moment. Helps me to kind of beaver away at something, rather than shoot and move on.

30 sheets to go. Half was HP5 and half FP4. I think I like the HP5 better, though it's been a long time since I shot this much FP4.

Negatives almost done. Next: Proofing hell!

96907

Woa, taps running hot, already. Try a well, mine is running 67 right now.... but not in another month...

Marfa, even the tomatoes live inside.

[Robert Langham]

67...nearly the Photographer's Equinox out there!

Out of film processing and made a few proofs today.

iphone copies just now under a lamp. I'm looking them over with a pair of white cropping bars. Never crop much but I'm not opposed to strengthening an image where you can.

97014

97015 97016 97017

[Robert Langham]

97105 97107 97108 97106

[Robert Langham]

97109 97110 97111

[Robert Langham]

97112 97113 97114 97115

[Robert Langham]

97116 97117 97118

[Ed Bray]

Really like 7906, the shadows give great depth.

Looks like a very productive trip, look forward to seeing some of these scanned.

Eddie.
67...nearly the Photographer's Equinox out there!

Out of film processing and made a few proofs today.

iphone copies just now under a lamp. I'm looking them over with a pair of white cropping bars. Never crop much but I'm not opposed to strengthening an image where you can.

97014

97015 97016 97017

[Robert Langham]

I need to get a little scanning expertise. These will wait for cooler tap water temps in the fall for some printing on paper. I don't see any major fights with negatives among them, but there is always a struggle waiting over some detail.

A little more over at Robert Langham blog:

http://robertlangham.blogspot.com/

[Kirk Gittings]

Wow that next to last 7906 is stunning...

[Robert Langham]

Thanks. Waiting for peak lighting on that one. Can't wait to make a few prints! About to start sleeving and matching up negs and proofs and getting them in file boxes. Had a little blip in the schedule that threw me off a week or so.

97324 South Dike with blue filter.

[Robert Langham]

All negs sleeved and matched with proofs....of course I am out of paper envelopes! One of my favorites from the trip. Ought to be a well-behaved negative.

97367 Shadow, East Face, Shiprock, New Mexico. I was up high just under the nose of the famous wing on the Northeast corner. Light yellow filter...maybe. Maybe nothing. Windy and dusty out on the plain but I was in the edge of a wind shadow. 10 yards away it was howling!

[Kirk Gittings]

That one is really nice too.

[John Olsen]

I think that Tony Hillerman once buried a body up there...but Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee solved that one. :p

Seriously, your shoot sounds great, just don't buy the potato salad at the Safeway in Farmington. I've never been so sick in my whole life.

JD

Or the Chinese buffet in Grants.

[David Lobato]

Is anyone planning on going to Shiprock to photograph during this weekend's super moon? Seems like a very unique opportunity. Wish I could but I'm 1100 miles away with no chance of getting there in time.

[Robert Langham]

I shot the moon streaking over it at night and setting behind it years ago. Would be great to be out with a lot of moonlight around, though it makes it hard to sleep!

97409 East side afternoon shadow from the nose of the wing, 2013

[Robert Langham]

97410 West dike in early morning light.

[Ed Bray]

Couple of views from the West side.

95855

Next to the moon shot you sent to me, this has to be my second favourite. What a fantastic image.

[Robert Langham]

Ed: I TELL everyone I'm a genius...but they usually just mutter and walk away.

R III

97434

[Ed Bray]

Ed: I TELL everyone I'm a genius...but they usually just mutter and walk away.

R III

97434

:rolleyes:

I'm trying to convince my wife that New Mexico would be a good place for a vacation as soon as I am in better health.

[Robert Langham]

Every European should see the American West. And it seems a lot of them DO.

[Robert Langham]

Video up on Youtube. Scenes and captions showing various locations on Shiprock, New Mexico.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM3FElHofic

[Robert Langham]

I was out of negative sleeves and this morning got some from Archival Methods. They are pretty good. Maybe the best paper envelopes ever for fit. The negs were all lined up with proofs in a stack so I started going through and sleeving and refining the sort and sequence. When everything was safely enveloped away I was able to go through the images again. There were a couple of nice surprises, some crops, some of the same subject under different lighting which I could compare side-to-side. Interesting group of negatives. I don't mind shooting film to see which looks best later, for instance, I was on the West Hill three times, once to scout, once at dusk and once at dawn. I shot and reshot under different lighting so I could sit at my desk and compare. Going to go back up and copy a few with my Nikon.

Can't wait until tap water is back under 95 degrees in three months so I can print.

[Robert Langham]

98033 Morning shadow on the West Dike from West Hill. Early morning. That shadow doesn't last long.


98034 Afternoon shadow in the little necks.

[Robert Langham]

98035 Afternoon clouds and dust storm. These are consecutive shots just a minute or less apart.


98036 Had to use one of my favorite boulders as a wind shadow for these shots. Gusty out there.

[Robert Langham]

98037 Rock Cairn, West Hill. Never seen a photo from West Hill. Was up three times this trip.

[Robert Langham]

98038 Look at the dike shadow of the NorthEast Dike. I'm going to climb the little neck next time to get it. Great shape, but only for a very few minutes at sundown. I like this shot but want to see just the dike and desert with that big shadow behind it. Need a no-cloud evening for a few minutes. The neck climb is sporty, but do-able. I'm sure this is my 190 Ektar Wide-Field. Below is all 120 Super Angulon.

98039 This cloudless day is a little simpler.

98040 Previous day with clouds. Got complex. Horizon shadow on the right.

98041 Horizon shadow on the left.

[Robert Langham]

98045 Thinking about cropping these to horizontal.


98046

[Robert Langham]

98047 West Hill. Someones ashes under this cairn.

98048

[Kimberly Anderson]

Robert, I was in Farmington, Upper Fruitland and Bloomfield while you were in Shiprock. I drove through Shiprock on the way down. I knew I felt a slight tremor in the force. Nice work you did down there. Very nice indeed. Did you stop and get a mutton sandwich at the Sweet Meat? I did. :)

[jb7]

Nice clouds, nicely done all of them- I can even fill in the textures now...

[Robert Langham]

Thanks! I missed Sweet Meat. Sounds pretty good! Made sandwiches on the console of the car. The same every day....

Going back this month....if, (as they say), the Lord lets me live.

jb7: You get back safe and sound to Dublin yet? With the monstercam?

98050 South Dike.

[jb7]

No, still in NY, going to try to develop something before I leave, but I need high sun to make test exposures first- doesn't look like that will happen anytime soon- been taking a break over the weekend, been a very hectic few months...

[Robert Langham]

Hope you had a great trip. Katie and I thinking about a little trip to Ireland sometime in August or Sept.

98063

[jb7]

It'll make a nice change from Shiprock- we're about 250 million years older than that, so we've had all our corners knocked off... Some wilderness out west, (and south, and north) but a different kind of majesty to what you're used to. If you're in the east, Wicklow is lovely.

It should be a better time for the light too; the nights are very short around now.

Not sure I could produce such a detailed dossier as you supplied though....

[Robert Langham]

Another Shiprock trip lined up. Just a few days....six. Get to see the Clift show again. Get to see the moonset. Maybe catch a storm. If the Lord lets me live, of course.

98685

[Kirk Gittings]

We've ben having killer storms moving thru with great clouds every afternoon. So as you know it could be fantastic or a bust. Clift is coming to give a talk to my class on Monday. I'm stoked.

[Robert Langham]

You OUGHT to be stoked! What a wonderful thing!

Storms! Love to be caught behind a waterfall again in the climbers cave.


98686 I just want the dike and this shadow...right at sundown. From the top of the little neck on the right.

[Ed Bray]

You OUGHT to be stoked! What a wonderful thing!

Storms! Love to be caught behind a waterfall again in the climbers cave.


98686 I just want the dike and this shadow...right at sundown. From the top of the little neck on the right.

Okay, I'll bite.

If you are on the top of the little neck on the right at sundown, how are you going to get down in the dark, or are you planning to stay up there all night?

[Kirk Gittings]

You OUGHT to be stoked! What a wonderful thing!




98686 I just want the dike and this shadow...right at sundown. From the top of the little neck on the right.

Without going into particulars, I have to say that William Clift gave the best gallery talk (to me and my students) that I have ever heard-honest, motivational, deeply personal, philosophical, engaging and completely devoid of art speak. As profound and incisive as his work. Simply superb. What a treat. One of the highlights of my long immersion in this genre.

[Robert Langham]

Ed: Sorry- the little neck on the LEFT. There is plenty of light for quite a while after sundown and the top isn't as inaccessable as it looks. Most of it is just an uphill walk. Probably just one class 5 move using hands and feet.

Seems like I saw an account about climbing the big one on the right once but I bet it doesn't have as many ascents as the main body of Shiprock.

[ataim]

Robert, I don't know if you have ever used the Photographers ephemeris but its a handy little app.

[Robert Langham]

I hadn't seen that- looks pretty helpful, especially for landscape photographers!

[Robert Langham]

Closing in on Shiprock with large extension ladder on top. Wind is singing in rung holes like a humpback whale. Local hitch hikers flinching when we drive by. I've never heard anything like it.

[Robert Langham]

Couple of nights in Stone Age accomodations and one at the Hampton Inn. Not in leg shape for hiking around but doing it anyway. Last night the moon lit up the Climber's Cave half the night. Had packrat after my banana peel. Heard a late night rockfall up above that sounded like bowling balls. Ravens remember me from last trip and are dropping by for a chat. Snakes Great Light. Camera running well. No moonrise due to clouds but plenty of new surprises. Shot last light until after nine oclock.

[Kirk Gittings]

I'm envious-working my butt off teaching my class in SF and shooting lowball editorial.......

[Robert Langham]

Great to be out in the West.

My friend is shooting with a little ebony 4x5. First time I have seen one. It's obvious its a generation ahead of my Deardorff. Bought Deardorff new in 1977 in Eugene, Oregon. Its gotten old and beat but still works. Using 120,190 and 450 so far. Nothing through the 12 inch Ektar yet. Couple of dyptics shot.

[Robert Langham]

Another Shiprock miracle: chanced upon a white vein of rock surging through the volcanic breccia. Eight feet of a twisting lightning shape coming right out of the ground. Wow. Easy shot. Quite a treasure! Using a ladder to access some garage-sized boulders. New viewpoints. Climbed a couple of little necks for the evening light. Juicy.
On the down side- more glass and trash and tire tracks than ever. Hauling a bag in every time we make a run to town. Came for the moon and havent seen it yet. Moon set in the morning I hope.

[Robert Langham]

I'm going to run out of film. But I have several brand new scenes. Went around the corner and sorted out the Salt Cave. Great trip. Deardorff and lenses running well. My friend dropped a Pentax Spot meter and killed it. I gave him my extra. Hard to sleep for all the images flashing behind my eyes. The lightning wall!

[Robert Langham]

Rare soft-box overcast day. Moon lost in murk early but on to other things including Lightning Man. Can't understand why I hadn' t seen him before.

[Kirk Gittings]

Maybe it only revealed itself when you were ready to see it........

[Vaughn]

Maybe it only revealed itself when you were ready to see it........

Ya gotta be there to be There! And dang it, I am off to Southern CA on a family trip...is there a There there? But I did have a good walk in the redwoods yesterday with visiting family.

Thanks for hauling the trash out, Robert, and for keeping it real.

[Robert Langham]

The trash is real. Plus graffiti. And used tires.....there must be some gigantic game of tire moving that is going on. Six at the end of the West Dike.
Into some of my favorite trees at The Dance Floor just on the West side. Saw them this morning in smooth overcast light. Two nice negs. Big cottonwoods. I looked through polarizer to cut shine off leaves but went with nothing. Nice even light.
Whole trip scheduled around moonrise/sets. Haven't seen it yet except overhead late at night.

[Robert Langham]

Kirk: I guess. This formation was ten feet high, flaming neon-lit, with easy parking and no waiting. Wait until I post it! Its a mystery. What ELSE is there to see?

Also saw a new viewpoint for the Pulpit- that huge double-topped projection out of the East wall. Perfect 120mm/5x7 shot in late afternoon with shadow stretching across the plains in background. Just a little drop front and a blue filter.....from a big boulder in the slope behind it.

Next time.

[Robert Langham]

Equipment on the way home with shooting buddy. Hes already East past Clines Corner. I'm sitting in airport waiting on flight. Plane in front of mine was diverted to Lubbock by the thunderstorms. Travel=travail.

[Robert Langham]

Yesterday evening spent a few hours puzzling out some images on East wall. Difficult steep terrain for tripod. Tough subject matter to know where to cut. Amazing place. There are spots you can climb back into the drapery almost out of sight. Wearing 5:11 boots. Nice and grippy through they are a little soft for edgeing.
Freaked out friend when he looked over and I was standing on top of one of the little necks with camera on tripod. Looks worse than it was. Broken staircase difficulty. Wonderful view of little Northeast Dike. Top covered with falcon castings.

[Robert Langham]

Using F64 pack for deardorff and lenses, nine holders in top. Starting to loose function on double zippers. Only one side works. Been a great pack. I bet someone on youtube knows how to get zippers working again. Taken to carrying a set of big black safety pins in case the other side goes.....

[Robert Langham]

99257 The Climber's Ledge area on the West side. Very comfortable place to shoot from but quite a scramble up the talus slope. Cave at the head of the slope to the right side of this. There is a grave under a rock cairn, right side, where the overhanging light rock makes a downward point.

99258 Grafitti in the aspens. There is a lot of grafitti in the aspens above Red Valley.

99259 At the Goosenecks. Shooting a triple-shot panel, (tryptic, I guess..), with a 190mm Ektar wide-field. Tried it with yellow filter and then with blue. Shot the same panel in 1982 and have printed it, but didn't pay enough attention to having tripod head level. The sky slants off, just barely but enough to make me notice. (Hint: Level the center panel first!) I was a lot more careful this time and got the head on the Gitzo very close to flat. Also had had better light than in 1982.

99260 Little neck and the Northeast dike complex in the early afternoon from the East died talus slope. Was up on a big boulder that you couldn't get on without a major extension ladder. We had one.

[Robert Langham]

99261 Little Anasazi rockwork up in the Climber's Cave. Slept up here a couple nights with the bats and mice and a gallon of water. Had other folks come and go between times.

99262 5X7 sitting on top of one of the little necks so I could shoot evening shadows. Access was sporty but not much worse than broken staircase. That's the Northeast Dike in the background. My camera on top of this little neck is in the post above.

99263 Lightning man! In the shade on the side of a boulder. The complete shape is about eight feet tall.

99264 With the Deardorff on a big rock. It's a big country. I make big sandwiches. It takes a big knife.

[Robert Langham]

99265 Big rocks. Tall ladder.

99266 My very sophisticated camera-leveling tool. I carry two, expecting to lose one but never have. So far.

99267 Chasing moonsets that never showed.

[Ed Bray]

99265 Big rocks. Tall ladder.

99266 My very sophisticated camera-leveling tool. I carry two, expecting to lose one but never have. So far.

99267 Chasing moonsets that never showed.

Attachments don't seem to work for me Robert.

[Kirk Gittings]

Robert I've been interested in Aspen graffiti for some time. Its called Arborglyphs. Are there more elaborate ones in that area?

[h2oman]

The "lightning" is really interesting. I hope you shot it LF.

Are you retired?!? I'm hoping that's what my retirement will be like, when I get there...

[Robert Langham]

KirK: The road from Red Valley to Chinle is LOADED when you explore off the pavement onto the dirt BIA roads up on the mountain. Many are pornographic or obscene though, so be warned. If you go up I will send you a map. I could see most of the roads on a Garmin or on Mapquest, Google. Aspens all along the roads, not just at pull-outs were marked up.

Shot the Lightning Man on 5X7 with HP5. I'm not retired. Too much to do!

[Robert Langham]

99294 Big rocks, Tall ladder.

99295 Sophisticated Camera-leveling device.

99296 Moonrises and moonsets never showed, though we were ready.

[Robert Langham]

Rita is popular, though also subject to some criticism. Rosie also celebrated.

99297

99298

99299

99300

[Robert Langham]

99301

99302

99303

99304

These images all iphone.

[Robert Langham]

Me on one of the little necks with camera.

99321

[Kirk Gittings]

Thanks. Pornographic arborglyphs are quite common, especially from sheepherders..........hmmmmmm. I am most interested in ones with religious themes which are also common in sheepherding areas.

[Robert Langham]

Mostly Rita and Rosie. There was so much of it that there has got to be some religious stuff. Every tree along the road seemed to have a little something, even in unlikely stopping places. The places where you COULD stop and park are probably really covered. We weren't looking much but if you did I bet you would find plenty.

Check mapquest for Arizona 13 South of Red Valley, the road over the mountains to Chinle. It's paved, but closed in winter. BIA30 or any of the dirt roads in the aspen zone ought to be good choices in this area. Roof Butte is where the antenna farm and fire watch tower are. Good trees coming and going from there. They were just grading the road up to Roof Butte. Needed it.

99340

[Heroique]

There was so much of it that there has got to be some religious stuff.
99340

This artist probably feels religious about the music of Led Zeppelin!

[Robert Langham]

The Insane Clown Posse is big with the local kids.....but who knows? Maybe there is a Stairway to Heaven Chapter House!

[Jim Cole]

Great adventure and pics, Robert. Looking forward to new LF results. My wife would love to watch me climb a ladder like that with a LF pack on my back. Not!

[Robert Langham]

Working on negatives run-by-run. HP5 in Xtol 68F at 8:30. Tap water running about 97 so I have to ice it and cool big bucket of water with central air.

99536

[Brian Ellis]

Just wanted to let you know that I've thoroughly enjoyed your posts and photographs. Please keep 'em both coming.

[David Rheubottom]

+1 - It would make a fascinating journal.

[Robert Langham]

Currently in the darkroom running the 100 sheets of film I shot. Tap water is 98 out of the cold side so I am leaving a deep hypo tank tray full of water and icing down a 2 1/2 gallon bucket. I can hit Xtol at 68F all the way through the wash for about three 8-sheet tray runs at a time.

There is always a little more at: http://robertlangham.blogspot.com/

99561

[Robert Langham]

Film done. A relief but always sad to see it all out of the box. Proofing next. Everything looks pretty good, film holders nice and tight, just a couple that have flaws -like slide used to shade the lens in the corner on one, a blank. Not much else. Nice negs. Can't wait to get into the proofing, even with hot water. Should be thinking more dyptics and tryptics.

99585 Little Anasazi rockwork up in the Climber's Cave. I actually tracked folks up there from the parking area. Unusual to see fresh sign of others.

99586 Plastic tablecloth up on the fence in the wind near town.

[David Lobato]

Robert, I can readily imagine Werner Herzog making a documentary trip with you to Shiprock.

[Robert Langham]

This is a fairly typical example of a personal shrine. We didn't touch it, though it was in a high-traffic area.

99619

Shrine, Shiprock, 2013.

[Robert Langham]

Almost finished proofing.

99638 Northeast Dike.

99639 Finally got an overcast day on the Dot.

99640 Afternoon light from the boulderfield on the East face.

99641 Dawn on West Dike.

[Kirk Gittings]

Those bottom 2 are very nice.

[Robert Langham]

Thanks Kirk. Got an inch thick stack of proofs and not quite finished. Going through them with cropping bars searching....Most all of them are well-behaved. Picking a few to go in little 5X7 mats on the print rail to see how they do over a weeks time. Work and work.

99673 Lightning man.

[Robert Langham]

Cottonwood trees in the Dance Floor near Shiprock. iphone copy off negative proof. I'll print in the fall when the water temps fall, god willing.

99702

Lot of black, nearly fresh cow pattie tossing out of this image.....once I got started I didn't stop until it was nearly clear. The branches on the left up against the trunk? Uh huh. The little white limb out in the mid-right....yep. Got a version with no filter and a version with blue filter. Going to contact them both on better paper and learn something.

If you aren't willing to toss cow patties, you might not be passionate enough about photography.

My buddy was beating around and ran a Great Horned Owl out of the treetops.

[Robert Langham]

Video over at RobertLangham.blogspot.

http://robertlangham.blogspot.com/

99755

[Robert Langham]

And another, (different), video, more concerned with Shiprock. Uh....last one. From this trip. I promise!

The fabulous Blackfork 6 Channel on Youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpkmjGsIo3A&feature=c4-overview&list=UU1kh_90w4j8wJh3j-ms3jJg

[Robert Langham]

Last trip: More driving on the desert than usual, more beer bottles left, more tires, roads opening up all over. I could see new tracks from up on the rock. Disappointed, but as people get 4WD vehicles they just start going anywhere...and start seeing WHERE they can go. Tough to watch.

100390 Moonset, Shiprock.