Hubbell Trading Post NHS Artist-in-Residence.

[Robert Langham]

Less than two weeks until I roll out to Arizona. I'm on the site April 14-28. Never done an AIR before.

Much to arrange before I am gone and much to arrange for while I am there but the lists are getting shorter. My wife and I have had a terrible Spring of medical and business issues. Made the prep a little crazy. Every time we think things are settling down some other catastrophe arrives. Been crazy. Thank goodness Katie is made of tough stuff. And beautiful.

Taking 5X7, macbook, Nikon 300 and 8X10. The 5X7 is the camera I expect to use the most. 200 sheets of film for it.

4-Runner going into the shop for a check-up before I hit the road.

Hoping to see a couple curators on the way out. My session starts on a Monday and ends on a Monday. Going to leave Friday early and try to see one curator that afternoon out West.

Worked through a stack of books, though I know the area pretty well. Still have to print a few maps of Canyon de Chelly complex and tape them together. Will have a Garmin on board for travel.

Days in Canyon de Chelly run about 400.00 at 35.00 an hour with guide.

[jb7]

Good Luck Robert, though I think you rely more on preparation than luck...

Sorry to hear about the troubles, hope it all goes well-

[dsphotog]

Awesome!!
Happy shooting!

[angusparker]

Bought two beautiful Navajo rugs there about a decade ago - a highlight of our trip. The trading post is so wonderful and authentic. Wish I could spend that kind of time in the Four Corners. Have fun and please share your pictures.

[Robert Langham]

Inside the Hubbell residence the kitchen is just off a patio. The light that bounces around in there is incredible. Going to take the 8X10 in but probably will require the 5X7 and 120mm Super Angulon. My friend Jackson, wife Katie and I walked in there a couple years ago and all of us skidded to a halt at the light.

113188 113187

[Robert Langham]

Hoping to see some miracles. Got an appointment to look at some Chaco Pottery in Albuquerque on the way out.

Just talked to the AIR co-ordinator at Hubbell. Nancy Mattina, a writer from Prescott, AZ, is the AIR in front of me. She's there.

113201

[Robert Langham]

Snow at Ganado last night. They need every drop of moisture. We are in the 50s overnight here in Tyler. Truck prep today and I built a map of Google Map terrain print-outs. Field-expediant to the extreme with foam-core, doublestick, wide package tape. Canyon de Chelly on one side and Del Muerto on the other. The map isn't the territory, but it can tell you what to expect next. It will be marked up with mileage, ruin sites, lunch stops, et by the time I get back. Half a sheet of foamcore big.

113253

The little red dot is White House Ruin.

[Robert Langham]

Battlespace prep: Tyler newspaper did a little article: http://www.tylerpaper.com/TP-Arts+Entertainment/197545/robert-langham-the-camera-kind-of-a-time-machine-the-darkroom-an-alchemists-miracle#.Uz7HkCjrN94

[toyotadesigner]

Congratulations and enjoy your time.

[Drew Wiley]

You don't need a guide to shoot the Canyon from the road around the top, or if you hike in. But you probably already knew that. Wonderful country, and glad you have the opportunity to spend some time.

[Robert Langham]

Spent a lot of time at Canyon de Chelly over the years. When I was a child, in college, we used to go there for Spring Break. Probably first around 1972. I did the tourist truck tours several times but you can't really work from there. You pretty much have to get a 4WD and a guide and get in the canyon.

There are some terrific places along the rim at White House overlook and Spider Rock, plus over on the Del Muerto side.

113323 113324

[Robert Langham]

Blackfork6 Channel on Youtube Canyond de Chelly video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI0IMG_jFK0

[Robert Langham]

Packing today and running last errands. Rolling out tomorrow. I have a couple of appointments going each way and several appointments once I get to the Hubbell Trading Post.

[Robert Langham]

Day One: A LOT of driving, from Tyler to Santa Rosa, New Mexico where I am in a Best Western and glad to be there. 630+ miles. Glad to be out past the Cholla and Raven line. Seen fields of one and pairs of the other.

113683 113684

[Robert Langham]

Sitting in the Flying Star on Central Avenue in Alb with most of the mileage behind me. Have to stay overnight to see a few items from Chaco that I want to see in person and then think about. Not much photographic going on.

Engine check light on in the truck. probably something simple, like fuel filter from sucking all that bad gas on the way over, but don't want to go on without a check-up. Got a garage lined up for in the morning. 99 problems, but so far, photography ain't one.

Enjoying the hipster crowd at the Flying star. Gotta stay somewhere close- garage is walking distance to UNM and the Chaco Collection. Hope it's not too Breaking Bad around here.

[Robert Langham]

Quite a treat to spend and hour talking shop with Kirk Gittings at the Flying Star yesterday. Seems we know lot of the same folks.

Up for day three of the oddessey. Taking 4Runner over to shop and walking back for breakfast, probably at the Flying Star again.

[Kirk Gittings]

Yes that was a treat. Hope all goes well with the car and the rest of your trip. I envy you! I'm slaving away here.

[Nathan Potter]

Ah, the damn 4 runner check light. That's all that has gone wrong with my 1999 4 runner in 15 years and 300,000 miles. Seems to intermittently act up and I never get a definitive answer from the shop about what went wrong. Otherwise an indestructible vehicle though. Hope you are trouble free hereafter.

For me vehicle problems have a way dampening my photographic vision and just diverting my focus.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Racer X 69]

Engine check light on in the truck. probably something simple, like fuel filter from sucking all that bad gas on the way over, but don't want to go on without a check-up. Got a garage lined up for in the morning. 99 problems, but so far, photography ain't one.

So did the mechanic figure this thing out?

The older electronically controlled vehicles develop intermittent issues. Loose and corroded connections, mostly bad grounds. Many techs these days just can't seem to figure them out.

Also, deteriorated vacuum hoses will begin to allow vacuum leaks, setting fault codes.

And don't discount the gas cap. As they get old the seal fails, and the evaporative emissions systems will not function correctly. The system uses vacuum to draw gasoline vapors back to the engine to be burned, and a small leak at the gas cap will cause the system to set a fault code.

[Brian Schall]

Should of had breakfast at the Frontier. Flying Star right across the street from Curt's. 16 years ago I worked at Curt's. Some guy from Texas came in, bought a 190mm Wide Field Ektar, a couple of lens boards and a couple of cable releases. Went off to shoot Shiprock. Knocked the WF Ektar off a rock, had to get it repaired; and had the lens boards and cable releases stolen out of his truck.

Still have the contact print you sent explaining the adventure; and the one of the stack of box turtles.

Good luck but this time, try and be a little more careful.:)

Brian

[Kirk Gittings]

Should of had breakfast at the Frontier. Flying Star right across the street from Curt's. 16 years ago I worked at Curt's. Some guy from Texas came in, bought a 190mm Wide Field Ektar, a couple of lens boards and a couple of cable releases. Went off to shoot Shiprock. Knocked the WF Ektar off a rock, had to get it repaired; and had the lens boards and cable releases stolen out of his truck.

Still have the contact print you sent explaining the adventure; and the one of the stack of box turtles.

Good luck but this time, try and be a little more careful.:)

Brian

That's a great connection.

[David Lobato]

I was just out that way for a two week trip from Houston. Drove my 1988 LandCruiser up to the Needles District in Canyonlands (Salt Creek was closed :( ), Mesa Verde so my wife could see it, rough 4-wheeling at a Hovenweep outlier and Painted Hand Ruin at Canyon of the Ancient National Monument, and a short excursion to Shiprock. Not to mention visiting a bunch of relatives and meeting some interesting new people all along the way. The old LandCruiser developed an oil leak which was a positive adventure in itself. Have 30 some odd sheets of 8x10 film to process. Would have shot a lot more if it weren't for the high winds and dust storms most of the time.

[Kirk Gittings]

So Robert. I hope its going well. I lost your email in a computer meltdown.

So my NPS contact at PF who was in the accident that I want to find about is Pat Thompson. Also I would like a new contact to follow up with.
Thanks. Best wishes.

[Robert Langham]

Finally got the blog going from here at the Hubbell. Been sporty so far. The wind is light today, with worse coming, so off to Canyon de Chelly for the afternoon.

113871

http://robertlangham.blogspot.com/

[Robert Langham]

Still have the 190 Ektar Wide-field, in fact it's been working pretty hard. I go in Kurts and remind them that I bought it there every trip. The poltergeist got a Fuji 120mm. Pretty amazing event. Hope to live through THIS trip!

[Robert Langham]

Jims Automotive, (Washington and Zuni in Alb found a split in a big rubber connector that was sucking extra air. No problem.) I went on to Hubbell and the check engine light came on again as I crossed the mesa between Window rock and Ganado! Haven't left the grounds since I parked it. Going up to Canyon de Chelly today.

Hubbell is a Verizon dead zone, so I've been a little remiss in posting.

[Robert Langham]

113872

Front door of the main residence.

[Robert Langham]

113873

190mm WF Ektar sitting on the Deardorff 5X7 this morning, complete with old Kurts tag in the corner.

[Robert Langham]

Got into Canyon de Chelly complex yesterday with Tulley Yazzie. Great guide, only drawback was that he drives a little jeep. Tough to get equipment out of the back. Ended up riding with Deardorff in my lap most of the time.

Canyon del Muerto gently flooded. Makes the driving very nice. You could take a Prius in. Low dust. Just made it to Antelope House area. Shot through the ten film holders and didn't reload. CDC like the Louvre- there's a masterpiece around every corner. Going back until the guide money runs out. Yazzie and vehicle were 250.00 for six hours.

[Kirk Gittings]

113873

190mm WF Ektar sitting on the Deardorff 5X7 this morning, complete with old Kurts tag in the corner.

cool.

[Robert Langham]

Yazzie and I standing in middle of sand wash in CdMuerto. His clan uncle rolls up in a suburban full of tourists. Leans out the drivers window and says to me: "Nice 5X7"

You could have knocked me over with a turkey feather. I'd have bet 100 bucks cash that nobody would recognize a 5X7 from a movie camera in there.

[Robert Langham]

113909

iphone note from a little shot on the Del Muerto side. I worked it into a vertical.

[Robert Langham]

Forgot about iphone for a while and just worked.

113910 113911

[Robert Langham]

AIR life. The post closes at 5:00. Gate locked by six. I was in the guest hogan and kept hearing the turkey and chickens call. They were still out in the big daytime cage. The wind was up and a good chance of thunderstorms, so I took a piece of bread up and put the turkey in his inside pen and the chickens in theirs. Chickens have adobe nesting niches, (this is Hubbell..). Should have snatched a couple of eggs. Having bacon for dinner. Big lunch with the staff.

At lunch I mentioned being in Verizon dead zone. Maintainence guy suggested climbing to barn roof. I did. One bar. The maintainence guys know.

Tulley Yazzie tomorrow afternoon for Canyon de Chelly. Still gotta load a little film. More details over at http://robertlangham.blogspot.com/

113925

[Robert Langham]

Been shooting filterless, light yellow. Deep red once on a really red piece of wall with black stripes and white salt stains. Now I'm thinking I should have looked through a polarizer when I had trees in a couple of shots: leaves full of reflections.

113926

Like this one. I shot several variations with a light yellow. Should have at least looked through the polarizer.

Trying not to get too excited and let whatever is in front of me unfold. I was having Tulley stop the jeep all the time so I could get out, telling him- "I just need to have my body face this for a minute to see it." I could see it through the window with the camera in my lap, but it's different when you get out, stand up, walk around the jeep and just regard it for a minute. I waved several off, saw several wonderful things that wouldn't go and did see a couple of things I think I might like to print.

[Erik Larsen]

Looks like fun Robert! Pull out the green filter, I think you'll like it on the red rocks IMO?

[Robert Langham]

I've got one and shot it before. Certainly in the toolbox. Rock varies colors from light buff to deep red. Can be fairly neutral gray. Plus sometimes its in sun, in shade, in shade with warm bounce light. Lotta factors to juggle and still no guarantees.

[Robert Langham]

Waking up to Ravens talking in the cottonwood over the hogan. Fading moon in the morning sky. Holders all loaded for the day. Gotta get some hot tea and go let the chickens out of the coop and into the pen.

[Brian Schall]

Hope the weather has blown through your area. Here in ABQ this morning, the wind was howling with a little rain over night.

Glad to see you're still using the WF Ektar. Walked into Curt's yesterday for the first time in a couple of years. The place was dead; no feeling of welcome at all.

[Robert Langham]

The cats at Kurts are happier to see you than the staff.

Long day in del Muerto in a jeep station wagon that the guide was warned not to turn off. Good enough company though, and the car never quit.

113971 113972 113973

amy iphone notes not exact, but this is a pretty close guess.

[Robert Langham]

Shutting down the hogan to load film holders in the dark brings out some strange insects. I haven't seen stuff this weird since I turned on a flashlight at 2:AM in the Climbers Cave on Shiprock.

Under sleeping bag in pre-dawn trying to remember sequence of shots, what they were about. Glad to see several things for the second time. The first day was more graphic- wall stripes, but today I was relating the walls to other things below or in front of them. Interested to see where this goes.

Saw some of my favorite trees and rocks. Stopped and payed respects at a tomb in a cave above Antelope House. I don't know who is in there, but they buried them with care.

It's Sunday. Big Day here, lotta people up in the Canyons. Police checkpoint last night on the road back from Chinle to Ganado. They just waved me through. Looking for drinking and driving. 20 police cars looking over vehicles full of teenagers.

113974

113975

[billie williams]

I really enjoy reading these posts, Robert. Thank you for letting us "tag along" in this way.

[Alan Curtis]

I really enjoy reading these posts, Robert. Thank you for letting us "tag along" in this way.

I'm also enjoying your narrative. This is as close as I'm going to get at being an Artist in Residence.

[Robert Langham]

Welcome to all. I've been doing a little into talk in the main house tour telling folks about the tradition of artists here at the Hubbell site and mentioning that I feel the responsibility of that greatly. Went up and paid my respects at the grave site on Hubbell Hill.

Not a thing going on but tourists. Booked a guide at CDC for this afternoon. Asked for my previous guide but he's uh.....out hunting Easter Eggs. Going up the de Chelly side. 250 for about six hours in their car.

The Chicken Sisters were up early. I let them out of the house and into the coop and snagged two very fresh eggs which I cooked with the last half of the bacon. This is like the Boy Scouts, but no merit badges!

Noticing shadows. Been really enjoying this one just across the yard from the Hogan.

113986

If that planter was planted, and those long lines pointed at something out on the horizon, this would be a real photograph.

[David Lobato]

I really enjoy reading these posts, Robert. Thank you for letting us "tag along" in this way.

Same here, I'm enjoying these posts. Ah-Keh'-heh ….. it means thank you in the Navajo language.

[Robert Langham]

113987 113988

Here are a couple I turned down. I SO wanted the cut-out in the rock to go, but it just wouldn't. Light was late and had gotten pretty thin. We walked around in front of it and I tried a couple of different viewpoints and lenses. I included it as part of a big scene and cut it with 450mm to just the shape. Just wouldn't go.
Frustrating.

The fence post brought me to a screeching halt, but same result. I got out and looked- it was quite a "thing" to see but I just couldn't manage it into a camera.

Shot a couple of iphone files of both. I haven't had any more luck on the computer working with them. Not everything works.

I did have one I didn't think would go, but shot an iphone wide angle of it as a note and there it was. I ran for the big camera.

113989

I hadn't noticed the little energetic black twiggy stuff until I shot it with iphone. More black at the top with 5X7. (My iphone is pointing off the subject when I zoom it.)

Using a polarizer on the rocks. Cuts a little bit of reflection and brings out the stripes. Mostly shooting in the shade. Tempted to stack filters. You would think that you could just meter through them and be good but I've been burned every time I have done that with massive underexposure, so I'm a little hesitant. Polarizer or light yellow mostly. Or nothing. Once with the deep red. Nothing yet on a green.

Like being in the Louvre. There is a masterpiece around every corner.

[Robert Langham]

Weather was so good I texted up the tour guys from the top of the barn, (where Verizon has one bar), and laid on a guide for 2:00. It was Tulley in a Suburban. Slow day for them. I guess my light complaints about the jeep were enough. We went up the de Chelly side, past Whitehouse Ruin but got stopped a couple miles farther by a creek crossing that had stuck people. I was happy enough not to get stuck ourselves and we wandered back out. Most of the shooting was iphone notes to try and puzzle out some walls. One wall, just up from White House, we visited in 2012. The Navajos and Park Service are cutting and burning salt cedar and Russian Olive. They have opened up some big areas. Needed it. The big 2012 wall you could actually back up and SEE. Before it was just a road along the edge of the base and a thick wall of Salt Cedar.

Beat from a long day. Here's a few selections:
114001 114002 114003

[Robert Langham]

114004

114005

114006

[Robert Langham]

Lots of iphone notes from walls yesterday trying to sort things out. Lotta scenery, but tough to pick out real pieces that might be made into art. I'm previewing every shot on iphone to learn things and then making a record if I do shoot. Her's a few I'm still thinking about.

114018

114021

114022

Last one I shot on film. Lotta glare around the corner. Hope the Ektar 190 handled it. The iphone note is a little dark but you get the idea. Seems like every day I shoot a little LESS film.

Making a run down to Petrified Forest this morning to talk to some folks.

[Robert Langham]

Lots of iphone notes from walls yesterday trying to sort things out. Lotta scenery, but tough to pick out real pieces that might be made into art. I'm previewing every shot on iphone to learn things and then making a record if I do shoot. Her's a few I'm still thinking about.

114018

114021

114022

Last one I shot on film. Lotta glare around the corner. Hope the Ektar 190 handled it. The iphone note is a little dark but you get the idea. Seems like every day I shoot a little LESS film.

Making a run down to Petrified Forest this morning to talk to some folks.

[Robert Langham]

114024 114025

In sun and out of sun. If I find myself working something too hard it usually means I'm lost. This one catches my eye every time we pass it. It's near the entrance to the canyon so I've seen it six times so far. I'm sure its worth a piece of film.

[Robert Langham]

Day trip down to Petrified Forest. I applied down there but didn't get picked. Wanted to see the country in case I decided to apply again.

Pretty subtle landscape. Hardly a tree taller than I am. It's big- 20 plus miles with an upper visitor center and a lower end museum. Probably takes a cloud shadow nicely. Lotta distance. Full of petroglyphs and a few washes. Big hat country.

Back to Ganado. Haven't take a film photo all day, though I did run the iphone a bit. Talked to some dogs, Edison, (who turns out to have a tremendous history of road racing- foot running.), various tourists and rangers and of course the Chicken Sisters.

114048

[Kirk Gittings]

A portrait of my Phillips at Blue Mesa in the PF.
114049

[Robert Langham]

Holy cows! What a sky!

[Robert Langham]

Long drive today in the other direction: to Farmington to drop off a print that is in their show in a month. I routed myslef through Window rock and then cut North and went over Nabarro Pass on 134. Visited Lighting Man near Shiprock and shot the only holder of the day. In Farmington I spent a little time talking to the curator there who is quite a photographer himself. I dropped by the Salmon Ruins where I hadn't visited since the 70s and had lunch in Bloomfield at Sonya's. The wind was howling by then. Went by the East face of Shiprock for a few minutes and then on to the store at Red Valley. I drove up over the Chuskas to Buffalo Pass and down to Tsaile, Chinle and then back to Ganado. Long day of driving in 25mph wind.

114123
Lightning Man

114124
Desert Racer on the road at Shiprock.

[Kirk Gittings]

Yes but its a dry wind.....:)

[Robert Langham]

Too windy to shoot outside today so working on inside shots. Not much wind tomorrow. Great Horned Owl Chick blew out of the nest and the adults are both active today trying to keep it in sight and watch the other one.

Making iphone notes. Trying to decide if something is a shot.

114158 114159 114160

[Robert Langham]

The Weather Underground says tomorrow is going to be the LAST day of no-to-low wind. Probably ought to spend the whole day in the canyon if I can stand it. Wind today made it impossible to work outside.

Ended up not shooting any of my iphone notes. Plenty of time in the late week. I walked down the wash for a mile to look at a grove of Cottonwoods that turned out to be full of Raven nests. They were NOT happy to see me so I was brief. One Horned Owl sitting on eggs. Pottery shards right where the archeological survey said they would be. I was tracking away and watching birds and spitting on pottery shards and spotted a woman walking the fence like she was out for exercise. Folks pop out of nowhere.

Wind got worse as the day went on.

Been feeding a Raven all day. I think it's just one. He's put away about a half a package of stew meat but now I've worked the feeding rock to 10 feet outside my window. Entertaining. He puts three or four chunks down his gullet and beaks a couple. Have to check in Chinle to get more meat.

The post found a spatula for me. I'd been frying the Chicken Sister's eggs with a big spoon.
Life on the Rez in it's basics.

Toured several sets of folks through the hogan, like every day. Took part in a house tour. Bought bacon. Made a run up Verizon Hill, (you have to drive up there to get a couple bars of Verizon), to book guide for tomorrow.

114180 114181 114182

[David Lobato]

Yeah, that wind. If it wasn't for that I'd have shot twice the number of sheets of film I did a few weeks ago in the 4 Corners region. My wife is from Baltimore and along the way we joked that the numerous ravens followed her from Baltimore, the home of Edgar Allan Poe who wrote "The Raven".

'Tis the wind and nothing more"

[Wayne Lambert]

When I was about 12 I killed my pet crow feeding him chunks of meat. Be careful, they will try pieces bigger than they can handle.

Wayne

[Robert Langham]

Good point- I have them down to one at a time now. I think stew meat is cut into pretty reasonable chunks for Ravens, but you never know.

[Robert Langham]

114282 114283 114284

All day in the canyon with Tulley Yazzie from Arizona Canyon Tours. Crawling into sleeping bag.

[Robert Langham]

Made a couple of photographs in this area- some guides call it Martini Rock. Tulley says it doesn't have a name, just "place where rock leans over." I shot this shadow in 2012 and have struggled with it. Glad to get to see it again.

114314

Tulley alongside his jeep. I quoted a Texas farmer and author at him -"Goats are looking for a way out, sheep are looking for a place to die." He has a deft touch driving and climbed the little jeep into and out of things I wouldn't have gotten my 4-runner near. We'd laugh going through and say "it's a goat, not a sheep."

114316

Deardorff Shadow.

114315

[Robert Langham]

I'm in the West, but nobody gets any reference to Kung Fu or Billy Jack.

Yesterday was a long run up on the del Muerto side, though I didn't quite shoot all my holders. Up this morning at 5:30 in the dark to unload, clean them with canned air and reload. Cooked a few eggs from the Chicken Sisters and slowly went to work after checking the Horned Owl nest, getting the Ravens eating, having a cup of staff coffee and copying a painting in the archives for one of the Hubbell Folks.

While at the archive I looked at all the stored art, including the previous AIRs. Always interesting to see what people see. there were two old framed photo prints that look like Robert Frank. No documentation at all. I'd never seen either image but they just had that look. Two guys leaning on a juke box and an old navajo woman trying to manage a shopping cart.

After lunch I started chipping away on some doors. I shot the front door of the post and then went down to one of the doors on the barn. Blacksmith's sliding door was next and then went into the chicken coop.

No iphone note of the front. Got to talking to tourists and then helping a 99 year old inside.

114366

Waited until I could swing it almost even with the light. There is a whole parking lot of cars behind it. iphone hardly gives a hint of the image-managing I did with the Deardorff. 190 Ektar Wide field. Less sky in the real image. Had to use the stump to hold it.

114367

Blacksmith door. I added the wheel and the barrel. They are thinking about putting this door in the archive and replacing it and I wanted to shoot and send them a print for the archive.

114368

This is MUCH better image-managed with the Deardorff and negative. Had a hen in an adobe niche right behind my leg so I had lots of conversation while working it up. Beautiful door, but in a building full of chicken shit...so there it is. That's going to be a hot corner on the right but I think I can handle it.

I have really been using camera controls: checking levels, using rise and fall, careful with the focus. Mechanically setting composition is VASTLY under-rated as a learning tool by the iphone and digital folks. I'm being really deliberate, even when going fast.

114369

Raven eating stew meat off the rock outside the window.

[Robert Langham]

Writing the above while cooking bacon and eggs. Multi-tasking.

Here's a few more images from the day:

114371

The main room. Old fireplace is plugged and heat is on the wall. Too bad.

114372

iphone of one of the Chicken Sisters in the coop.

114373

Here's the sister that was right behind me.

114374

Raven eating stew meat. I've cut them down to one per trip so they are pretty quick.

Afternoon wind built to 18-34. Pretty sporty. I watched the owls and looked for a big Bull Snake a tourist saw in the barn. Got a guide wired on for tomorrow afternoon in De Chelly just after the rain slacks up. Windy. Don't know if it will be a GO or not but I thought I might like some bad weather up there. Last chance.

[Brian Schall]

Good luck tomorrow. Wind gusts are only supposed to hit 55-60mph Saturday, a little higher on Sunday. So much for my golf game.

[Robert Langham]

29 with gusts to 42 right now.

114395 114396

Couple notes from this morning before the gale started.

[bob carnie]

Seems like you eat a lot of Bacon and Eggs.

[Robert Langham]

I DO eat a lot of bacon and eggs. Free eggs. Except for the guides I'm on a budget. Want a sandwich? Or maybe a fried egg?

Snow blew in. Too windy for deardorff but pretty.

114405 114406 114407

[bob carnie]

I'd be eyeing those chickens you have there.

[Robert Langham]

The Chicken Sisters: We've known each other too long now.

Wind. Snow. Melting snow. More snow. I did get the Deardorff out for a bit.

114416

114417

114418

Shot something like those three. Barn door upstairs, Gate with snow and a board and snow abstract.

On the last one I lost my little single-bubble level that I have used for ten years. Looked everywhere. No luck. I have a backup so I pulled it out but I much prefer the older one. Walked the path, from the gate to the upstairs roof barn door shot down to the corral where the last shot was several times. Went and got flashlight and checked a dark ladder I had to go up and down...nothing. It had survived being lost several times before- very perplexing. The ground wasn't that complicated.

By the time you get to be my age the lessons of non-attachment have been ground into you. Plenty of stuff just goes, so it wasn't a crisis. Very replaceable part. Still, everything is somewhere, you just have to look for it.

On the fourth go-round after putting the camera up I found it- right about the first place I missed it. Seemed to be out in the open but I hadn't seen it before.

Glad to have it back.

114419

[Michael Roberts]

I like the gates with snow very much. Those may turn out great.

[Robert Langham]

I've shot a little series of doorways and gates around here- when the snow started blowing in I figured I better get a frozen few to go with it. Pure succotash, as Weston would say, but view cameras and film love those tones and textures.

Thanks. Packing up a little this morning with three photos to go around here. Might get two.

114427

Sporty yesterday with those gusts to 47mph. Nice to have a little more winter. Back in Texas it's warm.

[Robert Langham]

Big bus tour rolled in this morning and I finished off my public service with a bang. Had to split them into three groups and tour them.

I like sitting in this little stone hogan better than travelling, but it's time to go.

114467

[Robert Langham]

Shot three little photos today, none of which I iphoned. I shot the outside door to chicken coop, a barn door I hadn't managed and then a long exposure of the light of a window moving across the floor of the ware-room.

[Robert Langham]

Stiff wind coming home, mostly behind me all the way. Probably got unbelieveable gas milage if I checked it. Stopped a couple of times to look at subject matter but the wind was 15+.

Back home sorting equipment, washing clothes and dealing with the things that crop up when you are gone for a couple of months. Was pretty exciting here while I was gone. Glad to be home with my wonderful wife.

Hubbell AIR a rousing success for me and the Hubbell. I did stop and show prints at one good museum on the way home and got a very affirmative reaction. More from that I think.

Camera performed well the whole time. I had a wooden 5X7 Deardorff and a 120mm Super Angulon, a 190MM Wife-Field Ektar, a 12 inch Commercial Ektar and a Nikon F9/450. Used them all. I had a 210 Schneider that was never used, though it is a great lens. I used the 190 instead. The Ektar has a much bigger coverage circle.

Going to start carefully working through film next week. This week is full of clean-up plus a big three day rifle match starting Friday. Resuming teaching tonight.

[Brian Schall]

Only +15 mph wind; that's only a light breeze. Saturday, Sunday, Monday and into Tuesday the wind was blowing 30-40 with 50-60 mph gusts here in Albuquerque. I guess that's why so many photographers in the West photograph rocks. For the most part, they stand still.

Good to hear you made it back. It's nice to be away, nicer to be home.

[Robert Langham]

Anyone in the Farmington area?

[Robert Langham]

Just starting to run a few negatives. Cleaned out the loaded holders. Densities look good. They were the last negs I shot on the AIR: landscapes, chicken coop, snow on gates and doors. Five boxes of 5X7 to go. Probably do a little more this afternoon before giving an exam.

All HP5 rted at ISO 400 and tray-processed in Xtol for 8:20 at 68 degrees for normal development. Minus or plus under and over that time.

[Robert Langham]

Film was unloaded into 25 sheet boxes and labeled and divided by subject. I'm processing my way through it in the order that it was shot. The non-technical stuff-seeing the trip unfold again, is fascinating. I think I shot better and better as I spent more time on the subjects. Many of them I looked at through the camera more than once. At first, EVERYTHING looks exotic and wonderful and then as time goes by you can see another layer or two under that. Wonderful process.

One double exposure, one sheet that I left the shutter open as I pulled the slide, one long exposure inside where the camera shifted. That's the extent of the technical mistakes so far. Exposure and contrast look good otherwise. I shoot with two old Ektars in the mix so I'm always leary of using the shorter shutter speeds. If 1 second is off by 1/10th you can barely tell, but if 1/50th is off by 1/10th then it's a disaster.

Pushing the wall stripe photos to a plus one of about 9:45 in Xtol 1:1 at 68 in a tray. Eight negs per run in an 8X10 tray. Six runs yesterday.

Today I'm finishing the first day with Tulley Yazzie in Canyon del Muerto, then into a box labeled: Hubbell House interiors, N. 2 sheets in bag, -2. 2nd Day CDM. First run will have the last of the box I am working on going at 9:45, then add the 2 sheets of -2 at about 7 minutes. Then on to the interiors at Normal.

114990

Shot this first day in del Muerto under the big curving overhang just a little bit before Antelope House. A few days later we came by it again in the same early afternoon light and I set up and shot it again like I hadn't ever seen it before. Up to this point I had been looking at pure wall patterns and designs and this one I noticed that I was starting to relate other shapes TO the walls.

Both times I had Tulley stop and walked that whole section, just looking. It was in the shade with pretty terrific bounce light from sunlight on the opposite wall. If you ever get a chance to go treat yourself to a walk through!

[Robert Langham]

Film all done. Now I have to start proofing.

115101 115102

[Robert Langham]

Just beginning with proofs. Probably proofed 1/3 of the negatives today. To see the scenes almost all the way through the translation into Black and White prints is quite.....well, there just isn't an English word for the emotion.

All the technical camera stuff. The tripod. The image management. Balancing negative space. Worrying over the light. 100 sandwiches. 1000 miles. There they finally ARE. It's a great process.

115300 115301 115302

[Robert Langham]

Scanned from proofs.

115541 115542 115543

[Robert Langham]

Just applied for ANOTHER AIR. We'll see. This one is pretty short and rugged. Would be at the end of this summer.

115544

About 1/4 of negatives left to proof.

[cowanw]

Just to let you know, we are following

[Peter Langham]

Following indeed! Just to let you know, Robert, from one Langham to another, this tread has been very enjoyable. Thanks for sharing your adventure.

[Robert Langham]

Holy smokes! Another Langham! We must be long-lost cousins!

Got emails out to couple of folks including the current AIR at Grand Canyon South Rim where I will be NEXT July. Puzzling to me that there isn't more communication between folks who have the same AIR slot. I could at least warn the next person about the spiders in the hogan, send them a little list of places they ought to visit, where to buy gas, how to get a bar or two of Verizon, what the Ravens like to eat, who makes coffee in the mornings, et. I realize that many artists are loners, but still...

115550

[Kirk Gittings]

You are about as social as artists get. For me it is a necessary chore as it is not in my nature. One reason I do AIRs is to get away from the constant demands of family, students and clients. All of whom I love and appreciate but they emotionally drain me and I need the alone time to recharge.

[Robert Langham]

I've fought those same exact tendencies. Now lived long enough that I recognize myself in others so I treat myself with as much patience and tolerance as I can muster!

115658

[Kirk Gittings]

Not really about tendencies or patience or tolerance. I've never lacked patience or tolerance. That's why I have always been a good teacher-and been highly commended by students and admin at every institution I have ever taught at. Its about being an introvert. I am drained by people and get recharged by quality alone time. That's one of the reasons I love teaching in Santa Fe at SFUAD and the commute. I have a good solid hour of quality alone time before and after class.

[billie williams]

Just to let you know, we are following

+1

[Robert Langham]

In the kitchen. Big window on the left over the sink where the cook could watch the big bread oven outside. The box with the lid open was a big box they put dough in to rise. When the dough pushed the box open it was done. I put a loupe as a spacer, (only thing I had handy), behind the lid of the box where it hits the wall to enhance the shadow a little. Now I wish I had another late afternoon there to do a couple more photos. The door leading outside from the kitchen has a screen door on the outside of a wall a couple feet thick. Surely I could have managed something.

115680

[Robert Langham]

This little grove of cottonwoods- which really weren't a grove but strung out along a fenceline, was one of the most eye-catching sights from the Hogan.

115681

[Peter Langham]

Beauties, Robert!

[Kirk Gittings]

Team Langham! :)

[Robert Langham]

I just sat down and scanned one that isn't- and that's part of presentation....not showing the bad ones. Looking back, (and I knew it at the time), I was shooting a series of gates in some pretty good light...when the light began to tail off and I "forced" a couple, knowing I could look at them later. Well, I'm looking, and they were a waste of perfectly good HP5.

[Robert Langham]

All the proofs finally done....now sorting through the images. Gotta sleeve the negs and get everything matched up and boxed. Plus, all the thinking and meditating on what is and what isn't a photograph in the first place.

115959

[David Lobato]

All the proofs finally done....now sorting through the images. Gotta sleeve the negs and get everything matched up and boxed. Plus, all the thinking and meditating on what is and what isn't a photograph in the first place.

115959

No kidding, that's a lot of work, including the thinking and decisions. Any chance it will come together for a show or exhibition?

[Robert Langham]

That's always the trickiest question. Several times during the residency, people would ask me WHAT I was going to do with these photographs?......first step is to just MAKE them. Next get them under some kind of control in filing, then find the good prints....then.....show 'em. Somewhere.

I'm starting to send some images around, but several other projects in the pipeline in front of it. I split the negs into two boxes, one of the trading post itself and the other of Canyon de Chelly/del Muerto. They aren't really the same show. Got a little White Tree show coming up in a gallery the first of the year- so that's one actually coming up on the wall.

Would love to show the CDC stuff AT CDC. They have a little exhibition space at the visitor center. Another bite is dangling but they haven't replied.

Haven't made one enlarged print yet, just scanning a few proofs. Have to give something to Hubbell as part of the deal. That's probably the first step.

Like any photographer, just want a place to be seen.

116007
Snow-plastered barn door, Hubbell Trading Post.

[Kirk Gittings]

A lot of good work never gets shown-you have to find an audience for it and that is not always easy. I get tons of shows (going on my 100th show next year) but IMO some of my best work has never found a public venue because it doesn't fit expectations. This may be true of some of Roberts work too as he focuses on details many times that are subtle and overlooked. Time will tell but by all means Robert go for it.

[Robert Langham]

I don't think you ever get a chance to show it all....and some you don't want shown.

Just in case I missed saying it- anyone interested should apply to AIR gigs. Usually they are two weeks, (some one, some three.) They are a terrific opportunity to get away from your normal world and do some focused work. You may not think you are good enough or have enough time...but you probably are and you probably do. The application process is a little different for every venue. You just put your most honest face and work forward. I wouldn't worry about being too sophisticated or art enlightened. Play it straight. Don't be intimidated. Before you know it you will be in the middle of nowhere trying to load film holders in a car at night!

[Robert Langham]

Still working on some of the digital stuff. Couple of short pieces of video that I might string together. Didn't do much video on this trip.

116966

Moonset the first morning I was at Hubbell.

[Ken Lee]

Please post non-LF photos in the Lounge.

[Robert Langham]

Carried a 120/F8 Super Angulon, 190 Wide Field Ektar, 12 inch Commercial Ektar and a 450 Nikkor. The 190 Ektar is a favorite lens but it was really much softer in contrast when shooting open shade in the canyon walls. I switched from the 190 the 120 Super Angulon in the same light several times and it really shows. Having to make up a little for it in the printing. It's uncoated and knew it was softer but didn't appreciate how much. Wish I had packed a 210 Symar now for some wall details that I shot with the 190 Ektar.

[Robert Langham]

Will do Ken.

Video that goes with that is up over at http://robertlangham.blogspot.com/. Just iphone waving while I run the Deardorff but it does show the set-up and the scene. I knew the moon was moving pretty fast.

[Robert Langham]

Three prints. Just getting the first of them out of the darkroom little by little:

117008
Hopi sister's room at the Hubbell Family Residence. Went ahead and stuck this file in my CAFE portfolio and sent if off to a show today.

117009
Kitchen interior at the Hubbell. Another CAFE file.

117010
Figure emerging from tree, Canyon del Muerto. Still searching for the right print on this.

[Robert Langham]

Couple of prints made it into a little regional show, (with very nice prizes) up in Texarkana. Hubbell Kitchen and Snow-Plastered gate made it. Framing away. I have a fairly nice print of the gate in 11X14 to fit a 16X20 frame that is standing by and a good Kitchen on 16X20 to fit in a 20X24 frame. Sent three. They didn't like the Hopi Sisters room view enough. First time to flip any of these images out in public, except here of course.

Prizes aren't awarded yet, but can't win them without making it through first round.

117165 117166

[Greg Y]

Robert, The snow plastered gate is one of my favorite of your images

[Robert Langham]

Thanks. I'd shot that gate before- pretty good gate, and went out into the snowstorm to shoot some digital since the wind was way above what you could put up a LF camera in. I noticed there were some wind shadows here and there and made an LF run. You can see that the snow was beginning to soak into the ground. Had my rubber boots on and was grinding away. It didn't last long. Got several negs of various snow-plastered stuff but I think this is the best. Old 190 WF Ektar. Might have a Y2 filter on. Let's see how the juror likes it, though those things are fairly unpredictable and random....like getting an AIR in the first place.

[Kirk Gittings]

Robert, The snow plastered gate is one of my favorite of your images
ditto

[Kirk Gittings]

113987 113988

Here are a couple I turned down. I SO wanted the cut-out in the rock to go, but it just wouldn't. Light was late and had gotten pretty thin. We walked around in front of it and I tried a couple of different viewpoints and lenses. I included it as part of a big scene and cut it with 450mm to just the shape. Just wouldn't go.
Frustrating.

The fence post brought me to a screeching halt, but same result. I got out and looked- it was quite a "thing" to see but I just couldn't manage it into a camera.

Shot a couple of iphone files of both. I haven't had any more luck on the computer working with them. Not everything works.

I did have one I didn't think would go, but shot an iphone wide angle of it as a note and there it was. I ran for the big camera.

113989

I hadn't noticed the little energetic black twiggy stuff until I shot it with iphone. More black at the top with 5X7. (My iphone is pointing off the subject when I zoom it.)

Using a polarizer on the rocks. Cuts a little bit of reflection and brings out the stripes. Mostly shooting in the shade. Tempted to stack filters. You would think that you could just meter through them and be good but I've been burned every time I have done that with massive underexposure, so I'm a little hesitant. Polarizer or light yellow mostly. Or nothing. Once with the deep red. Nothing yet on a green.

Like being in the Louvre. There is a masterpiece around every corner.

Really like that last image Robert.

[Robert Langham]

120600

Rocknado from up near Spider Rock. Found this when I was a child and have photographed it several times.

[Robert Langham]

Datura Flower from up above Antelope house on the del Muerto side. Had Tulley Yazzie stop so I could look at a big willow that was hanging out of a streambed side. It didn't go, though it was a very handsome tree, but this was right by the jeep. Had to work quick. Light had started to hit it by the second side of the holder.

120601

[Kirk Gittings]

120600

Rocknado from up near Spider Rock. Found this when I was a child and have photographed it several times.

nice.