Calendars out, all - Ken Burns' "The National Parks"

[ASRafferty]

...airs on September 27: http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/

New Hampshire and Vermont have their own tiny slice of this story that I'll be watching for... I'd love to know what those of you who will tune in for this will be watching for from the photographer's point of view. (Was also wondering if QT Luong's project, or work of others who hang out here, and Burns' intersected at any point in the making!) Having just watched again how important a part photography played in Burns' telling of "The Civil War," I expect that to be even more dramatically the case in this new series.

[SW Rick]

One of the photos which cycles thru is one of Yosemite by QTL. Didn't see calendar- just dvds and book. I'm sure there will be a calendar :)

[Bill_1856]

Thanks for the notice.

[John Bowen]

Thanks Amy!

[vinny]

They shot over 318,000ft of film for this program, I can't wait.

[Scott Knowles]

It will be an interesting series. I read an interview (http://wsrmtrnp.blogspot.com/2009/03/upcoming-documentary.html) a local (Seattle) journalist had with Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, and even realizing journalists misplace or overlook facts for a story, an e-mail exchange with the journalist pretty much confirmed the article's presentation about Mt. Rainier NP. So I will be curious how the facts of history will be presented about this NP, and if it's the same for the others. And that is, like you're curious?

The history of effort to designate Mt. Rainier a National Park (1890-1899) was the work of many groups, recreationists (climbers), scientists (NAS, USGS, etal) and local gov't and commercial interests the main three. But history as written by the conservationist and recreationist, again mainly mountain climbers, has misplaced the latter two's effort when in fact historians put their effort, and especially the scientists, as far more important and instrumental in geting NP status for Mt. Rainier.

I'll give Mr. Burns, etal, latitude to tell their version of the story, but I would hate to see the work of many Americans then and in the intevening years overlooked because it doesn't fit the narrative they want to present. Embellishing the lives and work of a few, eg. John Muir, for the many who were equally or more important isn't a story except as a lie.

Most people like a happy, pretty story, and I wonder if Mr. Burns will do just that with this documentary.

[ASRafferty]

Most people like a happy, pretty story, and I wonder if Mr. Burns will do just that with this documentary.

I think anyone who's seen Burns' films would have a tough case to make that he's into varnishing for the sake of coming up with a "happy, pretty story." In fact, given the Civil War series and the Mark Twain piece (just to name two), it would have been so easy to fall in line with romantic, or even populist, versions, and he surely doesn't. I don't know what he's done in this upcoming series, of course, but in my judgment, Burns has a whole lot of Cronkite going on in his work -- taking joy in being able to say "that's the way it was" and knowing you've done your best to make that telling true.

Will Muir get more rarefied air time than he deserves? Dunno, but as long as this series is about "America's Best Idea" and not "John Muir's," I'm expecting it to have a lot of tales of what Americans always do about good ideas -- fight to win about how it will be done, and then squabble about who really did what forever afterward.

[Bill_1856]

There's a one hour preview scheduled within the next week on PBS. Check your TV schedule.

[QT Luong]

I've watched the entire series at the world premiere in Telluride, and I can highly recommend it. Besides the treat of beautiful cinematography, I learned so much and was very moved.

I, and my 5x7, make a brief appearance on episode 4 (September 30th at 8.00pm Eastern Time). There are only three other photographers prominently mentioned, William Henry Jackson, George Masa and Ansel Adams. I'll probably make another announcement in Sept so that you don't miss it.

I don't remember well the Mt Rainier episode. The series does focus on individual, colorful, characters so it is possible that he doesn't talk much about entities such as business or scientific communities. There is a considerable amount of time devoted to John Muir, which personally I found very interesting, since I didn't know his life well.

[Scott Knowles]

Thanks. I hope the series is open and honest, even if it focuses on individuals. I'll watch it. The problem his production folks most likely saw was the sheer complexity of the NP's. They weren't politically popular with many politicians, why it took 7-10+ years to get NP designations (Mt. Rainier took almost 7). They were political compromises for land, money, use, etc. You can't present that in an overview of the whole range of NP's, each with their own early pre/post-history.

And I will be especially interested in the Mt. Rainier show, since it's early history was as complex. And yes, there were a few key people who pushed the hardest for it, but in the end, it wasn't them who got it done, they only provided the reasons. It was the key politicians who wrangled the bills through Congress to the President. I learned with Mt. Rainier, politics over NP's hasn't changed, only the times and events.

There was a period (vet. going back to college in the '70's) I read the works of the 19th century "environmentalists" (or whatever you want to call them). Muir's are some of the better ones and Thoreau's some of the driest. But to have lived then was interesting. It's why I'm working on the early pre-NP history of Mt. Rainier. Appreciation for people and times past still present.

And I'll look for the 5x7 with the what's his name behind or with it. You deserve the recognition and our respect. Thanks.

[Ron Marshall]

I'ver enjoyed most of what Burns has done previously; I am looking forward to this.

[Brian Vuillemenot]

Didn't Ken Burns' "The Civil War" series go on longer than the actual civil war? ;)

I have to admit I enjoyed it quite a bit, though, and still have it on VHS; I'm looking forward to watching the national park series, that is, if I can find the time!

[QT Luong]

I've elaborated on my small part in the film in my second blog post. There is also link within that you can follow to see me with my Canham in Glacier Bay National Park, an interview extract, and a few images http://bit.ly/y7VKe

[Bruce Barlow]

Fatherly pride here. My 18-year-old son is interning in Burns's shop right now (before leaving for college! When did he grow up?).

He's cataloging scans of pictures about the Roosevelts (Yeddy, Franklin, and Eleanor). He found a picture of the Rough Riders riding, and three of them are doing handstands on their saddle pommels as they ride!

"National Parks" should be great. I saw a QT photograph in the advertising pull-out section in Harper's this month. Way to go, QT! You make us proud.

[Sal Santamaura]

I've elaborated on my small part in the film in my second blog post. There is also link within that you can follow to see me with my Canham in Glacier Bay National Park, an interview extract, and a few images http://bit.ly/y7VKeTuan, are the images in that blog post made with your 5x7? Their aspect ratio seems consistent with that, but I'm still curious whether you used digital for them. Thanks in advance.

[QT Luong]

No, I don't use LF for action shots (and most images those days). The film poster is derived from a horizontal 5x7 image, though.

[Bruce Watson]

Just for the showing starting tomorrow of the 12 hours of Ken Burns The National Parks: America's Best Idea, I climbed on the roof and installed an HDTV antenna. It's been years since I've seen my local stations -- since I quit cable and turned my TV into a DVD / BD only device.

My local PBS station did their part too -- they finished moving their transmitter to the top of their tower (after the June 12th 2009 end of analog transmissions), and they cleared an FCC hurdle and upped their power in just the last couple of weeks. Just in time for their fall fund raiser of course! Anyway, I receive their signal nicely now so I'm all set for the Ken Burns marathon.

Anyway, thanks to Ms. Rafferty for the heads up at the beginning of August. Starting this thread is what kicked me into gear to get the antenna up.

[ASRafferty]

A pleasure, Bruce... everything happens when it's supposed to. :)

Burns was on NBC Nightly News last night in a feature on the series, talking about how important it is to never take the preservation of these places for granted and assume the job is done. The man is right up there on my heroes list. If there were no other reason to throw PBS a few bucks when they ask, making sure his work is seen is reason enough for me.

[Mark Sawyer]

As QT noted on his linked site, "photography had, from the start, played an important role in helping the parks get establish, many photographers are featured in the film, incidently all of them working in large format."

I'm hoping Burns used some of George Grant's images from the Parks, as Grant was the first NPS photographer, working in lf (whole plate, then 5x7) from the late 1920's through the mid-'50's. Beautiful work, but mostly forgotten today...

Zion on whole plate, 1929:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g139/Owen21k/GrantZion1929.jpg

Muir Woods, 5x7, 1936:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g139/Owen21k/GrantMuirWoods1936.jpg

Canyon del Muerto, 5x7, 1940:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g139/Owen21k/GrantCDC1940.jpg

[Robert Hughes]

Didn't Ken Burns' "The Civil War" series go on longer than the actual civil war?

Word. Years ago I came down with a life-threatening pneumonia and was laid up for weeks. My wife brought me various tapes from the library to watch in my feverish state, one of which was Burns' Civil War. All those faces with their blue sensitive white eyeballs seemed like ghosts to me, gave me nightmares for years.

[Mark Sawyer]

Word...

Yo, what up dawg? You jiggy widdit?

[ASRafferty]

I just saw Episode One (the obliging PBS stations in NH and Vermont showed it this afternoon...maybe for those of us who will be in temple tonight?)...thinking of the sheer time and work it must have taken to get the film is as awesome as the film itself!

What a blessing this country is.

[John Bowen]

Amy,

Here in Richmond it is being broadcast every two hours from noon till midnight tonight. I caught the noon showing. A wonderful film. I can't wait to see the other five episodes.

[z_photo]

i caught it this evening as well. i was surprised to see an acquiantance from glacier NP appear.

[Jim Cole]

Episode 1 was outstanding!

Might have to own the DVD series.

[ASRafferty]

i was surprised to see an acquiantance from glacier NP appear.

That's exactly why I started this thread...to see what people are watching for and thinking when they see their special places in this context. :)

I spend a lot of time at the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller estate in Woodstock, VT, where conservation/preservation is the theme, so that's my local "touch point" -- the house itself and what emanated from there, the paintings and the Watkins negatives kept there, and wondering what (or whom) I'll see in the film that I recognize.

But what always hits me when I'm at M-B-R is how different the scenes in the Moran paintings (for instance) hanging in the house are from the house in which they're hanging -- and yet both (and many more places equally different from either of those) are national parks. It's like Burns has gathered your guy at Glacier, the rangers at M-B-R, and heaven knows who else we'll see, together for a family portrait!

[Bill_1856]

Beautiful, yes. And a lot of history I was unaware of.
But I was nearly driven away by the "soundtrack by Musak," which is so unlike the complementary music in The Civil War and Lewis and Clark documentaries. In fact, I even tried turning off the sound and watching the captions, but that didn't work too well for me.
I look forward to seeing the rest of the episones, but I gotta admit to being somewhat disappointed with the first two hours (by comparison with his earlier work).

[mandoman7]

I believe Preston Reed is the guitarist, and although he's a great player, I would agree that his playing is somewhat of risky choice for this presentation. I took a girlfriend to a show of his once and she hated it. In general, however, I think we should be grateful for those instances when distorted electric guitar is not present.

[Bruce Watson]

I was sorta disappointed in this effort compared to his previous efforts. Mr. Burns' previous efforts set my expectations extremely high. And this is the first time I've seen one of his documentaries on HDTV. Still, this film has some flaws that I thought pretty egregious.

For example, that head shot of the Statue of Liberty was way out of focus, as was the immediate next shot of an old cannon against a nice sunset. There was a shot down the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone that someone had walloped with the saturation hammer too -- I've never seen water in a river turn neon blue like that. That shot actually looked like it might have been stock footage from somewhere -- it actually looked like a smaller format (16 mm?) and a different, older, film stock.

And I'll second on the background muzak. It's almost like the background music was just an afterthought. Which seems to me to be unlike Mr. Burns' other efforts.

Maybe I'm just being overly picky. But these are issues that I don't expect from a guy of Ken Burns' stature and accomplishment.

All that said, it was still one of the best two hours of TV I've seen in ages. It may not be perfect, but it's still really quite good. I'm looking forward to the next installment tonight.

[Robert Hughes]

That shot actually looked like it might have been stock footage from somewhere -- it actually looked like a smaller format (16 mm?) tonight.
Yes, documentaries use stock footage - otherwise their costs increase astronomically. New 35mm production is measured in dollars per second - and when you consider the 10:1 shooting ratio common in documentary film production, that really eats into the budget. Unless you want to watch video camcorder footage exclusively, that is - about as interesting as watching the washing machine go around.

[venchka]

I am tired of hearing the same narrator for everything PBS produces.

"Politics as usual" has a very long history, hey?

[z_photo]

i caught it this evening as well. i was surprised to see an acquiantance from glacier NP appear.

let me correct that...reference should have been glacier bay NP :)

[Bill_1856]

Ken Burns was live on C-Span today, addressing the National Press Club in Washington. He didn't really add much information about The National Parks series, but the Q&A period was interesting.
Boy, is he hyper!

[Bruce Watson]

It may not be perfect, but it's still really quite good. I'm looking forward to the next installment tonight.

Indeed, installments 2 and 3 were, I think, even better than the lead installment. The lead segment set the bar pretty high so I wasn't expecting it to get better. That it did is a nicely pleasant surprise.

Tonight they cover my favorite park (maybe because it's closest to me) -- Great Smoky Mountains NP (GSM-NP). Can't miss that! What I remember from long ago research on my own is that the creation of GSM-NP is a wild story.

[Phil]

I, and my 5x7, make a brief appearance on episode 4 (September 30th at 8.00pm Eastern Time). to John Muir, which personally I found very interesting, since I didn't know his life well.

QT,

Congratulations on "all 58"! What an honor to be recognized for your passion.

With great respect,
Phil

[John Bowen]

QT You did us proud. Beautiful photographs!


I've watched the entire series at the world premiere in Telluride, and I can highly recommend it. Besides the treat of beautiful cinematography, I learned so much and was very moved.

I, and my 5x7, make a brief appearance on episode 4 (September 30th at 8.00pm Eastern Time). There are only three other photographers prominently mentioned, William Henry Jackson, George Masa and Ansel Adams. I'll probably make another announcement in Sept so that you don't miss it.

I don't remember well the Mt Rainier episode. The series does focus on individual, colorful, characters so it is possible that he doesn't talk much about entities such as business or scientific communities. There is a considerable amount of time devoted to John Muir, which personally I found very interesting, since I didn't know his life well.

[brian mcweeney]

I just saw QT! Seems like the first "modern" element in the series.

[Darren H]

Way to go QT!!!

Fantastic to see you featured tonight on the Ken Burns film. I liked both them showing you at work with the large format cameras and some of your images.

Kudos!

[Kirk Gittings]

QT You did us proud. Beautiful photographs!

Ditto. Well deserved recognition!

[The Dread Pirate Robins]

I just saw our own Q T Luong and thought I would log in here to make sure I had the same guy.

Thanks for representing LF on a national stage!!!

[Bill_1856]

Nicely done, QT. Your smile is even nicer than your beautiful images.

[Turner Reich]

I, and my 5x7, make a brief appearance on episode 4 (September 30th at 8.00pm Eastern Time). There are only three other photographers prominently mentioned, William Henry Jackson, George Masa and Ansel Adams. I'll probably make another announcement in Sept so that you don't miss it.

It was exciting to see you in the episode tonight, this is the best film Ken has done to date. Your parks book with all of those stamps, wow what an achievement!

[Frank Petronio]

I think QT should get an hour long PBS show on his own.

[chris_4622]

QT,

Congratulations on the recognition you received from a fine film maker.
It looked as though you didn't turn the dark slide around after exposing the film.

[David Schaller]

Congratulations QT! I had forgotten about this until I saw last night's episode. Very exciting!
Dave

[rdenney]

I confess to having mostly slept through Monday and Tuesday's episodes, but fortunately saw last night's on the first showing when I could stay awake. Interesting that the two photographers they mentioned this evening were both Asian, though otherwise about as different as could be in time, space, and circumstance. It highlights both how American the national parks are, and how far their appeal extends beyond the merely American. It also highlighted how the natural scene can get into your blood.

Tuan was presented as quiet and thoughtful, but when they showed a few of his pictures, the drama and power came out. My wife's response was "Wow!". I think Masahara Izuka (aka George Masa) displayed a similar demeanor--humility on the outside, power on the inside.

Rick "applauding" Denney

[Pat Kearns]

Congratulations Tuan being highlighted in last night's episode. You work is superb. I hope you have been in talks with the NPS trying to get assistance in publishing a book of the park images. A partnership with the NPS is a no brainer and benefits both parties. If Band of America is a proud sponsor of the series, contact them as well. Strike while the iron is hot. I'm standing in the wings waiting to buy it.

[Bruce Watson]

You da man QT! Thanks for representing LF photography so well!

[Bill Stice]

QT, saw the episode last night. Congratulations and well deserved.

[Michael Alpert]

Could someone tell me which segment QT is in? I see that I can view different segments on line until Octobver 9. I don't have a television, and I have zero interest in Ken Burns' Culture Industry version of history. But QT is another matter. This forum is indeed a good deed that exists thanks to QT and the others who keep our discussions civil and more or less on track.

[Jon Shiu]

episode 4, about 1:18 mark.

Jon