I love the feel and look of soft shutter releases. I have one my Leica M7 and Canon F1, both film cameras. If your camera has the ability to use one I highly recommend their use. Match Technical makes around 45 different styles and is my brand of choice. B&H carries them all.

Another person to check with is Lynn Radeka. I have been with him to Capital Reef and the surrounding areas several times during his workshops. Lynn has been photographing the West for over 50 years and while not a well known name he has a portfolio to rival Ansel Adams.

I enjoyed reading the letter. Thank you for posting it.

Burkphoto in part stated; “They are different beasts. It's like raw vs JPEG... It isn't a 'versus.' It's an 'AND.'”

I shoot almost exclusively with 8x10 sheet film but always with film. I always take an iPhone image of the scene and convert it to monochrome to make sure it is worthy of committing a sheet of film, and my time and effort. The only digital camera I own is the iPhone and sometimes it records the scene better than with film. A well executed monochrome analog print is truly something to behold and to me worth the effort. I had a digital camera and produced some nice images with it but I just didn’t feel the same way about them so I gave it to my wife.

The medium an artist chooses to produce their art is a personal decision. Not a “verses” more like an “AND.”

Mirrorless, 100% view coverage, live view and best of all no batteries required. A sherpa would be nice though!

Haha! I agree probably not weight savers. Mind if I post a photo of my two mirror less cameras?

Real Nikon Lover we are about the same age and growing up in New York City we thought California was some kind of magical place. It sounds like you lived a magical childhood.

So sorry to hear this. As an analog printer I really admire his work. What he could do with some negatives and a few enlargers is mind boggling. RIP Jerry.

I met Al Lewis at his restaurant called “Grandpa’s” in Manhattan. It was about 1984 he was sitting in the back doing the books. It was an off hour and we were the only ones in the place. I went over to say hello and he seemed so happy to have someone to talk to. I have a photo somewhere. Not as good as yours of course.

I normally skip commenting on bird photos. But these images are awesome. They capture the personality of this rascally creature. For those that don’t know the Cactus Wren is the Arizona state bird. They wake us desert dwellers with their call about this time of year. And I often have one or two waiting for me when I pull in the driveway to eat the bugs off the front of my truck.

Thank you for posting them.

I spent 40 years in law enforcement. Drove a marked patrol car for 18 of those years. Not pulling over isn’t the worse thing drivers do. Slamming on the brakes when they see you in their rear view mirror is.

Bob in another post here on UHH yesterday a couple of us members from AZ were just talking about how clouds either make or break a landscape shot. Well they certainly made yours! Great shot.
Jerry

The entire Southwest needs the rain and normally love the clouds in our images. Except Jack for his cougar image.

I live near Four Peaks, only about ten minutes away. I am constantly dancing with the clouds, sun and wind to get the ultimate shot. I shoot 8x10 monochrome film so all has to look perfect in black and white too. Been trying for years to get the perfect shot. Working now on a print of them with the snow from a few weeks ago but the clouds were pretty anemic. You know the saguaros in the foreground and the snowy high peaks in the background. Maybe better clouds next year when it snows again.

As I am writing this I am thinking about how much I would charge for the perfect silver gelatin print like this. People don’t consider the time, money, effort and skill it takes to make the perfect image do they? Well if I ever get one then we will see.

Anyway I see your image has made the big time! Congratulations!!

Don’t you hate when the clouds roll in just at the wrong time? Of course when we need them they are absent. We do need the rain.

Great shot!