Announcing my new direct print book from my journey. Also the first in-depth look at Death Valley photos.

At Home in the Parks

By Joel Geist

click here for the link
I am so happy with the quality of the printing and shipping from Blurb direct print. I am very happy with my paper upgrade although it added significant cost, it allows the colors of my photos to show through amazingly vibrant with great detail. If you would like to order just click the link above to see the preview and order. I will be going in-depth on some of the images, their titles, and traveling tips when going to these places.

Also if you would like to purchase prints, I have a new format I think you will like. My ordering site  cannot handle panoramic formats as of yet but I decided I wanted people to be able to mat the images without losing part of the image anyway so I made a border with the title and my name and year taken. So if you would like to buy prints from the book and some not in it, just click the link to go to the gallery and click on the image and then on the shopping cart.

“Waves of Change” To purchase prints click here https://joelgeistphoto.pixieset.com/athomeintheparks/

In the first in Depth Look We will be taking a look at the cover photo and Death Valley National Park. The image is titled “Waves of Change” as the dunes of Death Valley National Park are always changing. The clouds kind of cooperated but giving a muted contrast; I originally had intended for this image to be black and white but when processing I thought I color would give it the feeling of the welcome cooler temps with the cool blue color temperature in contrast the heat of the desert. The hard-line on the S curve of the dunes is what I saw from across the dune field.  I actually had passed it and was off to the back right when I saw it. I walked back over my footsteps so my tracks would not be in the shot. In the dunes this often adds significant distances to my hike but that is how I did things before the digital age and that is how I continue to because it saves time and if feel better knowing I don’t have to spend an hour fixing footprints to make them natural.  Footprints in the dunes can be fixed in Photoshop but I am photography purist and like to start with the cleanest image possible and I also do not do sky, sun, or moon placements it may add some sand trudging but its worth not losing some of the great textures that lay in the sand.

There was a ton of smog in the air from L.A. like a dark colorless haze, muting all colors, leaving only  scorching heat and no visual interest in the skies which persisted for two days. I hiked the dunes in search of just using the lines in the dunes since the weather was not helping me much.

“Barren Allure” to purchase prints click here https://joelgeistphoto.pixieset.com/athomeintheparks/

“Barren Allure” was a golden hour photo, this happened to be evening. Golden hour is the hour before sunset or after sunrise in which the sun is not overhead but at an angle which gives it the warmer light from the sun being more filtered from the atmosphere and longer shadows. This is the beauty of Death Valley as a landscape photographer, even without clouds and a windy day you can capture photos that can be simple and yet the sand and textures can produce great photographs without much help.

“Zabriskie Point at Sunrise” to purchase prints click here https://joelgeistphoto.pixieset.com/athomeintheparks/

Zabriskie Point is an amazing feature of the park and sunrise can lift your spirit, seeing the golden rock faces glow in the soft morning light. Then the shadows become harsh and then the blistering heat right after it. This image did not make my cut into the book but I wanted to show some variety to the park.

I could spend all of my time at Death Valley in the dunes but there is so much to see elsewhere and in certain times of the year it transforms into a different place. There are many other places to explore in the valley such as Badwater, but it was only a mud pit this time of year, Devils Golf course which is an amazing feature of salt deposits and the Painters Palette which is full of color and a great drive through but I need to explore that area more for a great spot next time. There is one place I have wanted to go but I did not have the funds to get there which is the wondrous Racetrack, it requires a high clearance 4×4 or a guide and since I am driving my HHR it still eludes me.

I missed the super bloom this year but I would rather battle the heat than throngs of people who are attracted to the bloom. Beware of summer heat it is called Death Valley for a reason. These were taken in early May and temps were right around 100 each day.

The desert will dry you out quickly, I take a gallon of water when I go out two hours before sunset. I headed out planning on being out for about three hours. Temperatures were above 100 and I was carrying about 25 pounds of gear plus my water and set out into the dunes. Dehydration can sneak up on you quick and walking the dunes is very grueling. The beating sun and its rays reflected off the sand cause you to sweat more than you realize because the dry air evaporates it almost immediately. Being here twice before I am familiar with dangers of heat exhaustion but my trusty Barmah hat gives plenty of shade and I wear a long sleeve Heatgear shirt designed for hot weather and it is perfect for hiking in high temps it wicks away moisture and evaporates it quickly which cools you to a certain extent, and it also keeps the sun off of your skin.

If you have any questions about anything on travel here or any photos feel free to ask in the comments section below.

So there are two sides to every story and my stance on the monument review has not changed even though over the past week I have spoken to many conservative pro border shrink views. It may not affect a visitor experience to a certain extent as there is so much to see here. The shrinking borders will have deep ripples on the Native American and Science communities. Without protection many could sites be lost or damaged in the process.     This photo is a sign of what could happen if these sites are not protected as this photo was private land and the antiquities act was not signed at the time of the desecration. I do not have any examples of any that I have come across that were recently desecrated but it is not outrageous to think that many places will be marked on or just demolished due to commercial purposes and lost.  Although some may say there may be better management of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante through it’s shrinking borders but that is highly subjective. The science community could be affected if areas are sold where there are many fossil records that are being uncovered in this wonderful and rare place.

This is a highly remote area with no services in most places, and any company would be nuts to think that the coal here is economically practical to mine and truck out; as there are no railroads close to ship the coal. That being said the coal market is dwindling with China and India recognizing solar as a more viable source of energy for the health of their public. The coal plant closest to the facility is going to be shut down in 2020 so local plant usage is out well. Many areas in Wyoming, North Dakota, and many other coal dependent state economies are cutting production due to a soft coal market.  If they still wanted to continue mining in a way that is not going to disturb cultural remains or large fossils uncovered it would make the attempt a time intensive and kill any profits they would have due to shut downs in these instances. This land is not viable to mine for so many reasons yet that is the main reason given for the shrinking of Grand Staircase.

This land holds more beauty than one would think. Yes it is desolate but Highway 12 is one of the most beautiful and scary drives you will take in the US. The winding road goes over the ridges from Dixie National forest to Grand Staircase Escalante, (which will now be the Escalante unit). These photos were about two miles from Escalante River close to 12.

The Bears Ears I visited last april and did not have much time in it but I did stay a day in the Valley of the Gods which is an amazing spot much like Monument Valley. I posted this first photo in a previous post not knowing that the Bears Ears border cut would include “Valley of the God’s”, but I had to repost as it a favorite of mine.

The winding washboard road going through the Valley of the God’s has these beautiful red buttes and spires along the way. It is a drive if you can get through the washes that I would highly recommend. MY Chevrolet HHR named Helen, handled it ok but do be careful and walk the washes to make sure they are safe first. I spent the night here and was moving out as soon as I saw the rain clouds above that came through as this rain could have stranded me for a day or longer. Always carry enough food and water when entering remote areas that have the possibility to strand you. This was a great experience and it is a shame this will not be part of the revised Bears Ears National Monument.

The red rocks here are great for color or black and white photography. The hiking here is fairly easy but highly rewarding. This area is thought to have Uranium and that is the push behind most of the Bears Ears reduction in size. Nuclear power is also on decline after the Japan incident. Since these plants need a lot of water they have to be built in an area where an accident would have severe consequences, the radiation levels in Pacific ocean life has increased significantly since the tsunami that caused the reactor breach. We also have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world 40 times over so why do we need more of this ore that the mining produces hazardous waste and the use also produces the same.

No matter what side of this argument you are on, if you look at what is happening rationally as the area is not economically viable to mine the resources they are after. It is also are not in our best interests as a country. If they tell you that there will be an economic boom in the area they may be overselling this fact heavily. This push to allow the executive branch this sole power to appoint people in a committee to shrink parks and monuments go against the will of the people and however this case goes it could set precedent on many other state’s parks and monuments once the supreme court rules on the subject. So if they suddenly found some reason to shrink other parks for monetary reasons they could much easier than the process that is already in place. I do however believe in the day of wildfires and higher temperatures we should allow some brush clearing and felled log clearing by logging companies to minimize catastrophic fires that are unmanageable as long as it is done with the least amount of environmental impact in these large vast areas. If you liked this post and the photography on my National Parks Tour I would invite you check out my new book and buy on Blurb a direct printing service, to keep this great adventure rolling.

At Home in the Parks

By Joel Geist

If you have Questions on the book or anything on this topic please feel free to comment below. If you want to donate to the Defense of Bears Ears National Monument fund go to this link https://act.nrdc.org/donate/monuments-appeal-171201?source=WBSNMOPET&_ga=2.5002679.521913668.1513101767-190537161.1513101767

As a wedding photographer, I want every one of my weddings to produce great images that everyone loves and will let them remember it forever. Your wedding does not have to be grand in size, venue or dollar amount to be special. Whatever your wedding budget is there is a goal that all couples seem to have, and sometimes overlook the one that should be the most important. For you to have a great time spending your wedding day together!
I have found those who choose to have a first look before their ceremony or are willing to put a solid block of time between the ceremony and reception for a staged one seem to get a lot out of it. I try to set up at least fifteen or twenty minutes to photograph a first look and some of bride and groom formals. In the last wedding I shot it paid off with great results. Morgan and Mitch had a great country wedding and they set aside a good block of time for a first look in which they had a special spot picked out. There was a clearing with some old trucks parked in the backwoods where they would sneak out to meet each other in high school. So we got Morgan ready and had Mitch meet her where they had so many times before, it was a great spot because it had meaning and will remind of that forever, as a bonus it fit right in to their country theme.

After this short session, they had time to chat and relax together, while I shot what was going on. They had no trouble feeling relaxed in front the camera for the rest of the day. So when you are planning your wedding day don’t think of first look as just time for photographs think of it as part of your day to be enjoyed and a way to feel at ease in front of the camera. And if you are close to some place special between you two, feel free to tell me and if time permits I am always open to suggestions. Just make sure you can add in the time to make it happen, most photographers should be happy to assist with any photo related scheduling questions well in advance of your wedding day.
If your interested in having me photograph your wedding I do have some 2015 dates still available click this link http://www.joelgeistphoto.com/contact/
Feel free tell me about your first look stories in the comments section. (you can click “comments” on the top the article if you are in the blog roll instead of post page.)

So it is time for Seniors of the class of 2014 to head into their final year of high school. I have a lot of fun photographing senior portraits. I photograph them on location to fit a seniors personality, because no two are exactly alike. Their senior photos should not be either.

I had the opportunity to shoot a session with Drake from Milford Massachusetts before my upcoming move to Baltimore Maryland. Drake is involved with wrestling, track, student council and is looking at architecture as his major. It was a great shoot and I was very pleased with his portraits. I had their proofing session and was very pleased that Drake and his family had a tough time choosing.

My thanks to Drake a really a great young man, best of luck in all you do!