The Pandemic Lens^®

I’m a nature photographer and I teach—the two are deeply intermingled in my life. When I travel through the country to take photographs for my series of “back roads” books, I create workshops along the way for my favorite students. They meet up with me for four to seven days at a pre-selected site. I get there early, secure rooms, and scout the location for light and photo opportunities. By the time the students arrive, they’re pretty much guaranteed good shots and new techniques as we spend each day on the road photographing together. They are in it for the same reason I am. Call it the rapture of the capture!!

It was perfect…and then Covid.

In mid-March, 2020, I was in Death Valley with one of my groups. We heard what was going on, but you can’t get further away from everything than Death Valley. My wife asked me to pick up a bag of dog food on my way home. That’s when I understood. I almost got into a fist fight with another guy over the last 25-pound bag of Royal Canin, Large Breed Adult Dog food. (I’m happy to say that my dog, Dudley, got his food.) Others in the group tried to buy toilet paper on their way home. You know how that went.

Before I left for Death Valley, I had about 20 in-person private lessons scheduled on my calendar. Here’s how it worked—I’d go over to a student’s house, cover the fundamentals of photography and Photoshop, then drive the student to a cool place and we’d shoot together.

When I got home from Death Valley, the emails, messages and texts poured in. “Sorry—looks like we’re out of luck…my husband doesn’t think you should come over…my mother is high risk …my daughter is high risk…if it was up to me…” and so on and so on.

I started wondering how I would pay my mortgage, then remembered that my IT guy had software that allowed him access to my computer. I called him and next thing I knew I was hooked up with RemotePC. Between that and Zoom, I could now work with at least some of my students. I could even work again with a few who had moved to different states. “It’s just like having me there next to you, except that you don’t have to give me cookies,” I’d say.

OK, mortgage paid, but my feet were itching for the road.

WORKSHOP, COVID-19 STYLE

Earlier in the year, I’d scheduled for May 2020 in Yellowstone. Twelve people had signed up. Unfortunately, the park was closed from late March until June due to the pandemic, and there was no way I’d go in the summer. Too crowded, too hot and poor light quality.

I re-scheduled the trip for early October when things seemed to be heading in the right direction. Half the people who signed up were willing to take the risk, so off we went. The “Covid Workshop” was different from any other I’ve led over the past 40 years. I’ve always driven to the location, and my students usually flew and rented cars to get to the site. This time, four of the six participants rode up with me, two to a car—we’d all been quarantining and had been very careful. The two who flew rented a car in Jackson, Wyoming.

Usually, my students room together. Nope—not this time. Six people, six single rooms. We stayed in “nice” motels on the way up—Best Westerns. (When I’m on my own, I stay in the kind of places you probably try to avoid. The ones with the “taco beds” that fold in on you when you lie down.) The women in the group came equipped with antiseptic wipes, cleaning supplies and (I think) their own linens. I trusted the motels and found them to be clean and safe.

We stayed in Jackson for a few days and slept safely at the 49’er Inn. I’ve stayed there many times on countless group trips. The only difference this time was that was that there was no maid service; once you rented your room, no one else entered it until you checked out. If you wanted anything like more towels or fresh soap, the people at the desk were happy to give it you, as long as you were wearing a mask.

The breakfast room had a few packaged selections. Eggs, bacon and potatoes were no longer options. Similar story when we stayed in West Yellowstone at the Brandin’ Iron Inn, except that they provided a bagged breakfast if you wanted it–a bagel, yogurt, orange juice and an apple. Not too bad.

For lunches, we were in good shape. I always stock my truck with coolers full of food for lunches and snacking. Picnicking is just more fun and allows us to stay in nature and spend less time away from shooting. This time I brought extra food. We made do out of the truck or got take-out dinners and found picnic tables. Restaurants were full of maskless strangers. By the end of the trip we were all eating in my room together. We felt safe within our little band.

 

THE PARKS AND AND THE PHOTOGRAPHY

Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone were amazingly crowded for this time of year. The tour busses were not allowed in but that didn’t dissuade families from driving to the parks. What a shock to see so many people. Off-season apparently had been canceled due to Covid.

We all kept to ourselves for the most part, wearing our masks when near others. Little groups of people huddled together. Little nods to say hello. It’s strange when you can’t tell if people are smiling. I occasionally stole away to pet a dog. I can’t resist dogs. I got yelled at for that. “David, you can’t just walk up to people like you used to!!” “Yeah…but it was a cute dog and I miss Dudley!!”

In the field, I usually look through my students’ viewfinders and share mine. It helps me coach them to take the best rendering possible of their planned composition. On this trip I’d have to ask questions like:

“Did you avoid that dead tree?”

“What it the closest thing you want in focus…what’s the furthest?” “

“What’s your focal length?”

“Where do you think you should focus?”

“What do you think your f/stop should be?”

“Did you use your depth of field preview?”

“What’s your shutter speed gonna do to that water?”

It was so much easier when I could just look into their camera while breathing all over it.

Despite the limitations, everyone brought back great photos, great stories and, most important, no Covid! Here’s a sampling of my student’s photo captures.

Just outside of Jackson, we came across some great light and stopped to shoot. I always tell my students to let light determine the subject. Kathi seized the moment:

 

 

After Yellowstone, we drove to the nearby Grand Tetons. There’s a backroad that used to be a secret. Near the road, bears gorge on berries before hibernation. There were nonstop cars this year—the secret’s out—but somehow Sheryl nailed the perfect pose.

 

 

We came across this small herd in the back of the Grand Tetons. Jackie turned it to black and white and softened the shot in processing to match the grasses. That’s something I would never think to do. I learn so much from my students!!

 

 

Up until now, Carol has always flown to trip locations. Because of Covid fears, this time she drove up and back with me. She would not have had the opportunity to make this photo in Logan Canyon, Utah, if she hadn’t been on the road.

 

 

It snowed in the mountains the night before we got there, and John accentuated the snowcapped peaks by switching to black and white.

 

 

In between teaching and coaching I had time for a few shots of my own— here are some that I’m pleased with.

Yellowstone is big enough that you can always find a way to be off by yourself and discover something new.

 

 

This one was taken along the way in Ashton, Idaho. It was Sunday, but the deserted quality of this shot describes many of the small towns we passed through.

 

 

Finally, my personal favorite, a handheld 20-shot pano with a 500mm lens.

 

 

GOODBYE TO THE ROAD

We always conclude with a quick group photo. I think this is the only time the group wore masks when it was just us. That’s me off to the right, extreme socially distancing!

 

Copyright © 2021 David Skernick