Twisties Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Well, evenings after work we (my wife is on this forum as Bullett) often ride the canyons just out of town. They are beautiful, so I always wish I'd taken my camera. Tonight I did it with the camera for the first time on the bike. I've done fall color runs from the cage (if it's a convertible, is it still a cage?), but I've never shot from a bike before. Very different experience with unique challenges. Looking for a shot isn't the problem, but looking for a safe place to pull off, dealing with the road edge and gravel, and uneven surfaces... I guess I usually pick my stopping places well because I've never stopped in so many rough ones like I did on this run. Still missed many, many shots for no spot to pull off. And then I shot from on the bike, well stopped of course. Lots of thinking about clutches, and brakes and where my plant foot is that I haven't had to do before. As if that isn't enough, I've only posted the occasional photo before, never had to deal with this web hosting thing. Hopefully I've formatted the pics right. Too, in the past I've always tried to keep the road out of my shots, and now I'm thinking in terms of showing the road in its context, at least for some shots. Well I have a totally new appreciation for the ride tale now that I've set about trying to do one. Ok, now for the ride: This is Big Cottonwood Canyon, home of Solitude and Brighton Ski Resorts. The mouth of the canyon is about 10 minutes from home in the Salt Lake Valley, and the round trip ride is usually good for about an hour and a half. Things started out well, an unknown beemer graced my first shot just inside the canyon mouth... Here is Big Cottonwood Creek from the same spot. The lower canyon is tight curves, curve on curve on curve. I couldn't really get any shots until it began to open up just above the "S" curves... About midway up, the canyon has opened enough that the creek develops some meadows, a bit of pooling, and lots of browse. We regularly see moose in this area at dusk. The pic is a little washed, out partly because I'm losing the light, but I think mainly from a haze of campfire smoke. There is a major campground a half a mile up, and the breeze is coming down canyon. There is a fork up top, one way leads into Brighton and dead ends (well it loops back), the other way continues up to Guardsman Pass and over to Park City. The Guardsman Pass road is paved to the pass, but then goes rough dirt. Sometimes we'll ride to the pass which is beautiful, but tonight we just swung through Brighton... I didn't take any pics on the way down, although the views are more dramtic, and open. I was losing the light, and tired of messing with the camera. Yet, just as we pulled out of the canyon into the Salt Lake Valley, I had to stop again. But those damn bikers just keep messing with my shots ... Well it was an experience, but as you can tell I really didn't like stopping all of the time. I think I need to mount the camera and use a cable release, or get a video recorder like the lane splitter did Lane Splitter here. I've found the Boss mounts, any other ideas for how to best equip? Guess I'll need to go look Bike Related Things soon. Link to comment
Francois_Dumas Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Hi Jan, great tale ! ANd yes, one often has to 'choose' between riding or making pictures I love the twisties in the Alps, but also the great photo opportunities. The only way I've found to enjoy both is to ride the same road twice. Once for riding, once for shooting ! I too find it a lot more difficult when on the bike to shoot great places. The parking is difficult, especially in the mountains on (steep) inclines, narrow roads etc. I often just find a place to stop, lower the windscreen and 'shoot from the saddle'. I carry my camera in the tankbag and zip it out within an instant (still have to raise my helmet front part, since my camera does not have an lcd screen (thankfully). As a 'back-up' we bought a small Sony digicam for Nina. It disappears in my hand, but she can shoot with it...... from the pillion seat ! Keep them piccies coming !!! Francois Link to comment
kcscout Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment
gottago Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 Great pics and ride tale. Keep them coming for us that are camera illiterates. To heck with PA for retirement. I'm pulling for Utah. Mover over Killer. Here we come. Link to comment
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