Luck in Photography
Timing, or one might call it “luck,” in photography.
I was thinking about timing/luck in photography the day I photographed this small, western-looking church at Ghost Ranch in Northern New Mexico.
I had come across this church, which was used in a movie whose name I can’t recall, about a month before I took this photo.
The first time I photographed it was midday with a bright sun overhead — not the best time, or light, for a photograph. I did get a couple of images I thought worked: one with a dramatic sunburst above the church, which cast a cool shadow of the cross in the foreground. The other included the church and Cerro Pedernal.
Apparently for the movie there was a large wooden gate with numerous antlers attached to its top that lead to the church. I thought it distracted from both photos above so didn’t include it in those compositions.
Neither of those two photos captured the feel I wanted, which was one of a small church in a desolate area, sort middle of nowhere, feel.
My (lucky) visit came about a month later while driving home. I noticed a snowstorm moving in from the north toward the Ranch and decided it might provide some nice atmosphere.
The “luck” came when I arrived at Ghost Ranch this second time. There were two Ranch maintenance workers removing the antlers from the gate. All the antlers were spread on the ground under and around the gate with the church in the background being framed by the gate.
About the time I arrived, the workers were just taking a lunch break and the snowstorm was just reaching the area, adding a nice ambiance to the somewhat surreal scene of church and antlers.
Regardless of the workers removing the antlers and the luck of that occurrence, I did get a number of other photos on that second visit that were more in line with my vision of this small church in the middle of nowhere, but the “lucky’ image of the antlers, gate and church remains my favorite of the day.
I was thinking about timing/luck in photography the day I photographed this small, western-looking church at Ghost Ranch in Northern New Mexico.
I had come across this church, which was used in a movie whose name I can’t recall, about a month before I took this photo.
The first time I photographed it was midday with a bright sun overhead — not the best time, or light, for a photograph. I did get a couple of images I thought worked: one with a dramatic sunburst above the church, which cast a cool shadow of the cross in the foreground. The other included the church and Cerro Pedernal.
Apparently for the movie there was a large wooden gate with numerous antlers attached to its top that lead to the church. I thought it distracted from both photos above so didn’t include it in those compositions.
Neither of those two photos captured the feel I wanted, which was one of a small church in a desolate area, sort middle of nowhere, feel.
My (lucky) visit came about a month later while driving home. I noticed a snowstorm moving in from the north toward the Ranch and decided it might provide some nice atmosphere.
The “luck” came when I arrived at Ghost Ranch this second time. There were two Ranch maintenance workers removing the antlers from the gate. All the antlers were spread on the ground under and around the gate with the church in the background being framed by the gate.
About the time I arrived, the workers were just taking a lunch break and the snowstorm was just reaching the area, adding a nice ambiance to the somewhat surreal scene of church and antlers.
Regardless of the workers removing the antlers and the luck of that occurrence, I did get a number of other photos on that second visit that were more in line with my vision of this small church in the middle of nowhere, but the “lucky’ image of the antlers, gate and church remains my favorite of the day.
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November 1, 2022
Since I had enjoyed photographing the small church at Ghost Ranch I decided to visit again with a recently purchased Widelux F6 panoramic camera. I exited Highway 84 at the Ghost Ranch gate, headed up the bumpy dirt road and as a crested the hill anticipating the small church being in front of me I was greeted with the absence of the church.
Its absence confirmed to me my initial thoughts about timing and luck playing an important part in photographs.
Since I had enjoyed photographing the small church at Ghost Ranch I decided to visit again with a recently purchased Widelux F6 panoramic camera. I exited Highway 84 at the Ghost Ranch gate, headed up the bumpy dirt road and as a crested the hill anticipating the small church being in front of me I was greeted with the absence of the church.
Its absence confirmed to me my initial thoughts about timing and luck playing an important part in photographs.
