The West

[Photo-John]

Over the weekend, I drove from the Bay Area to Salt Lake City, and back. I love the West. The Basin and Range Country of Northern Nevada is especially beautiful in my mind. Most people who've driven through it say they can't stand it. But I really find it moving. It's so big, open, and wild. It's not dramatic. You have to let it sink in and deal with the landscape on its own terms. It's not going to slap you in the face with beauty. But if you can be patient and feel it, you will be rewarded.

These two photos are from the middle of Northern Nevada - around Winnemuca. The first one was taken on Friday and the second one was taken yesterday. It's been a wet winter and the Humboldt River has overflowed its banks in many places. Usually it's fifteen feet below the top of the sandy banks and you can't even see it from the road. I imagine this is what it used to be like, before farmers and flood control.

[Photo-John]

Here's some slap-you-in-the-face drama. This was taken near the Utah/Nevada border, Friday evening, on Interstate 80 .

[Photo-John]

Aspens in the high Uintahs, east of Salt Lake City.

[Photo-John]

Yeah - don't act like you didn't know it was coming - the obligatory mountain bike photo. That's what makes me go places you know. So don't complain!

Park City, Utah - looking South, at the ski areas.

[another view]

You have to let it sink in and deal with the landscape on its own terms. It's not going to slap you in the face with beauty. But if you can be patient and feel it, you will be rewarded.

I actually felt that way about another stretch of I-80, right across Nebraska. People look at me stranger than usual when I say this, but someday I want to spend some time photographing there.

Nice shots, John. Really like the "openness" of the first one.

[Photo-John]

I've only driven across Nebraska once. I have a hard time with flat. And it's flat to me. But I was surprised at hom much texture there was in the land. The western part of the state, with the rivers, cottonwoods, and low rolling hills, is nice. It still feels like the West to me. It's actually a lot like Northern Nevada, without the mountains. I never thought about that. Thanks for pointing it out. I'd like to see you take some pictures...

[mtbbrian]

Good stuff!
We never did get a pic of the two of us at my home.
Thanks again for coming by, it kind of but a face to the name and legitamized all the time I spend online here.
Brian

[Photo-John]

Good stuff!
We never did get a pic of the two of us at my home.
Thanks again for coming by, it kind of but a face to the name and legitamized all the time I spend online here.
Brian

I smoothed things out with the wife? You know you can't blame me for all the time you spend on the computer

It was nice to visit. Your wife is very nice. I enjoyed meeting her.

And I meant to get a photo, too. I had a little camera with me and just plain forgot.

Last but not least, thanks for the mesican recommendation. It hit the spot.

[walterick]

John, I really love the way you put things brother, you can really hit the nail on the head.

I love driving route 50 through Utah, Nevada, and eastern California. I drove it several times when I was living out there and driving from coast to coast. It feel slike what you are describing; not postcard beauitful, but as moving as any place can be. There's something about the flat with mountains that stirs me. I love it

Glad you had a great time. Love your travelogues.

Rick

[mtbbrian]

I smoothed things out with the wife? You know you can't blame me for all the time you spend on the computer
Last but not least, thanks for the mesican recommendation. It hit the spot.

Welll......... ;)
Glad you like that place, we like it a lot.
Next time, we'll take you to a better place!
Brian

[jar_e]

John,

Great shots. Always neat to see a part of world that I've never had the chance to travel!

Nice area,

Jared

[Gerry Widen]

Some really nice shots. I especially like the first and 4th. I have a little confession. I don't know how to callibrate my monitor. But I know your photos are always so technically (and artistically) perfect that through the years I make minor adjustments to the brightness based on how your photos look on my screen.

[almo]

John I am glad to see you posting some images. It's easy to forget that your a photog sometimes...

That is an awesome shot of the lady on the MTB, and the Interstate 80 purple mountains are breath taking. Very very nice.

Me want more!

[Lara]

Thank you for posting these images John. It gives we Easterners (is that a word?) a nice feel of the west. Beautiful-serene -clean air!

[Liz]

These portray what is truly part of "America the Beautiful" John.

What I love when traveling through places like this is the silence. You can "hear" the silence and it is awesome. No people, trucks, machines, etc etc. Just space and beauty.

Glad you had such a nice time.

Liz

[Photo-John]

But I know your photos are always so technically (and artistically) perfect that through the years I make minor adjustments to the brightness based on how your photos look on my screen.

For the past few months I've been doing most of my setup on my laptop, which I've never been able to completely calibrate. It's a bit too bright and flat. So the same images appear dark and contrasty on well-calibrated monitors. So you may actually be screwing things up.

If you want, I can make an image that's calibrated perfectly and you can use that to set up your monitor. In fact, the ISO 50 test I did with the Konica Minolta DiMage A200 is very, very good. Plus, all those tests have a gray bar that's always perfect because I built it in Photoshop, by the numbers. Here's a link to that image: http://gallery.photographyreview.com...cat=518&page=1

[Dzerzhinski46]

I am not sure why they call Montana "Big Sky Country". Most of Colorado, and New Mexico deserve that name. The skies are so immense, the clouds beautiful, the mountains majestic... Your photos are fantastic. They remind me of New Mexico. The landscapes are just as pretty, though in a different way. Thanks for sharing.

Drew

[ken1953]

Beautiful shots John...I've travelled through there a few times and love the landscape. Growing up in the west and southwest, I can see past browns as most people call them...I think the landscapes in the southwest are some of the most colorful of anywhere I've ever been...and glad to say...thats been a lot of places...thanks to the military...and a construction dad!! hehe..
Please post more...
I'll be travelling from Wisconsin to West Texas in July...we'll see what I can come up with in the flatlands of Kansas...Oklahoma and Texas!!! hahaha
Ken

[ken1953]

For the past few months I've been doing most of my setup on my laptop, which I've never been able to completely calibrate. It's a bit too bright and flat. So the same images appear dark and contrasty on well-calibrated monitors. So you may actually be screwing things up.

If you want, I can make an image that's calibrated perfectly and you can use that to set up your monitor. In fact, the ISO 50 test I did with the Konica Minolta DiMage A200 is very, very good. Plus, all those tests have a gray bar that's always perfect because I built it in Photoshop, by the numbers. Here's a link to that image: http://gallery.photographyreview.com...cat=518&page=1

Hi John, I went to the link you listed and have been wondering how to calibrate my monitor...20 years using computers and I never thought of calibrating one...hehe..anyway...how would I use your images on the link to calibrate a monitor... I have an old 3dfx VooDoo card since my GEForce burned out...but it is still a good card...
Any suggestions...besides getting an up to date card...will be greatly appreciated...hehe
Ken

[Photo-John]

Ken-
The correct way to calibrate your monitor is to use monitor profiling software and hardware, like this: http://www.pcphotoreview.com/pscColo...3_4332crx.aspx

I think it's worth the money. All of my monitors have been profiled with the either the ColorVision Spyder or the GretagMacbeth equipment. You can also use the built-in Adobe Gamma tool. It's part of Photoshop and works pretty well. I wouldn't recommend trying to do it by eye. That really doesn't work very well. I've tried it a few times and the results have been pretty poor.

[ken1953]

Thanks john...I'll ck into ur link...
Ken

[natatbeach]

certainly did it justice...your shots alone inspire...

[DownByFive]

The mountain biker is practically in my sister's backyard...It appears to be the Canyons ski area in the background, which is what my sister sees out her window, but maybe it's not...I love your shots, but I have to admit that I absolutely hate the landscape in eastern Utah/north Nevada! It reminds me too much of eastern Montana (where the Big Sky truly reigns...) and southern Idaho...yeah, it may have mountains, but there just aren't enough trees...

[Photo-John]

The mountain bike photo was taken right across the freeway from the Park City outlets, if you know where that is. The trails actually are right in a housing development. Park City requires developers to contribute more than just new houses. It's pretty cool.

As for trees - they're overrated. They just get in the way. Try moving from the West to the Northeast and you'll see what I mean. You can't see anything out there!

[walterick]

As for trees - they're overrated.

HA! They're the one thing I am soaking up as much as possible before leaving the east! That, and the colors in fall can't be beat.

But, you're right. There's only about 90 degress of horizon visible at any given time out here compared to about 180 out there...