The Image

In 1996, I captured a photograph of the Old Man of the Mountain, a natural rock formation in New Hampshire that tragically collapsed in 2003. This image remains one of my most memorable shots, not just because of the subject but also due to the process and lessons it taught me.

The Capture

That morning, I awoke early with a clear vision in my mind. I wanted to capture the Old Man's face illuminated by the rising sun, set against a dark backdrop. With determination, I drove an hour and a half to the overlook, carrying my trusty 300mm F2.8 AF-D lens and a Nikon N-90 film camera. I arrived an hour before sunrise and was joined by a truck driver. We shared coffee as we waited for the sun to rise.

As the sun ascended, it hit the exact spot I had visualized, and I captured the moment. However, when I viewed the film, the image fell short of my expectations. It lacked the dramatic contrast I had envisioned.

Unprocessed image of The Old Man in the Mountain

Post Processing

Years later, in 2005, I scanned the photograph using my Imacon photo film scanner. It remained untouched in my Lightroom catalog until recently when I revisited my original vision. With today's advanced image processing tools, I knew I could bring that vision to life. I used Nic Silver Efex Pro, applying the High Contrast Smooth preset, along with a few adjustments and Control Points to fine-tune the luminance values. The result was exactly what I had imagined all those years ago.

Lessons Learned:

Visualize Your Intended Results: Trust your vision and take action to achieve it.
Equipment Isn't Everything: The gear I used is considered primitive by today's standards, but it still allowed me to capture something meaningful.
Capture Moments Now: What exists today may be gone tomorrow. Don't miss the chance to document it.
Revisit Your Work: As your skills and technology evolve, you might be able to realize visions that were previously out of reach.