Cold!

by Deon Reynolds

This was the morning after the coldest night I had ever camped out in my life. My thermometer read minus 18 degrees Fahrenheit that morning, and I was questioning my sanity. We were camped at Spencer Hot Springs. One of the pools was 122 degrees. Usually, water that hot is too hot to get into. However, the night before I had climbed in and soaked for some time before streaking into my down sleeping bag. That was a great way to warm up that cold sleeping bag. I was toasty warm all night, but getting out in the morning was another story. I could hardly function, but it was so beautiful out, I had to break out my camera and take a few shots of the Toiyabe Range to the west. Our van barely started that morning. I let it warm up for half an hour before moving on. Luckily I had left it in first gear, because I could not shift into second for almost five miles.

I shoot these black and white panoramas with a disposable Kodak panorama camera. The first thing I do is tear off the cardboard cover, pry open the camera, and pull out the color print film. Using a fine file I distort the frame inside. Then I load it with Tri-X black and white film. Some of my disposables have had over a hundred rolls of film through them.

Click here to learn more about Deon's book of photography, Nevada, with essays by Jon Christensen.

Click here to visit Deon Reynold's Web site.

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