Safety First?
by Deon Reynolds
I was working on shooting images for a coffee table book on the state of Nevada. The goal for the day was to take pictures in and around Ely, and primarily at the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. Upon arriving at the museum the light was not exactly what I had hoped for. So, I decided to break out one of my disposable plastic panorama cameras and go for a walk.
The museum reminded me of a ghost town or a mining camp, but with more artifacts laying about. I ended up spending the better part of the day, and quite a few rolls of film here. Looking back, this place was a turning point for me photographically. Until that time I was quite bent on only photographing nature. Evidence of man was something to avoid. But the graphic elements strewn about the yard were too much to ignore. It was really quite exciting. Now when I'm out shooting I still like nature best, but I have a greater appreciation of design elements that can be found in anything.
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 hear a Nevada Public Radio story on Great Basin National Park near Ely.