Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park 

A few years ago I was driving up the John D. Rockefeller Jr Memorial Parkway, traveling from the Grand Tetons to Yellowstone National Park, when I saw this scene across Jackson Lake. An early morning haze on the lake slightly obscured the view of Ranger Peak in the distance. Luckily, I had a roll of Kodak’s High Speed B&W Infrared film in a spare camera body. 

Infrared black-and-white film is especially useful for landscape and panoramic photography. It is possible to eliminate virtually all the visible haze in the atmosphere and record clear, black skies. Clouds pop out in sharp contrast. A red filter, either a #25 or a #29, is necessary to get the full infrared effect. Green leaves on deciduous trees turn white. It’s an interesting film for portraiture, as skin tones are recorded as ghostly and translucent. Compared to other black-and-white films, this film is very grainy. Make an exposure test to determine the proper ISO rating for your camera’s meter. This film is easily fogged, so I load my camera in the shade, a changing bag, or in a darkroom. 

If you are planning a photo exploration of the Tetons, read my Photograph America Newsletter #3 - “Winter in the Tetons.” Another reason to subscribe to the most detailed bimonthly photo/travel newsletter available. For more information and subscription details check out: http://www.apogeephoto.com/800get_foto.html    

Previous Great Locations:

Up the Hudson River  
At the Base of the Kaiparowits Plateau  
Durango to Silverton Railroad along the Animas River  
Sunrise through the cottonwoods behind the old Johnson Ranch
Winter in the Tetons
Autumn Color in the Village of Waterville, Vermont   
Salt Valley Road in Arches National Park  
Battery Point Lighthouse in Crescent City, California 
Victorians along Steiner Street on Alamo Square in San Francisco 
Toroweap Overlook on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon 

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