Big Hunting Creek, Thurmont MD.

The intent was to shoot black and white. Tom Kelley and I left in the wee hours of morning for the 2 hour drive to Thurmont MD where we knew this beautiful creek was located. Tom, armed with a 4x5 view camera, and me with heavy tripod and roll film camera. October is often cold there, it sure was a chilly that morning. Carefully Tom and I picked our way through the creek, the last thing we wanted was to slip and fall in the really cold water! 

Big Hunting Creek is just outside the town and lies below Camp David in the Catoctin Mountains. Somewhere (I think...Look magazine from the 50's?) there is a photo of President Eisenhower fly fishing this pool, either while staying at the camp, or because the Eisenhower family had a large ranch nearby and the creek was a local favorite for him.

Tom and I had been studying 'The Zone System' for shooting black and film and making black and white prints. Our goal of course was to come away with the most amazing fine art b&w images of this creek ever shot.  On this cold and misty morning it was color that spoke to me. Fortunately I had thought to bring a roll of color film for my Hasselblad and quickly changed gears when I saw this scene.