The Generals Highway

 These trees are between 1,500 and 3,000 years old — they were old when the road was built, old when the park was established, old before California was a concept. Made on medium format, the image captures the full depth from near-ground shadow to illuminated canopy without compression.

These images took their time. I arrived early in the morning—brought to a quick stop in my car by the combination of the road's curve, and the soaring lines of the sequoias—and set up two cameras: the Phase with the IQ4.150 digital back and Rodenstock 32mm lens, and the Arca-Swiss Field Metric 8x10, using Provia film. I had hoped I would get streams of light through the trees. Eventually, I did, but not at first. And only after abandoning my spot for about 15 minutes as something of decent size moved about in the trees—having your head under a dark cloth while you're focused on the ground glass of a large format field camera is a very vulnerable feeling—but eventually, whatever that was moved on. And eventually, these images revealed themselves.