Turn Around and Go Back

Today’s Post by Mark Toal

Have you ever been driving down the road and see something that you want to photograph but decide that it’s too hard or time consuming to go back? Stopping at Thunder Mountain Monument in Imlay, Nevada almost 25 years ago convinced me to stop there every time that I can.

I was driving east from Reno when I first noticed the strange buildings and sculptures. It was few miles to the next exit on Interstate 80 where I could turn around but I’ll never regret it. Besides taking photos I saw a box asking for donations to restore the place. I put a check for $50 in the box and headed down the road. The son of the man who built Thunder Mountain called me to say thank you and invited me back to get the complete tour. I’ve been back about a dozen times over the years including about a month ago with my infrared converted Lumix GX7.

It is hard to photograph in the desert in the summer but luckily I remembered how Joe mentioned that infrared capture loves the midday sun. These would have been absolutely boring in color in the harsh desert light.

Next time you see something interesting stop and go back. It might change your life.

Joe’s book The Complete Guide to Digital Infrared Photography is currently out of print but you can get an affordable used copy or not-so-affordable new copies of the book from Amazon.com.