"I have been intrigued by images of this old car in Bodie for years. My first trip to Bodie after this year's CANP gathering in Lee Vining gave me a chance to finally experience her in person. I knew that I wanted a black and white image but I was not sure whether to shoot in color and convert or just use B&W film. Finding the car after a short walk I decided that not only would I use B&W film but I would also use my recently acquired Kodak 2D 8x10 camera. I thought it fitting to use this ancient and worn camera to capture the essence of this beaten old car. I wanted a composition that would accentuate the grasses and grill so I setup my tripod as low to the ground as it would go. I had to wait patiently as the hoards of tourists and photographers took their turn. As the crowd faded I captured this image through a Fujinon 240mm lens "wide open" on Arista EDU 100 B&W film. I developed the negative in my bathroom in Diafine and scanned on my Epson 4990. A tiny amount of contrast adjustment in Photoshop and some minor tweaks based on the feedback from the CANP forum and here you have it!"

"A native of Southern California, Jason Blankenship began exploring the natural world at a very early age. His father started him backpacking and fishing and a love affair with the outdoors began. As an avid backpacker and rock climber, Jason searches out the high and wild places of this beautiful country.

The Sierra Nevada is Jason's first love and favorite subject. He never gets tired of exploring the remote and rugged backcountry and the photographic possibilities are endless. Jason also enjoys exploring and photographing the desert southwest and west coast."