Kodak Signet 30 to Garden of the Gods | a 7 Image Story My first trip to the Garden of the Gods with my first camera, the Kodak Signet 30, was an intense learning experience. Luckily, a few photos turned out reasonable well. In the Garden of the Gods, on a clear day you can see forever unless there’s a mountain in the way. An easy rock climb adds incredible vistas to photograph.
Garden of the Gods is a Colorado Springs Park with 300 foot high sandstone rock formations. It’s a registered National Natural Landmark. In 1859, two surveyors began a townsite survey; later to be called Colorado City. While exploring they found a beautiful area of sandstone formations. One suggested that it would be a “capital place for a beer garden”. His companion exclaimed, “Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods.” In 1879, Charles Elliott Perkins purchased two-hundred and forty acres in the Garden of the Gods for a summer home. Although he added eight acres, he did not build on the property. He wanted it left in its natural state for the enjoyment of generations to come. He passed away in 1907. Two years later, his children conveyed his four-hundred eighty acres to the City of Colorado Springs with the stipulation that it be known forever as the “Garden of the Gods ” and remain open to the public, free of charge.
Manual cameras like the Kodak Signet 30 with no light meter or rangefinder really make the photographer think. The photographer must guess the distance while making the depth of field large enough and the shutter speed fast enough to keep the subject sharp. In other words, the photographer must determine aperture and shutter speed for the best exposure as well as the estimated distance. Of course, the film used determines the ASA/ISO value. Instead of my usual Kodachrome 64 slide film, these images are from Ektachrome slides. In this case, High Speed Ektachrome is ASA 160.
Each image will be posted individually this week with a bit more narrative under category Kodak Signet 30 to Garden of the Gods.
Click any image below for a slide show!
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