PHOTOGRAPHING ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

Many archaeological sites and artifacts are very photogenic. But even so, taking memorable photographs isn’t easy.We’re featuring the work and insights of four photographers who have years of experience taking memorable pictures. Photography is an art, and on these pages our photographers share their artistry with you.

Enter American Archaeology’s Photo Contest. See the Editor’s Corner on page 3 for details.

(Above left) The west wall of the great ballcourt at Chichén Itzá, Mexico. (Above right) A stela depicting 18 Rabbit, 13th ruler of Copán, Honduras. (Facing page) Temple of the Cross at Palenque, Mexico.

ELDON LEITER

When I go out to shoot I usually carry several cameras, in case something goes wrong with one of them. Most of my photos have been taken with Nikon equipment, mainly the Nikon F3. My newest camera is a Nikon N90-S, and my favorite lens is an AF Nikon 24-120 mm zoom.

I prefer as slow a film as possible because I like to enlarge my photos. When shooting with slow film, I generally use a tripod. I usually shoot slides or transparencies. My favorite daylight film is Fuji 100. When shooting in museums, I mainly use Kodak APY 64T film and tungsten light.

Light is very important for good photography. The raked light of the morning and late afternoon can form shadows that give a picture depth. The late afternoon sun also provides a golden light. The harsh sunlight of midday, on the other hand, can give photos a washed out look. When necessary, I use warming filters, which help create the effect of the late afternoon sun.

JOINER JEFF

Eldon Leiter’s work reflects his strong interest in archaeology in general and the Maya in particular. During the last 23 years, he has photographed Maya sites in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. His work has appeared in numerous publications and exhibits.

(Above) Anasazi granaries at Nankoweap Canyon, on the Colorado River, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. (Bottom left) White House site at Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona.

JERRY JACKA

When photographing structures such as cliff dwellings and pueblos, I prefer early or late light, which is warmer and provides more contrast. For that reason, I also prefer shooting in late fall and winter, when the sun is lower in the southern horizon.

I usually use a four-by-five format camera for studio shots, landscapes, and photos of ruins. I use a Hasselblad (2¼ x 2¼) and Nikon (35 mm) equipment for shooting archaeological excavations. A 35 mm camera is adequate for most situations. Using manual rather than automatic focus gives the photographer more control. A zoom lens ranging from wide angle to telephoto, such as a 24–120 mm, is very useful. Though a zoom lens offers great variety, its focus tends to be less sharp than that of a fixed lens.

All of my photography is done on slide or transparency film. Because of its sharpness and high saturation, I use Fugi-Velvia for landscapes, site photos, and situations requiring high contrast and intense color. When shooting artifacts, I use Ektachrome E100S, an excellent film that renders true, rather than super-saturated, colors.

JACKA JERRY

Jerry Jacka has 47 years of experience as a photographer, including shooting many archaeological sites and artifacts. Over 2,000 of his photographs have appeared in Arizona Highways. His photographs have also appeared in numerous other magazines and books. An exhibition of his work is on display at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, through March 11. It will also be on display at the Museum of Northern Arizona June 16–October 5.

(Above) Petroglyphs, Red Canyon, Owens Valley, California

WHITLEY CARMEN

DAVID S. WHITLEY

My advice to rock art photographers is to have lots of lens options available. One or more good zoom lenses will give you the versatility you need. Focal lengths ranging from 28 mm to about 150 mm are essential for rock art photography; the lenses I commonly use run from 22 to 200 mm.

The biggest difficulty in rock art photography is lighting. Plan your shots around the changing light conditions, and plan ahead. Early morning or late afternoon light is often best for petroglyphs. A good flash attachment and hot-shoe flash extension cord are also essential, especially in caves and rock shelters. Your best flash shots will result if you position your flash about eight to ten feet left of the camera, aimed at the center of your image. This brings out the texture of the rock surface and gives depth to an image.

Take lots of pictures and try a variety of settings and compositions. There is no single film that suits all rock art sites and conditions. Base your choice of film on the predominant colors of the rock art as well as your own color preferences. I prefer Fuji, which has soft colors, for slides. I use Kodak for most of my color prints, especially of pictographs, because it highlights reds, the predominant pictograph color.

Dave Whitley is an archaeologist who specializes in rock art research. His photos have appeared in numerous publications, such as Discover Magazine, Scientific American, and American Archaeology (Vol. 1, No. 3, Fall 1997). His most recent books are The Art of the Shaman: Rock Art of California (University of Utah Press, 2000), and the Handbook of Rock Art Research (AltaMira Press, 2000).

(Above left) Bighorn sheep petroglyph, Little Petroglyph Canyon, Coso Range, California. (Above right) Head of Sinbad pictographs, Utah.

(Below) Grapevine Canyon petroglyph site, Laughlin, Nevada.

(Top) A delegation of Iroquois chiefs and their helpers rebury the bones of early Native Americans unearthed by looters in the 1980s on the Slack Farm in western Kentucky.

(Above) An effigy head pipe estimated to be 500 years old.

STEVEN WALL

When shooting archaeological subjects, it’s important to make a connection with the past, which enables you to interpret these subjects in your photography.

Develop your own style. Style and content are more important than technique. Pay attention to the little details: the movement of people, the handling of the bones or artifacts, the shadows and highlights on ruins.

Composition is important. A photograph must have a central focus that draws the eye. If a photo has more than one subject, each must be properly composed. It’s essential to compose the foreground properly. If you don’ t, your background, however good it may be, won’t matter.

Use a camera you like. The type makes little difference. Ninety percent of my work is done with a 28 mm lens, which allows me to get close to my subject. I don’t use filters. I generally use two films: Kodacrome 64 for color photography and Kodak TriX 400 for black and white. TriX has a grainy quality that can be used to good effect. When shooting at dusk, for example, it can give a mystical quality to your photos.

Steven Wall has worked as a professional photographer for more than 30 years. His photographs have appeared in National Geographic, Smithsonian, Time, American Archaeology, and numerous other magazines and newspapers. His work has been displayed in a number of museums, and he has also photographed and authored, or coauthored, six books.