Details of the Appalachian Trail – Staircase on Blood Mountain. I should call this the Devil’s staircase because it took the wind out of me and several other hikers to get up it. It is only about a 50 foot rise in elevation but is merely the first in a series of steep inclines and switchbacks. The stairs continue up and to the right of the large rock. The air is different at this spot , a little cooler and windier. The light tends to shift as wind blowing the trees above and to the left (mid morning sun) changes the canopy filtration. Most of the trail is sheltered until you get nearer the summit. The 8 second exposure (4sec metered + 1stop reciprocity) shows a good bit of movement in the smaller vegetation which adds to the spooky atmosphere of this spot. The negative is also very dense compared to others I shot that day so likely overexposed due to changing light or miscalculated reciprocity.

Technical: FP4@100 8seconds, PyroHD, Normal dev 27:30 minimal agitation, printed on Ilford MGFB Warmtone paper. It is a good candidate for toning to get closer to the real tones of the rocks.