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China's Fossil Marvels
AUGUST 2005
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| China's Fossil Marvels |
Field Notes From Photographer
O. Louis Mazzatenta |
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I really enjoyed photographing fossils of dinosaurs, birds, fish, insects, reptiles, dragonflies, and other creatures that flourished on Earth more than 100 million years ago. Images of these once living things were wonderfully preserved in fine detail by sediments from volcanic eruptions. It was a real challenge to arrange my lights to best bring out that detail. I also enjoyed working with dedicated Chinese scientists like Xu Xing and Zhou Zhonghe, who study these fossils intensely and share their knowledge so generously with the world.
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To make the final picture for the story, I toted a photo studio on a cart from Washington, D.C., to New York on a train. It held five cases containing heavy-duty strobe and tungsten light equipment, cameras, lenses, a tripod, light stands, backdrops, reflectors, cords, and film. Well, as I was going down an escalator in Penn Station, the cart got stuck for a split second and nearly yanked my arm out of my shoulder socket. After that I had to take it through New York's snow-covered streets to the American Museum of Natural History. It would have been easier to fly, I suppose, but I like trains better.
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We took the overnight train from Beijing to Beipiao in Liaoning Province, where the fossil site is located. I had never ridden on a train in China before, but it reminded me of my old army dormitory during the 1960s. The car was completely open and filled with bunk beds. Even though there was little privacy, and the group snoring got rather loud at night, I felt completely safe. Food vendors pushed carts down the aisle that were loaded with tasty chicken legs stacked in tall pyramids. It was quite an experience.
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