Tamron USA State Park Series: Lost Dutchman State ParkCheyenne L. Rouse explores one of Arizona's most legendary and mysterious jewels. |
Article by Jenn Gidman Images by Cheyenne L. Rouse |
In the 1840s, a family from northern Mexico reportedly developed a series of gold mines in the Superstition Mountains, deep in the heart of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, but they were killed during an expedition back to Mexico. A German native known as the "Lost Dutchman" was said to have eventually rediscovered the mines, but he died before revealing their exact location. |
Lost Dutchman State Park, named after this area legend, has since become a haven for tourists and locals who come to camp, hike, and explore the Superstition Wilderness. The park was actually in danger of being shut down in 2010, until a Texas man who wintered in Arizona donated $8,000 to keep Lost Dutchman going until other funds could be raised. |
"I had just moved here to Arizona when that was happening and I was sad to hear it might be shutting down," photographer Cheyenne Rouse says. "Thank goodness that didn't happen, because the park is a gem. Now it's become my go-to area. I shoot a lot of photos out there, and in the wintertime I hold many of my workshops there." |
The park is an easy-to-get-to destination for Cheyenne when the mood strikes. "It's only about 40 minutes away from my home in Scottsdale," she says. "I just drive up, get out of my car, and set up my camera. It's a very self-contained park. Depending on the weather, they have scheduled hikes and programs. There are 72 or so campsites with bathrooms and showers if you want to stay overnight." |
The most notable geological feature of Lost Dutchman: the Superstition Mountain range, anchored in the west by the namesake peak. "You can see it from around the entire valley," Cheyenne says. "It's jagged and dramatic and ends up in many of my images. There's also great wildlife in the park to photograph - including mule deer, coyote, and jackrabbits - and awesome hiking trails." |
The surroundings immediately outside of Lost Dutchman also provide an authentic taste of the American Southwest. "You could spend a whole day right outside the park photographing all of the different things there," Cheyenne says. "As you're heading into the park, you'll pass the Goldfield Ghost Town, an historic area that has a great Old West church, a gold mine, and Arizona's only operational narrow-gauge railroad. That's where I shot that rusted-out Ford pickup truck." |
The Elvis Memorial Chapel, a movie memorabilia museum that shows the films that were shot at the Apacheland Movie Ranch, is one of Cheyenne's favorite shooting locations, especially if she's able to get there around sunset for added drama. "Many Westerns and TV series were filmed here," she says. "Elvis filmed a scene from his 1969 movie Charro! here - there's even a life-size wax Elvis inside playing the guitar. It's gorgeous at any time of year, but especially at sunset when there are those clouds I love to use in my images." |
Because the park is so manageable, you can keep your hiking gear to a minimum and focus on your photographic equipment. "A tripod is a must," Cheyenne says. "In terms of lenses, I mainly shoot wide angle here, so the Tamron SP 10-24mm lens works great. Macro lenses such as the SP 60mm or SP 90mm VC might be preferable if you want to shoot the blooming wildflowers, or you may want to use something a little longer like the SP 70-200mm VC lens." |
The most important aspect of photographing in Lost Dutchman is season-related. "The region can get quite crowded in the winter because the weather is nicest then," says Cheyenne. "Then, if we get ample rain over the winter, we'll get a good wildflower showing in March and April, so it will get crowded then, too - this year, for example, we had carpets of golden, gorgeous poppies. |
The park doesn't get as crowded over the summer because of the brutal Arizona heat, but that season is usually the most interesting photographically. "We get these incredible summer storms with amazing clouds in the sky," Cheyenne explains. "Regular tourists don't usually frequent Lost Dutchman then, because they're not there to appreciate that kind of view, but photographers love that time of year here." |
That said, it's important to stay safe when visiting the park. "Summer is the most beautiful time of year to visit, but it's also the most dangerous," Cheyenne warns. "People really need to keep their eye on the weather. We get strong monsoons that roll in with lots of lightning and heavy downpours. You also have to be aware of your surroundings and know how to deal with the Arizona landscape. There are snakes, scorpions, and cacti to contend with." |
Cheyenne often tries to incorporate the cloud-filled skies into her images, especially when those monsoon clouds sweep over the Southwest in the heat of summer. "It's rare I break out my camera if there are no clouds in the sky," she says. "You have to be really quick, though, when the monsoon clouds come into the Lost Dutchman area. Sometimes I'm out there and I'll see great clouds, but by the time I get to where I want to shoot, the clouds have moved on to New Mexico. That's how fast they go. When I am able to capture them, I'll use the widest angle I can and exaggerate the heck out of those things. It just looks so pretty and adds such drama." |
If she can't work the sky into her images, Cheyenne will focus on some other element in the foreground. "If you don't have any clouds, don't put as much sky in your photos," she says. "Really focus on the cactus or ground cover to draw interest. In one of my shots of the chapel, the clouds were gone, so I used a tree as part of the frame at the top of the photo to add visual interest." |
Incorporate elements of the landscape that are unique to the area, whether it's a group of cacti or a bunch of wildflowers. "I always search for the perfect iconic Saguaro cactus to add scale and interest," Cheyenne says. "It adds a sense of the region to your images, so viewers know these pictures were taken in this particular place. When people see my images from the Lost Dutchman area, they often know right off the bat that they were taken in Arizona. The textures you're photographing can speak volumes, too: The cacti, for instance, really show both the harshness and the beauty of the desert landscape." |
Don't hesitate to seek out different angles and perspectives to show off these natural elements in the park. "I'm often pointing my camera toward the mountains, but for one of the images I recently took, I happened to turn around and see all of this teddy-bear cholla around me," Cheyenne says. "Because I don't use Photoshop and only have the capability to remove small things from my images, I want to remove all distracting elements in the distance by changing up my composition. In this case, I got down low in the teddy-bear cholla and was really able to focus in on them and their texture. Word of warning, though: They stick into you as you walk by, and they're really hard to get out. This is one teddy bear you don't want to cuddle with!" |
Like the time of year, the time of day you shoot in Lost Dutchman can enhance your images. "Sunrise shots can be wonderful here, though to be honest, I'm not really a morning girl, so you won't see a lot of those from me," Cheyenne laughs. "Sunset is when it's really showtime at the park. I'll have many shots taken from the same location, but the light is totally different, so each image will look totally different. The skies will be with or without clouds, fiery red or pastel pink - you never know the magic that's going to appear in front of your lens." |
Although it's hard to resist Lost Dutchman's fiery sunsets and brilliantly hued wildflowers, there are times when Cheyenne turns to a strategically converted sepia or black-and-white image to capture the drama of the landscape. "Sometimes a picture isn't doing exactly what I want it to do, and I've exhausted all of my color opportunities," she explains. "When I get to that point and I want to make a 'wow' shot instead of a ho-hum one, I'll convert the image to black-and-white or sepia. Sometimes that's what the image needs for the viewer to really focus on your subject without being distracted by the colors." |
To see more of Cheyenne L. Rouse's images, check out her website, blog, and YouTube channel. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter. Check out the Tamron USA website for more information on Tamron's State Park Series. |