Lodging & Leisure
Catch cowboy action with your camera
By JOHN H. OSTDICK
Several hundred Dubois-area residents are flowing through the Headwaters Arts and Conference Center auditorium like the nearby Wind River.
Some pause occasionally to consider more closely the best work of 17 aspiring photographers who have spent the week at a photography workshop documenting various aspects of life in this small northwestern Wyoming town. A well-dressed middle-aged woman spies my name tag and stops.
"I just wanted to tell you that your photo of Clayton's pack mules is absolutely wonderful," she says.It's both a compliment to my work and recognition that Jay Dickman really knows his craft.For the past week,the Pulitzer Prize-winning founder of the Littleton, Colorado-based FirstLight Workshop has been teaching us the tricks of the image trade in this community of about 1,000.
It's not his first time in Dubois. Dickman recognized the magic of the place when friends first invited him and his wife/co-producer, Rebecca, here years ago.
One of those quirky towns in the West that has one foot set firmly in the past and one striding toward change, Dubois is full of colorful badlands, glacial moraine, lakes, two very different mountain ranges, old-time roots and fresh beginnings, and strong faces etched with tested wills — vibrant images just begging to be captured with a camera.
• Jump to the Dubois travel guide
Dickman's FirstLight students — who range in age from late 20s to 60s-plus — descended for a week and obliged; now we share our work with our subjects through this exhibition and also later in a magazine.
Dickman has conducted workshops like this in different locations since he and Rebecca birthed their first one in Auvillar, France, in 2003.
"I had taught a lot of workshops for other people," Dickman says. "I loved doing it but was curious about how I'd do on my own, and started thinking about some different ideas I'd like to do. One was publishing a magazine for each workshop.
Most workshops step into a community's world and partake of their hospitality, and the people there always request, 'Can you send me prints?' After we produced the first magazine of student work, the epiphany hit home: This is what we give back to the community.
Now at each workshop, we send 50 copies back to the hosts, with specific instructions that the people in the photos get a copy.
What we've essentially done is created a week in the life of the area, which is one of the reasons we are welcomed back now."
Besides Auvillar and Dubois, which both have hosted two workshops, FirstLight has documented life in Barcelona, Spain; Chesapeake Bay, Maryland (twice); and the Western Highlands of Scotland (twice). Dickman is planning two weeks of Chesapeake Bay workshops in 2009; he is scheduled to return to Dubois in 2010.
"We like to host FirstLight events in small transitional communities that are undergoing change and growth," Dickman says. "Fifty years from now, someone can pick up the FirstLight Dubois magazine and get a feel for how life was during this week, so many years before."
Dickman, who has been shooting pictures professionally for more than 25 years, earned the 1983 Pulitzer in feature photography for his coverage of the war in El Salvador.
Debrah Hale
He contributes frequently to National Geographic, Time, Life, Fortune, and Forbes magazines and has an impressive photography book pedigree. To help amateur photographers improve the quality of their images, Dickman and Jay Kinghorn, an Adobe Photoshop Certified Expert and FirstLight instructor, co-authored Perfect Digital Photography (McGraw-Hill, 2005).
Dickman's résumé affords his photo workshops an exclusive touch. It's not just pay-to-shoot. Dickman interviews applicants, looking for a love of the craft and some experience.
"I want to immerse everyone in the process of making images," Dickman says. "It's not that I'm the best thing since canned beer — I've just been in this business for many years, and hopefully I bring something that connects with people. ... If you don't have a soul, you can't do it. All we are doing is cracking people open to what is inside of them."
The central theme of the weeklong instruction is "explaining the narrative," which basically maintains that anything worth your camera time — whether it be a high school graduation or a National Geographic-sponsored assignment in the Arctic — has a story to tell. A photographer should try to capture "frozen moments, a sense of place" that tell a complete story.
Throughout the week Dickman conducts daily editing and critique sessions that help us hone our storytelling skills.
While his daily instruction is keen, it's the ongoing interaction with Dickman and the professionals he brings with him to FirstLight that separates his venture from other photo workshops.
Sense of place, sense of story, shooting perspective, sense of detail — after a week of constant shooting and tutoring, everyone's photography has improved noticeably.
I'm constantly inspired by the work of my fellow participants. And although we began the week with varying photography skills, the images that grace the Headwater's display space on closing night are all compelling.
"Photography challenges you to improve, and it rewards you when you do," says retired professor and fellow workshop participant David Bird.
He thinks the photo exhibit is amazing, but, he says, the real reward isn't seeing our work hung — it's seeing the reaction of the local people. I have to agree.
By the end of the show, a half-dozen people have commented on my image of the pack mules, and it's immensely gratifying.
Improving our skills on something we are passionate about is invigorating, but the interaction with the community, and their emotional response to the images, might be the best reward of all.
JAY DICKMAN'S FIVE FANTASTIC PHOTO TIPS
Debrah Hale
1. Everyone loves validation. People like knowing that what they do is important or has relevance, and the camera can be that tool of validation. Keeping this in mind when approaching someone you would like to photograph can reinforce your confidence.
2. Remember the camera is a tool. Pretty sophisticated and cool, but a tool nonetheless. Don't get so caught up in being an equipment junkie that you forget that this whole thing is about capturing the image. Get to know your equipment so well that it essentially disappears, so you are focused (literally and figuratively) on the image, not on fumbling with your gear or trying to use all the cool extra stuff you bought. Keep it simple.
3. Treat your subject with dignity. No matter what people do, your job is to capture their "essence." They have given you permission to come into their lives, even if for a brief moment, so do them justice.
4. Work the situation. When you have an open door and the opportunity to stay longer with your subject, make the most of the invitation. Capturing the right moment often takes time — it may be five frames and 10 minutes, or it may take dozens of frames. Allow the situation time to develop into that moment.
5. Follow through. Make sure to get your images to the subjects you've worked with. They let you into their world and life; complete your end of the bargain by sending them a couple of prints, even if it's only by e-mail. This courtesy will go a long way if you should ever want to go back to photograph that person again.
• Bonus tip: Research ahead of time. If you're going on a trip or vacation that is primarily driven by photography, research your destination. The Internet is an amazing source of information for a photographer. You will find the locals much more receptive if you show a particular interest in their locale and can discuss relevant information. Knowing a few facts can open doors wider for you, as can knowing a few basic phrases if you are photographing somewhere where English is not the first language.
To learn more about upcoming photo workshops with FirstLight, visit www.firstlightworkshop.com and www.jaydickman.net.
TRAVEL GUIDE
Dubois, Wyoming
First things first: the pronunciation — don't go Frenchifying it. It's DOO-boyz, a name provided by the federal government (in honor of an early Idaho senator) after rejecting the town's choice of Never Sweat (for the climate produced by the area's warm dry winds).
Nicknamed "Valley of the Warm Winds," Dubois is situated in the Upper Wind River Valley in country known to Butch Cassidy, Jim Bridger, and Kit Carson.
Framed by the Dubois Badlands, the Absaroka Range, and the Wind River Range (the Wind River itself runs through the town), it's the only incorporated town in the 170 miles between Riverton/Langer to the east and Jackson to the west.
The main street is still flanked by wooden boardwalks, and the Old West is further evident in log buildings, saloons, and even tepees.
The town's population is a mix of longtime residents whose family trees are deeply rooted in local history, service providers and entrepreneurs involved in the tourist and outdoor/recreational trade, and part- and full-time property owners up in the hills surrounding the town.
The different populations can be found coexisting comfortably around town — at Kathy's Koffee during the morning java call, at the Rustic Pine Tavern at happy hour, and in the checkout line at Dubois Hardware.
GO
FLY The Jackson Hole Airport is about 90 minutes away.
DRIVE Dubois is in the northwestern part of the state; Casper is about 200 miles to the southeast. Driving the Togwotee Trail (pronounced Toe-ga-TEE) from Jackson to Dubois, you will cross the Continental Divide and traverse one of the West's most beautiful and diverse regions. However, this well-traveled route hasn't been updated for 50 years, so WYDOT is making highway improvements to U.S. Highway 26-287. Sixteen miles of the highway reconstruction have been completed, including wider shoulders, enhanced sight distance for motorists and wildlife, and passing and climbing lanes for safer travel. (For road information, visit www.wyoroad.info call 511 within the state or 888-996-7623 if outside of Wyoming).
STAY
John H. Ostdick
THE DUDE RANCHERS' ASSOCIATION (www.duderanch.org) lists five active member ranches in the immediate Dubois area: Absaroka Ranch, 307-455-2275, www.absarokaranch.com; CM Ranch, 800-455-0721, www.cmranch.com; Lazy L&B Ranch, 800-453-9488, www.lazylb.com; T Cross Ranch, 877-827-6770, www.tcross.com; and the Triangle C Ranch, 800-661-4928, www.trianglec.com.
THE STONE HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST Two blocks east of downtown Dubois, the Stone House features a sitting room with a spotting scope, binoculars for wildlife watching, and a panoramic view of Whiskey Mountain. The Rose Room has a private sitting room and bath; the lower level suite has a queen-size bed, private bath, and sitting room with a fireplace. A two-room cottage offers a sitting room, bath, and bedroom. Includes full breakfast. 207 S. First St., 307-455-2555, www.wyomingbnb-ranchrec.com/stonehouse.htm.
TWIN PINES LODGE & CABINS Remodeled 1934 property on the National Register of Historic Places with 16 rooms and cabins. Continental breakfast included. 218 W. Ramshorn St., 307-455-2600, www.twinpineslodge.com.
WIND RIVER KOA Open May 1 through September 30, the campground offers wireless connections and hosts chuck wagon dinner shows and singalongs, Mondays and Thursdays, June 18 through August 23. 225 Welty St., 800-562-0806, www.koa.com/where/wy/50156.
EAT
COWBOY CAFE Home-style cooking, with good pies. Gets crowded fast on weekend evenings. Bring in the cleaned trout you catch locally and the cooks will fix them up with baked potato and vegetables. 115 E. Ramshorn St., 307-455-2595.
KATHY'S KOFFEE This is the spot to catch locals early — pastries, bagels, and the best coffee in town. 300 W. Ramshorn St., 307-455-3862.
PAYA DELI PIZZA & CATERING Lunch favorite that offers a wide selection of meats and cheeses, by the pound or in a sandwich. 112 E. Ramshorn St., 307-450-3331.
SUNDANCE CAFE Still called the Cafe Wyoming by locals, the riverside restaurant offers the best meals in town. Try the gumbo and spicy plum shrimp kabob. 106 E. Ramshorn St., 307-455-3989.
TAYLOR CREEK EXXON No, really. Their deli offers made-to-order quality wraps and subs to take on excursions. 1426 Warm Springs Drive, 307-455-3320.
SEE
John H. Ostdick
DUBOIS MUSEUM & WIND RIVER HISTORICAL CENTER The museum preserves and interprets the history and culture of the Upper Wind River Valley. 909 W. Ramshorn St., 307-455-2284, www.duboismuseum.org.
HEADWATERS ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER Meeting center that hosts various local art shows and a permanent collection. 20 Stalnaker St., 307-455-2687, www.headwaterscenter.org.
HORSE CREEK GALLERY Features the unique antler carvings of local artist Monte Baker. That's the man himself playing the piano out front in season. 104 E. Ramshorn St., 307-455-4095, www.antler-carving.com.
NATIONAL BIGHORN SHEEP CENTER The Dubois area is home to the largest wintering bighorn sheep herd in the lower 48. Since 1949, more than 2,000 sheep have been transplanted to Utah, Idaho, South Dakota, New Mexico, and to other areas of Wyoming from the herd on Whiskey Mountain. 907 W. Ramshorn St., 307-455-3429, www.bighorn.org.
RUSTIC PINE TAVERN Local watering hole with Tuesday night square dance in the summer. 119 E. Ramshorn St., 307-455-2430.
SADDLE TRAMPS "Mountain tough gear for your mountain tough horse." 104 N. First St., 307-455-2088, www.saddletrampsdubois.com.
SILVER SAGE GALLERY Features paintings, sculpture, and jewelry from local artists. 124 E. Ramshorn St., 307-455-3002, www.silversagegallery.com.
THE TICKLED TROUT GALLERY AND FLY SHOP An eclectic mix of art, jewelry, and fishing guide services and accessories. Check out the surprising selection of vintage and new boots. 12 Stalnaker St., 307-455-2500.
WELTY'S GENERAL STORE Fishing licenses, sporting goods, and a funky slice of Dubois history in a National Register of Historic Places-designated building. 113 W. Ramshorn St., 307-455-2377.
WIND RIVER GEAR A hiking trip in 1997 hooked visiting Margo Clark and husband Clay Fulcher; five years later they relocated here and started a business. This old log structure is packed with cool gear. 19 N. First St., 307-455-3468, www.windrivergear.com.
DO
BEST FISHING Public fishing accesses along the Wind River provide some of the best local fishing. Wiggins and East Fork are also great areas for stream fishing. For lake fishing, the best bet is Brooks Lake. For the more adventurous crowd, try Moon Lake off Union Pass.
BEST HIKES Backpackers and hikers to the Wind River region can choose from nearly 800 miles of trails.
• Try the Whiskey Mountain Trail to the top of Whiskey Mountain. It's about a four-hour round trip (a strenuous hike with significant elevation gains), with magnificent views of the Absaroka and Badlands to the north and the Wind River Mountains to the south. Wildflowers are spectacular from late June into July. The trailhead is located about 10 miles east of town, off the Trail Lake Road.
• The Dubois Badlands Wilderness Study Area east of Dubois boasts some incredible scenery. The trails are located along the west rim of Mason Draw, accessible from Spring Mountain Road immediately east of Dubois. Take the "dump road" until you hit the trail kiosk, about 5 miles up the dirt road. Head east to the rim for some panoramic views of the Badlands. Trails lead down into Mason Draw (bighorn sheep can often be found on the rim of East Mason Draw).
BEST RIDING The Dubois area is horse country, and it's hard to go wrong here.
• Try Brooks Lake at the base of Brooks Lake Mountain, located 25 miles west of Dubois and about 5 miles off the main highway. Brooks Lake Lodge, which was built in 1922 to serve tourists en route to Yellowstone National Park, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The lake, lodge, and mountain were named for a former governor of Wyoming, Bryant B. Brooks; 307-455-2121, www.brookslake.com.
• Or check out local favorite MacKenzie Highland Ranch, located off Highway 26 about 16 miles west of Dubois inside the Shoshone National Forest; 307-455-3415, www.mackenziehighlandranch.com.
IN WINTER The Upper Wind River Country has more than 150 miles of groomed snowmobile trails with access to the Continental Divide Trail.
• The Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail has 360 miles from Lander to Yellowstone, and it also connects to 665 miles of groomed trails. Ice fishing in the winter months is an exciting adventure, as is a dog-sled ride at Brooks Lake near Togwotee Pass. Cross-country skiers enjoy the packed snowmobile trails, or venture off-trail for exciting telemark runs.
• More info: Dubois Chamber of Commerce. 616 W. Ramshorn St., 307-455-2556, www.duboiswyoming.org.
— J.H.O.
Issue: June 2009
