This print was photographed at Mount Saint Helens Volcanic Monument near Castle Rock Washington in May of 2006.  The day was overcast and patches of snow covered areas around the trail.  Clouds moved in and out continuously around Mount Saint Helens and if you watched closely you could see a plume of smoke periodically rise from the crater.  I was concerned that the clouds would detract from the detail but I now realize that they actually enhance the scene and lend a sort of surreal sense to the composition.  The detail of the fallen timber in the foreground is essential for this print to work effectively.    I used the Mamiya RZ67 with the 50mm ULD lens (tripod mounted and mirror-up) to expose this image on Kodak Portra 400 VC negative film