Treasure Hunters University: Photo Tips

When I got back to San Diego, I had the photos developed. I looked at the pictures and thought they turned out pretty good. I kept looking at the boulder and the glyphs. I wanted to know what the glyphs were trying to tell me. After many hours of looking at the boulder and the other photos that were taken, I found what I was looking for.

Yes, you could say that I was in the right spot, at the right time of the year, with the sun?s rays brightly lit. But if I didn't know anything about these type of signs, the photos would be sitting in some research file. (Shoe box)

The glyphs on the boulder, represent sun shadows on a mountainside, about 3/8 of a mile north of the boulder. The glyphs and the sun shadows did not exactly match each other. But there was enough glyph information that there is no doubt, that this was the mountain the boulder was referring to.

There are a few reasons that the sun shadows did not exactly match each other. The glyphs are about 230 years old. The terrain has had some changes of 230 years of hot desert heat, cold winter nights and a few flash floods thrown in over that time period.
You would be a little worn too. Changing some of the surface features. This area has been worked/mined, since the Spanish left the continent. That is a lot of people, over a lot of years, digging around in this area. Damaging the features even more.

I wanted to find out, what month, was the best time of the year for the sun shadows to appear more closely to the glyphs on the boulder. I went back in May, Jun., Jul., Aug., Sep., Nov., Jan., Mar. and again in April.

I would sit on a facing hillside and begin taking photos of that side of the mountain. I would take a photo every 20 minutes. This 20 minute delay between photos, is to allow the sun to change it's position by 5 degrees. Giving me a four hour sequence of the shadows. I have close to 200 photos of this one mountainside.

The funny thing is, the best photos were the first ones that I had taken. I do not think of it as wasting time. I had something to find out for myself, and I did. You cannot rush into anything, without knowing more information than you had before. Bringing up more questions to answer in your research.

Here is what has worked for me to document the markings, glyphs, carvings, etc.. So that I am able to bring back as much information that I can, for follow-up study at home. Time is precious when your in the field doing research.

Always have a cheap 35mm or digital camera with you at all times you are in the field. Take pictures of what interest you. It caught you eye for some reason. If you find there is something to these to these photos, go back with a good 35mm or digital camera.

Take several photos of object(s) with a bright sun. Then take several photos of when it is shaded. You want shade, Not Shadows. The shade takes the glare off the object. But does not darken it so much, that some of the information is lost in the photograph. You can create your own shade by hanging a tarp.

If you have branches, vines, or some other vegetation, get it out of the way. You want a clean picture of the object, without the shadows and sunlight filtering through on the object.

These markings have been around for hundreds and even thousands of years. I have found sites in Arizona and California, where there have been as many as three different set of markings in three different time periods.

After you have taken the photos that you want, now get out the white chalk. Chalk over all the markings that you see. This makes great contrast. Then take a couple of more photos, in the shade. Then take several more of the chalked marks, in regular light.

If you are afraid of other finding your chalk marks, just wash it off with water or wait for the next rain. It will look as good as "Old".

Do not write on any photograph, especially on the photo. If you need to make notes on the back, use a "Photographic Marker". That is what it is called. don't take a chance with these type of photos. You are taking pictures of history, that not to many people know about.

Take your time, do your research, take photos and document your findings. These treasures have been around for hundreds of years. More than likely, the treasure will still be there, until your research is done and you find it. Or someone before you found it first.

Too many treasure hunters let the thought of vast amounts of treasure get to their head. They rush everything, believing that if they do not recover it soon, someone else will. I really don't think that this is that common. They are probably in just as much of a hurry as the next guy. If you hurry, you will miss something every time. Don't be the next guy.

"Be Safe Out There"

"Hawkeye"