Today marks the 231st Anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens. That Revolutionary War confrontation on January 17, 1781, between the Continental Army led by Brigadier General Daniel Morgan and the British Regulars commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton is proclaimed as one of the most important of the entire war. The decisive tactical battlefield victory by Morgan turned the tide in favor of the revolutionary forces.
231st Anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens | ©2012 David Allio
Each year, the National Park Service hosts reenactments and celebrations of the historic battle at the Cowpens National Battlefield. There are guided tours of the battlefield and demonstrations of living conditions and firearms from that period. Many of the participants of the reenactments spend frozen nights and chilly days in tents on the grounds. These dedicated figures strive to provide historic accuracy in their wardrobe and accessories as well as their narratives.
As diligently as these participants work toward historic accuracy, there is the problem of the present day creeping into an image and ruining the illusion of the recreated history. Aside from the obvious mingling of nylon windbreakers of the visitors with woolen uniforms of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry or the leather of the backwoods militia, simple things like the appearance of a fresh green salad on a handmade table ruin the visual effect. Just as with those creating the reenactment, it is critical for the photographer to be diligent in the accuracy and content of their images.
This image of a musket demonstration from this year’s reenactment was created using a Nikon D3 equipped with an AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm 1:2.8 GII ED lens set to 155mm. The exposure data of f/8 at 1/1250th of a second using 400 ISO is about one-third of an f/stop less than the automated exposure suggested by the in-camera meter. This intentional under-exposure improved color saturation and prevented the participant’s faces and musket smoke from becoming over-exposed in the harsh late afternoon sunlight.
You must be logged in to post a comment.