Chris Young, staff photographer for The State Journal-Register, set his 35-millimeter sight on Hale-Bopp as the sun set on April 7 over the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon, a popular spot for cultural arts activities in Springfield Park District's Washington Park.
Young's photograph was published in The State Journal-Register on April 10 and the public response was a phenomenon in its own right. The paper received an overwhelming number of calls requesting reprints of the Hale-Bopp photo, which it later published in poster form, selling more than 20, 000 copies.
We thank The State Journal-Register for the opportunity to feature the photograph on the cover of the magazine. Due to its unique size, it had to be cropped to fit the format and is reprinted here in its entirety so our readership can enjoy the full effect of the photographer's creative vision.
Young has been on staff at The State Journal-Register for eight years. He and his wife, Kathy, live in Springfield with their two dogs, Fergus and Emma. Following are excerpts from an interview with the photographer.
IP&R: Why did you choose the park setting for the Hale-Bopp photo? Chris Young: I went out several nights looking for places to photograph the comet with not too much luck. I had difficulty finding things in the foreground that would be recognizable...the lighting around the Capitol was too bright. [The carillon] was just on the edge of being too bright to work with a long exposure.
IP&R: How long did it take you to get just the right shot? I saw the scene when my wife and I were walking our dogs in the park. The next evening it was clear and we sat on a park bench waiting for the sun to go down—with just the last bit of light in the sky around 7: 30 p.m.
IP&R- For photography buffs out there, tell us what kind of equipment you wed.
A Cannon EOS1, 35 millimeter, ASA 200 with a 30-second exposure. I left the shutter open for 30 seconds so enough light can come in from the comet to make it show up.
IP&R: How do you feel about the public response to your photo? It's been very rewarding. You always hope that when you take a picture that they will chuckle or raise an eyebrow.
I like being outside and I like nature. I really enjoy looking for beautiful scenes. I think there's a lot of beauty [in the central Illinois land- scape]. It's always fun to find one and prove people wrong.
You too can get a copy of the "Comet Hale-Bopp 1997" poster. Write to: The State Journal-Register, Promotions Department/ Poster Order, 1 Copley Plaza, Box 219, Springfield, Illinois 62705.
