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In Remembrance

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

We all know what happened at Pearl Harbor, HI on this date in 1941; the events of that day were a major catalyst in the United States’ involvement in World War II. As a result of the Japanese bombing at the US Air Base in Hawaii, a hysteria ensued and widespread distrust of Japanese-American citizens traveled across the country, leading to our government sequestering them in “internment camps” at various locations throughout the western US. Its amazing–almost unbelievable–what hysteria, distrust, and fear can lead people to do.

This memorial, made famous by Ansel Adams, marks the cemetary at the relocation camp at Manzanar, near Lone Pine, California, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. Mt. Williamson is in the background.

Monument at Manazanar National Historic Site, Lone Pine California

Monumental, October 2010

Posted in california, locations, national park | 7 Responses »
Tags: black and white

Fast Forward

Monday, December 6th, 2010

Here are another couple of images from my recent trip to the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum. I really loved the comparison between the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and its skeleton. Cheetahs are one of the fastest land animals on earth, rapidly reaching speeds of nearly 70 miles per hour, with the ability to accelerate more quickly than most sportscars (0 to 65 mph in less than 3 seconds!).

a cheetah (acinonyx jubatus) and its skeleton at the los angeles county natural history museum

Fast Forward, November 2010

Duplicity, November 2010

Click on the image above to see it big!

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Tags: natural history, natural history museum, wildlife photography

Larger than life

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Last week, I had a workshop to attend at the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum. While there, I decided to walk around with my camera, exploring the dioramas. Ever since I was a little kid, I have loved natural history museums; the dioramas really come to life, bringing me in just a few feet from the African plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Arctic icefields. I absolutely loved it.

Elephant diorama at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum

Loxodonta, November 2010

In addition to the traditional museum displays, one hall has an entire fin whale skeleton. Standing underneath, it was easy to admire the size and power of these grand beasts.

Fin whale skeleton at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum

With the fin whale, November 2010

In walking the halls of this fantastic place, I realized many of the dioramas are a little dated and could use with a small overhaul. Talking to other colleagues, I know this is the case in other museums as well. It seems we live in a world where people expect “instant gratification” and seeing a diorama is no longer as good (or better?) as going to the zoo to see a living animal. As a result, donations and visitation to museums are declining, resulting in a severely underfunded situation.

If you’re searching for a Christmas gift for the science lover on your list, please consider a membership to your local Natural History Museum. You can become a member of the LA Natural History Museum by clicking here.

Diorama of an american bison at the los angeles county natural history museum

Bison, November 2010

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Tags: mammal diorama, natural history museum

Photo of the Month–December

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

Another year is coming to an end. Already. Just as the sun sets on another year, I’ll share a sunset image from our recent Sequoia National Park trip for this month’s image. This image was taken from the top of Moro Rock, a large, exfoliated granite dome, much like those found all over the Sierra Nevada mountains. You’re looking over hill layers toward the great central valley of California (the San Joaquin Valley); haze from the valley is contributing to the unique effect you see in this image.

Sunset as seen from Moro Rock, Sequoia National Park, California

Moro Rock sunset, November 2010

Have a great month, and see you in 2011!

Posted in california, locations, national park, Photo of the month | 1 Response »
Tags: california, landscape photography, sequoia, sierra nevada, sunset photo

The last vestiges of Autumn

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010

Last weekend, we took advantage of some nice fall weather to visit Sequoia National Park (I recently posted another image from that trip here). It really couldn’t have been nicer weather. Not only were we wearing t-shirts at lower elevations, but we really enjoyed the brisk temperatures in the Giant Forest. In addition to some find landscape opportunities, we saw two black bears (which our son absolutely loved). Not a bad weekend at all.

For me, some of the prettiest scenery was in the area just at the entry of the Giant Forest, where the oaks and other deciduous trees were still hanging on to the final vestiges of fall color. I spent some time with the big trees one morning, and on my way out, I stopped to photograph this tree, which seemed to be completely ensconced in fall colors.

Since visiting Sequoia, a major winter storm has hit the Sierra, probably (by my best guess) obliterating this beautiful fall color. Fortunately, we were able to catch the tail end of this great show…

A giant sequoia tree (Sequoiadendron giganteum) in autumn, Sequoia National Park, California

Sequoiadendron giganteum, November 2010

Click here to see all of my images from Sequoia National Park.

Posted in california, locations, national park, sierra nevada | 6 Responses »
Tags: california, fall color, landscape photography, sequoia, sierra nevada

Labyrinth

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

Yesterday we returned from a weekend trip to Sequoia National Park. While the standing trees are awe-inspiring and amazing to look at, the dried roots of the trees that had fallen were just amazing to me. Looking *up* at roots isn’t something I’m used to doing.

Many of the Sequoias are 2,000-3,000 years old so those roots have been around through so many great events on our planet, and were there before many of those things even happened. Its humbling to try to creatively photograph something that was already ancient when Christ walked the earth, or when the Roman Empire was the greatest civilization on earth.

While processing this image, I thought monochrome would work best in accentuating the shapes and textures in the wood.

Roots of a Sequoia tree in Sequoia National Park, California

Ancient Roots, November 2010

I have to admit, though, that I got a little carried away with Nik Software’s Silver Efex Pro. The “Antique Solarization” treatment gave an interesting effect that really seemed to accentuate the shapes present in this image. While it may not be your cup of tea, this image really is growing on me.

Abstract image of roots from a giant Sequoia, Sequoia National Park California

Ancient Roots II, November 2010

I’ll put up all of my images soon on a webpage for Sequoia National Park. In the meantime, ponder the labyrinth of time!

Posted in california, national park, technical | 5 Responses »
Tags: abstract, black and white, california, landscape photography, sequoia

Falling Back

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

“Its only one hour,” I tell myself twice a year. And, two times each year my poor internal clock gets completely flummoxed by the time change. I become an insomniac, get grouchy, and hit the snooze button way too many times all in an attempt to make up for that hour lost or gained.

Last Saturday a friend and I went out at dawn to a local wildlife area. I knew it was my last day to get up and enjoy a late sunrise; the next morning the sun would come up at an ungodly hour again. Unfortunately, there weren’t many birds flying, but the spectacular sunrise more than made up for it.

Being treated to a sunrise like this almost makes you forget about being a photographer, and just staring because its so darned beautiful.

Fiery Sunrise at Bolsa chica Wetlands near Huntington Beach, California

Fiery Sunrise I

Fiery Sunrise II

Don’t get me wrong; I love being up to see the sunrise at any time of the year, but the week after the time change always murders me.

How do you deal with the time change? If the majority of comments come in at 2am, I’ll know you’re also suffering from insomnia.

Posted in california, locations | 6 Responses »
Tags: california, landscape photography, sunrise photo

Photo of the Month–November

Monday, November 1st, 2010

I’ve been invoking many of my favorite authors’ perspectives lately: Abbey, Pirsig, and now Frost.

Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold,

Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.

–Robert Frost

In choosing my November image of the month, a repeating thought I had was, “Wow, autumn seems to have just arrived…its already bending under the weight of winter in some places!” In California, what seemed for many photographers to be a weekly rat race to the Sierra for fall color photography has come to an end; soon winter will take its extended, frigid hold on the mountains. While it may seem like a long season ahead, it gives us time to breathe deep and take in the scenery a bit.

Fog moves into El Capitan Meadow on a January afternoon, Yosemite National Park, California

Winter sets in, January 2010

November’s image of the month comes from the final day of 2009; I enjoyed a very quiet and solitary few hours walking around El Capitan Meadow searching for images. As sunset neared, fog started rising from the Merced River, filling the Valley floor. This image is iconic, but really brings back memories of that afternoon. Standing alone at the base of this magnificent monolith was the perfect way to end the year, and–I think–an ideal way to begin November.

Posted in california, national park, Photo of the month | 6 Responses »
Tags: landscape photography, yosemite

Here There Be Witches*

Monday, October 25th, 2010

Although the main draw of autumn in the mountains is the beautiful show put on by (among others) groves of aspens, I think that bare aspens that have dropped their leaves carry a certain mystique as well. Recently, while spending time in an aspen grove in the eastern Sierra, I noted this group of small trees that had already dropped their leaves. I loved the interplay between the writhing tree trunks, the naked branches, and the shadows in the background.

A grove of bare aspen trees near Convict Lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains

Spooky, October 2010

To process this image, I manually blended two images: one to accentuate the bright trunks and another to close off the shadows in the background. I further increased contrast during black and white conversion using Nik Silver Efex Pro and cropped a small amount of the grass out of the bottom of the frame.

*This is also the title of a book written by Jane Yolen; I just thought the image really screamed “spooky” and the name was appropriate.

Posted in california, sierra nevada | 4 Responses »
Tags: black and white, california, landscape photography, sierra nevada

A path into thin air

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

“In the high country of the mind one has to become adjusted to the thinner air of uncertainty…”–Robert M. Pirsig

Late last week, we decided to take a last-minute trip to the east side of the Sierra Nevada to visit the beautiful fall colors. Having grown up in the Rocky Mountains, my wife and I both miss the crisp air and changing colors of autumn. We arrived in Mammoth Lakes late Friday night, and I was able to photograph sunrise at nearby Convict Lake the following morning. Not only are the fall colors at the end of this image beautiful, but I love the textures present on Laurel Mountain, which is at the western border of the lake.

Sunrise at Convict Lake with Laurel Mountain in the background

Laurel Mountain alpenglow, October 2010

After shooting sunrise, I walked over to the aspen grove you see in the above photo. These days, it seems like photographers go hand-in-hand with aspen groves in the eastern Sierra. Some people might argue that the photographers outnumber the aspen trees! The beautiful thing about this aspen grove was that although small, I had it completely to myself. I was able to walk through the trees in silence, enjoying their beautiful show.

This time of year, the blogosphere is flooded with beautiful images of fall colors, however I have a confession. Photographing these aspen groves is difficult for me; while beautiful, Sierra aspen groves feel “chaotic” to me, and making an original composition is difficult. However, the quote that began this blog post applies to my feelings on my “dilemma.” One of the best lessons to learn as a landscape photographer, in my opinion, is to not force compositions out of the landscape, but rather to let the landscape guide you. In other words, when I found myself in this uncertain, chaotic situation, I had to let the landscape guide me, thinking outside of what I normally would do; that’s when the true creativity began to happen.