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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!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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(Mis)adventures in Joshua Tree

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Last week, a friend and I headed out to Joshua Tree National Park to continue our search for kangaroo rats.  Also, partly due to the hot temperatures in the Mojave Desert (110°F+), we also were treated to some magnificent thunderstorms over the mountains and desert.  Indeed, it felt really good being back in some weather.  At times, thunder and lightning were within 1/2 mile of us, and I had forgotten how much I missed the smell of a summer thunderstorm.

A thunderstorm in Joshua Tree National Park, California

August Thunderstorm, Joshua Tree National Park, 2010

As the sun neared the horizon, I got what I had been hoping for: a magnificent sunset.  Even though the light show didn’t last long, it was one of my favorite times as a photographer: a state of suspended animation where time seems to slow to a halt.  It was one of those times when you almost forget to be a photographer and stare at the sky with your mouth open.

Dramatic, fiery sunset in joshua tree national park, califronia

Fiery sunset I, August 2010

Fiery, dramatic sunset in joshua tree national park, california

Fiery sunset II, August 2010

After the show ended, we started a drive through the park, hoping to find some critters along the road…kangaroo rats, snakes, toads, or anything else.  Indeed, we found something very interesting (and unexpected): Common Poorwills (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii).  Poorwills are nocturnal birds that roost on the ground, flying straight upwards to catch insects.  We found several Poorwills in a short distance and decided to use my car to drive close to them, hoping to photograph them.  It was at this point we added the “mis-” to our adventure.

In trying to get the Poorwills to cooperate, I had my car engine off for five minutes but left my headlights on.  Yeah, you can see where this is going.  Or can you?

After doing that, i started my engine and drove around for a few minutes.  I shut my engine off again a few minutes later (headlights also off), while we photographed a Poorwill along side the road.  However, when I tried starting my engine again, nothing happened.  It simply didn’t make sense, but I could only assume that I hadn’t run the engine long enough for the alternator to recharge the battery.  Maybe the starter motor had broken.  Whatever was happening wasn’t good–it was late (about 9:30pm) and we were not on the main park road.

We managed to get the car into neutral and to the main road.  After this, we waited.  It took about 1.5 hours for someone to drive by.  Unfortunately, he didn’t have jumper cables, and I had moved mine to my wife’s car only a few days before this trip.  The gentleman who stopped did offer to call our wives once he had cell service.  At least they wouldn’t flip out when they woke up the next morning to missing husbands!

My wife did call a wrecker, which showed up at our location about 2 hours later.  The driver gave us a jump start, and we were on our way, laughing about lessons learned, arriving home about 3am, without photos of kangaroo rats.

What does one do when waiting for help in the middle of the night?  This photographer takes photos.

night scene in joshua tree national park, california

Waiting for a tow, August 2010

Oh, and just to prove there actually was a nocturnal bird at fault for our misadventure, here you go:

Common Poorwill, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii), August 2010

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Ghost Stories

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Sometimes you never know what to expect in the desert.  Death Valley National Park is home to hundreds (maybe thousands) of old mines, and on our last trip, we explored the remains of an old talc mine near Ibex Dunes–the Rainbow Talc Mine.  There were a lot of remnants strewn around the mine site (scrap metal, etc), and the shafts were really well preserved.  While not getting close to the edges, it was interesting to poke around and wonder what it was like to mine this area.

Remnants of a talc mine, Death Valley National Park, California

Remnants of the Rainbow Talc Mine, February 2010

Upon leaving, my friend and I happened to notice a note scratched into a piece of scrap metal near the mine’s remains.  It said “We ‘saw’ the two big tall men carrying big packs! “ and was dated 2 days before our visit.  Could something have happened here that is causing the miners to linger, more than 30 years after its abandonment?

Note found at rainbow talc mine

Do you think we were being watched?

While I don’t believe in ghosts, I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder once or twice as we hiked out…just to make sure we weren’t being watched.

Have you ever had a spook while out on an adventure?  If so, please share it in the comments!

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Stillness

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

After leaving the Sierra high country, we hiked near the base of Half Dome (yes, we did climb it!), through Little Yosemite Valley, and eventually into Yosemite Valley itself.  While it was nice to have some of the luxuries of civilization (e.g. showers, flush toilets and beer), coming off the trail into that much chaos is a little overwhelming.   We spent the next day in the Valley picnicking, sight seeing and relaxing.  That night, we drove up to Glacier Point for one last look at the Yosemite high country, and to escape the crowds a bit.

On the way up to Glacier Point are some fantastic meadows that have gorgeous wildflowers, peaking in about mid-July.  Those meadows also have huge numbers of mosquitoes, so I didn’t spend long.

We spent most of our time enjoying the view from Glacier Point, reminiscing about the adventure we’d just had, and looking forward to the next one.  Not a bad end to a backpacking trip by any stretch of the imagination.

Half Dome, yosemite national park, california

Half Dome, July 2010

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The Cathedral Range

Monday, August 16th, 2010

After reading Lyell Canyon, we hiked into Tuolumne Meadows–and civilization.  I have to admit that I feel like a bit of a prat “complaining” about re-entry into civilization after “only” 5 days in the backcountry, but I felt so relaxed and at ease from our adventures thus far, it was difficult to cope with suddenly being surrounded by cars, pets, and people…everywhere.  But, the cheeseburger I bought at the Meadow Grill was very welcome!

We had somewhat heavy rain all afternoon, and a fantastic sunset that night.  Unfortunately, I rode to Lee Vining with my wife and son to have dinner and help her get ready to join us on the trail the next morning.  She was more than a little excited for her first backpacking trip, and I couldn’t blame her.  How many people get to have their first backpacking experience among the most beautiful and awe-inspiring scenery in the world?

The following morning, with my friend and wife as company, we headed out towards Yosemite Valley, crossing over the Cathedral Range towards Sunrise High Sierra Camp (HSC).  The HSCs are fantastic camps with all the comforts at home.  We did our own cooking, but did enjoy not having to filter our water.  I also have to confess that I enjoyed the Minarets and the Ritter Range so much that I though the best scenery was behind us, but the views of the Echo Peaks, Mathes Crest, and Cathedral Range were among the finest of the entire trip.

That evening, I hiked up on top of a dome near Sunrise HSC to photograph these fantastic geological features.

Cathredral range at sunset

Cathedral Peak, the Echo Peaks, and Mathes Crest, July 2010

Echo Peaks, Yosemite National Park, California

The Echo Peaks, July 2010

Stream in Yosemite National Park, California

Stream in Long Meadow, July 2010

It really was a fantastic evening, and was just a taste of what was to come.

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Lyell Canyon

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

After leaving Thousand Island Lake, we continued north on the John Muir Trail, over Island Pass, and toward Donahue Pass.  The summit of Donahue Pass marked not only the entrance to a new watershed, but also the border between the Ansel Adams Wilderness (Inyo National Forest) and Yosemite National Park.

As expected, climbing 1300′ from Rush Creek to the summit of Donahue was not super enjoyable, and neither were the clouds of mosquitoes–probably the worst we’d encountered on our trip so far.  At one point, I set my pack down to have a snack, drink, and to rest my shoulders, and I counted about 40 mosquitoes on the shoulder straps!  However, bigger things were afoot today, as we watched the cumulus clouds condensing above us, and the thunderheads starting to build!  How exciting…perhaps my “curse” of photographing a cloudless Sierra would finally be broken.

By the time we arrived at the summit of Donahue Pass, the clouds were thick and thunder was rumbling all around us.  This is when my inner photographer began battling with my common sense.  The landscape on the Yosemite side of Donahue pass is among the most beautiful I’ve seen–fields of rich red Indian Paintbrush, gorgeous hanging valleys, a truly stunning alpine environment.  However, something inside tells me that its unwise to be above timberline when there is active lightning.  We chose to err on the side of survival and didn’t linger long for photos.

Despite my regrets about that, we did arrive in the bottom of Lyell Canyon with enough daylight to allow me to explore pretty extensively with my camera.  All of the side streams in the area (collectively known as the “Lyell Forks” of the Tuolumne River) and ever-present wildflowers, I had a fantastic time.  Plus, much to my pleasure, the mosquitoes were not bad–compared to the previous few days, I felt like they were nonexistent.  Yay!

Lyell Canyon and Donahue Pass, Yosemite National Park

Lyell Canyon and Donahue Pass, July 2010

Lupine photo, Yosemite National Park

Lupine, July 2010

After dinner, I took another walk, heading back south, toward Donahue Pass.  My knees prevented me from hiking too far, but I did find some fantastic corn lilies (Clintonia borealis), which make fantastic abstract photos during the summer when they’re at their peak.

corn lilies and log, yosemite national park, california

Corn Lilies, July 2010

Finally, while walking back, I saw a fantastic sunset materializing through the trees.  While I didn’t have time to run back out to the open meadow, I did find an open area where I could use the river as a foreground element.  I can’t really complain at the way this image came out, making a fantastic ending to the day.

lyell forks of the tuolumne river, yosemite national park, california

Lyell Forks of the Tuolumne River, July 2010

As I laid in the tent that night, I looked forward to meeting my wife and son the next day in Tuolumne Meadows, and drifted off to sleep with visions of flush toilets, cold beer, and the Whoa Nellie Deli dancing through my head, not necessarily in that order.

To see all of my Yosemite images, click here.

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Bleak

Monday, July 19th, 2010

I’ve been playing around with some older RAW files lately, and remembered a series of shots from my February Death Valley trip.  When we arrived in the park, we immediately walked a short distance out into Badwater (Lake Manly when it has water in it), just to admire the scene.  Afterwards, we drove up the road, turned on to the West Side Road and were blown away by the amount of water present.  Overall, the light was drab, and I wasn’t too excited about the photos I was getting.

However, I’ve been able to resurrect some of these “blah” images as black and white photos–the clouds were present, the contrast and tonality was present, why not make a black and white image?  To that end, here are a couple of images.


Panamint Mountains, Late Afternoon, February 2010

storm in death valley national park, california

Stormy Skies, February 2010

The lesson here is simple: like these images AND in Death Valley, things may appear bleak on the surface, but if you’re willing to take the time and dig into them, you can find beauty just about anywhere.

To see all of my Death Valley images, click here.

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