by Michael Frye | Mar 29, 2015 | Composition
Backcountry road in autumn with the San Miguel Range in the distance, Uncompahgre NF, CO, USA
Varying the focal length of your lens allows you change a composition easily without moving your feet. This is certainly convenient, and sometimes it’s essential: there may be only one suitable camera position, which means changing lenses or zooming is the only way to alter how much of the scene will be visible in your photograph.
But using a wider or longer lens also changes the perspective. Understanding how this works allows you to control the sense of depth in your images.
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by Michael Frye | Mar 22, 2015 | Photography Tips
Paintbrush and lupine near Tioga Pass, Yosemite NP, CA, USA
Although spring officially began two days ago, here in California we’ve had springlike conditions since February, while in the northeast spring is just a rumor. But flowers will bloom everywhere, eventually, and it’s a great season for photography.
Though I usually prefer to photograph flowers as part of a landscape, sometimes I enjoy doing closeups as well. This image was made in the Yosemite high country a few years ago, with part of a paintbrush in focus, and out-of-focus lupines in the foreground. This technique of using out-of-focus flowers to create a wash of color, and an impressionistic look, is fun to try, but tricky. It requires a densely-packed group of flowers, and a lot of experimentation. Here are some tips:
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by Michael Frye | Mar 16, 2015 | Announcements
Orchard with sunbeams and fog, Sacramento Valley, California
I’m pleased to announce that once again The Ansel Adams Gallery is sponsoring a special print sale of two of my photographs, at 25% off the normal price. The two images we selected for this offer are Orchard With Sunbeams and Fog, Sacramento Valley, California, and Moon Rising Above the Valley, Yosemite National Park. These two photographs have never been exhibited at a gallery or sold before, although, as many of you know, both of these images were voted by my readers to be included in my best images of 2014, and the Orchard With Sunbeams and Fog photograph was the top vote-getter.
My signed, limited-edition 16×20 prints usually sell for $325, but during this sale you can get one for only $244. Or you can purchase a 20×24 print, normally $475, for only $356. This is a rare chance to purchase one of my photographs at a reduced price, but the sale lasts for just six days, until Sunday, March 22nd, at 6:00 PM Pacific time. Visit the Ansel Adams Gallery website to purchase a print or get more details.
Here are the stories behind the photographs:
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by Michael Frye | Mar 14, 2015 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Redbud, rocks, and the Merced River (April 2002)
I had a chance to drive up the Merced River Canyon (west of Yosemite along Highway 140) yesterday to check on the flowers. It’s not turning into a good year for poppies in this area. There are scattered patches of poppies in shadier spots, but all the south-facing slopes look very dry. There are very few poppies near the beginning of the Hite’s Cove Trail, on Grandy’s Hill, or any of the other prime poppy locations.
But the redbuds are looking great. Overall, they’re close to their peak now, or maybe just before peak. The redbuds in the western half of the canyon are a little further along, and in prime condition, with most in full bloom, less than 5% leafing out, and maybe 10-20% not quite in full bloom yet. The redbuds in the eastern half of the canyon are not quite at peak yet. I saw one or two leafing out, but maybe 60% were in full bloom, while 40% were still on their way. But there are many vibrant, beautiful specimens throughout the canyon, and it looks like one of the better years for redbuds I’ve seen lately.
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by Michael Frye | Mar 12, 2015 | Composition
Clouds and reflections, Tenaya Lake, Yosemite
Does every landscape photograph need a foreground? Not always. Some of the world’s most memorable landscape photographs lack any foreground – like Moon and Half Dome by Ansel Adams, or Galen Rowell’s Last Light on Horsetail Fall (go to page 2).
On the other hand, many classic landscape images do have foregrounds – prominent ones – like another Ansel Adams photograph, Mount Williamson from Manzanar, or many images by landscape master David Muench.
So how do you know when to include a foreground in your own landscapes? Ask yourself these questions:
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