In the Moment:
Michael Frye's Landscape Photography Blog
by Michael Frye | Jun 20, 2011 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Sunset at Tenaya Lake, Saturday evening
Tioga Pass opened Saturday, making the Yosemite high country accessible again. We always like to see this terrain when it’s still covered in snow—a taste of winter in May or even June—so Claudia and I drove up on Saturday afternoon. There was a lot of snow, but based on reports we heard during the last two weeks we actually expected more. The recent warm weather has melted the snowpack quickly. But, as you can see from the short video below, we found some large snow banks, and Tenaya and Tioga Lakes were still mostly frozen.
Skies became increasingly overcast Saturday afternoon, so I photographed abstract patterns and subtle colors in the ice at Tenaya Lake, not expecting much of a sunset. But late in the day I noticed a hint of purple in the clouds, and soon the sky exploded into shades of red, allowing me to capture the image at the top of this post.
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by Michael Frye | Jun 15, 2011 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Abundant mist created an exceptionally wide lunar rainbow on Upper Yosemite Fall last night.
The National Park Service announced today that Tioga Pass will open this Saturday at 8 a.m. Last year the high country still held tons of snow on opening day, and it was wintry and beautiful. It sounds like there’s even more snow this year, and I’m looking forward to seeing it!
Meanwhile, the warmest temperatures of the year have created minor flooding in Yosemite Valley. The highest water levels are expected tomorrow morning, and Swinging Bridge will probably be underwater. Some road closures are possible, and some campsites may be evacuated (perhaps already have?), but it looks like there won’t be any major closures in the near future. However, there’s still plenty of snow at higher elevations, and hot weather is expected to return in the middle of next week, so it seems likely that we’ll see more minor flooding by next Wednesday or Thursday.
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by Michael Frye | Jun 13, 2011 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Misty sunrise from Tunnel View, 6/6
After a long, cool spring, the weather in Yosemite has finally warmed up. Increasing snowmelt has raised the volume of the waterfalls, and partially flooded the meadows. And it’s supposed to get warmer: temperatures are predicted to reach eighty or above tomorrow and Wednesday. The waterfalls will only get bigger, and the meadows will turn into giant reflecting ponds. The Merced River is expected to reach flood stage by tomorrow night, and peak early Thursday morning. Flooding will probably be minor, but road closures are possible.
All this happens at just the right time for people hoping to photograph the lunar rainbow during the upcoming full moon. Once again, here’s a link to Don Olson’s site with his predictions for when the moonbow will be visible from the bridge below Lower Yosemite Fall, and from Cook’s Meadow. Note that the lower fall will probably be much too wet for photography—it will be impossible to keep spray off the lens. Also, here’s a link to one of my previous posts with tips for photographing this event.
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by Michael Frye | Jun 3, 2011 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
A) Dogwood, Pine and Cedar
On Wednesday morning Claudia and I woke early and headed up to Yosemite Valley. The sky was overcast, although the sun threatened to break through at times. After recording footage for a video I’m working on (more about that later), we decided to drive up the Wawona Road to look at dogwoods. As we ascended, we drove into the clouds, and into a patch of fog clinging to an area of burned trees.
As I photographed this area, the fog thickened, and I thought a group of dogwoods lower down might have become enveloped in the mist. Sure enough, they had, which made me happy. What could be better than dogwoods in mist? I spent a couple of hours composing photographs.
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by Michael Frye | Apr 28, 2011 | Critiques
"Bonsai Waves" by Mat Malone
Composition
This week’s photograph was made by Mat Malone along the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe, Nevada. What first caught my eye about this image was the composition, with the layered, repeating shapes of the foreground rocks leading the eyes toward the more distant rock with the “bonsai” trees.
In some other critiques I’ve taken issue with foregrounds that didn’t seem to work, that really didn’t add to the photograph. This, on the other hand, is a strong foreground, something that contributes greatly to the overall effect of the image.
Mat told me, “When I was composing this I was really trying find an interesting set of lines that I could incorporate into the foreground. Along the shore I found a few large boulders next to each other that also lined up with the bonsai rock. Then it was just a matter of finding a perch for my tripod with a height that gave the rocks the separation I liked, and waiting for the light.”
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