In the Moment:
Michael Frye's Landscape Photography Blog
by Michael Frye | Dec 15, 2010 | Critiques
“Rabbitbrush and Storm” by David Thomas
First, my new eBook, Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, will actually be released tonight at 1:00 a.m. PST, not today as I said previously. I’ll have more details in my next post tomorrow morning.
On to the critique…
This week’s photograph was made by David Thomas near Bishop, California, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada.
Light
David said that he and his dad were driving north on Highway 395 when he noticed a storm gathering over the Sierra crest beyond this dense field of rabbitbrush, “perfectly arranged, waiting to be composed.” The clouds, falling rain, and patch of blue sky provide a dramatic background, and the yellow flowers add an eye-catching foreground. There’s actually not much sun in the scene, but that works well here, especially on the rabbitbrush, where sunlight would have created harsh shadows and visual confusion. The soft light brings out the yellow color of the bushes and helps simplify the scene. The combination of blue sky and yellow flowers creates a nice warm-cool color contrast.
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by Michael Frye | Nov 23, 2010 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Another cold storm arrived early this morning. Rain turned to snow at my house in Mariposa about an hour ago, and the sky is full of big, fat flakes. I was in Yosemite Valley yesterday afternoon, and found about a foot of wet snow in the meadows. There could be another foot before this latest storm ends. Looks like we’ll have a white Thanksgiving!
There’s still some nice fall color in Yosemite Valley, especially in the eastern end. The oaks adjacent to Cook’s Meadow and the Ahwahnee Meadow have retained most of their leaves, and you can find colorful dogwoods between Curry Village and the Ahwahnee Hotel.
From the comments on my previous post it sounds like many of you braved the slippery roads and made it up to Yosemite this past weekend. It was a beautiful weekend, and I bet some of you got great photos! I’m always interested in seeing what people have captured, so please feel free to include links to images in the comments.
Sunset clouds over Cathedral Rocks yesterday evening
by Michael Frye | Nov 19, 2010 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Photographer at Tunnel View on a snowy morning
When I wrote my post the other day (First Snow?) it looked like Yosemite Valley might get a few inches of snow this weekend. Now forecasters are predicting one to two feet above 4000 feet, and 8 to 12 inches above 3000 feet. There’s a big difference in driving conditions between the two scenarios. Please go only if you’re really prepared to deal with serious winter driving.
If you do still go you’ll have to bring chains of course, but make sure they actually fit! Try them on in your driveway first. It’s no fun attempting to put chains on for the first time in the middle of a blizzard, only to find that they’re too small. Also, I recommend taking Highway 140, as this is the lowest elevation route into Yosemite Valley. However it looks like even this route will have snow outside the park near Midpines on Saturday night and Sunday.
If you’re an experienced winter driver, by all means go, and have a good time! If you’re not experienced you might want to rethink your plans.
by Michael Frye | Nov 18, 2010 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Forecasters are
expecting a cold stormto arrive this weekend. The snow level is predicted to drop to 4000 or 5000 feet on Saturday, and possibly lower on Sunday. Yosemite Valley, at 4000 feet, may get its first snow of the season.
While the fall color is past peak, the oaks have kept most of their leaves, so we could see that rare combination of snow and fall color this weekend.
In the meantime, a stretch of warm weather has allowed Tioga Pass to reopen, but it will probably close again when the forecast storm arrives around Friday night.
It could be a great weekend for photography in Yosemite, but if you come make sure you’re prepared for winter driving! Four-wheel drive is very helpful, but you’re required to carry chains even if you have four-wheel drive.
I may be in the valley on Sunday, so if you see me be sure to say hello. Good luck!
by Michael Frye | Nov 18, 2010 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Half Dome and the Merced River, 7:41 a.m., November 8th
Even on a hot, crowded, cloudless day in August Yosemite Valley is a beautiful place. But sometimes it outdoes itself and puts on a show.
Last Monday, November 8th, was one of those days. At the peak of fall color, a rainstorm cleared during the night and left beautiful mist and clouds in its wake. As I wrote earlier, I found photographs everywhere.
I know a few other photographers who were in Yosemite Valley that day, and I thought it would be fun to see what everyone else did, and collect a portfolio of images—a portrait of Yosemite on one autumn day. So I’ve set up a Flickr group to do just that. If you were in Yosemite on November 8th, please upload some of your images so we can all see them. There are no limits to how many photographs you can include, but try to edit and show only your best work. Subject matter could be anything; the only restriction is that the photographs must have been made within the borders of Yosemite National Park on November 8th, 2010. And if you know anyone who was in Yosemite that day who might not read this blog, please send them a link and urge them to submit.
I’ve started things off by uploading 14 of my images from that day to the Flickr group. I look forward to seeing what everyone else captured!
