In the Moment:
Michael Frye's Landscape Photography Blog
by Michael Frye | Oct 11, 2012 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Big-leaf maple along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley (from late October a few years ago)
We had a great weekend with Sierra Art Trails. Sales were good, but it was especially nice to meet many online friends in person, and to renew old acquaintances. Thanks to all of you who stopped by!
I had a chance to check out the fall color in Yosemite Valley yesterday afternoon. Some of the maples and dogwoods are starting to turn, but I didn’t see a single tree that had fully changed. All the maples and dogwoods had at least some green leaves, and most were entirely green. At this point it looks like the autumn color in the Valley will peak near the end of October or beginning of November—the normal time.
Over on the eastern side of the Sierra the higher-elevation aspens started turning early this year, and are now mostly past peak. But recent reports I’ve heard indicate that the mid- to lower-elevation aspens are changing more slowly. They seem to be on a typical schedule, which means there should still be good color over on the eastside for another couple of weeks.
There’s a chance of rain and higher-elevation snow in the forecast for the next two days. The predictions don’t call for high winds, which is good news—strong winds could strip some of the yellow leaves off the trees. If Tioga Pass stays open I’m planning to head over to the eastern Sierra on Friday, so I can give you a first-hand report on the eastside color, and the effect of this weather system—if any.
—Michael Frye
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author and photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters, plus the eBooks Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, and Exposure for Outdoor Photography. He has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.
by Michael Frye | Oct 1, 2012 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Autumn sunset from Tunnel View, October 4th, 2009
October is such a great month for photography in the Sierra Nevada. The leaves are changing color, and the light is changing too as the sun shifts from it’s high summer position to the lower, more interesting angles of winter.
Early October is a perfect time to photograph two of Yosemite’s classic views—Tunnel View and Gates of the Valley. In summer, from either of these spots, the late-day sun illuminates Cathedral Rocks on the right, but not El Capitan on the left. In winter it’s the opposite—sunset light strikes El Capitan, but not Cathedral Rocks. But for about two weeks in early October and early March both these rock formations get hit by the late-afternoon sun, so the light is evenly balanced. This image from Tunnel View, made on October 4th, 2009, shows that balanced illumination.
Of course the biggest show of the month is put on by all those colorful autumn leaves. The aspens have already started turning on the east side of the mountains, and by the end of October the dogwoods, maples, cottonwoods, and oaks will be changing in Yosemite Valley. Last week I linked to an article that describes the typical progression of fall color in and around Yosemite, but here’s another link in case you missed it.
Happy October! I hope you all have a wonderful month.
—Michael Frye
Related Posts: Autumn Begins!; Autumn in Yosemite
by Michael Frye | Aug 29, 2012 | Composition, Photography Tips, Vision and Creativity
(A) Clouds and reflections, Tenaya Lake, Yosemite
At Tenaya Lake last week my workshop student and I watched and photographed a spectacular, constantly-changing cloud display for over two hours. I made many images, including the one at the top of this post (you can see two more here and here). With the lake in the foreground every composition included a prominent horizon line, so I was often thinking about where to place the horizon in the frame.
It’s not always an easy decision. If you’ve ever read any books on composition you probably learned about the rule of thirds. And when applied to horizons this means you should place the horizon a third of the way from the top or bottom of the photograph. And you probably also read that you should, at all costs, avoid putting the horizon in the center of the frame.
As many of you already know, I’m not a big fan of the rule of thirds. It’s too restrictive, too limiting when applied to the infinite number of possible subjects and situations a photographer can encounter. It’s useful sometimes, but shouldn’t be taken as dogma.
I think this applies to horizons as well. Sometimes putting the horizon a third of the way from the top or bottom works. Sometimes it’s better to ignore the rule and put the horizon right in the middle, or near the top or bottom of the frame.
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by Michael Frye | Aug 16, 2012 | Vision and Creativity
Reeds and Cloud Reflections no. 1
Planning
The future is uncertain, so we try to control it by planning. We think that if we do A and B the result will be C. But sometimes there are too many variables that we can’t account for, so the result might not be C—it could be D, or E, or even Z.
Photographers often try to plan. We imagine that if we go to a certain location at a certain time we’ll capture a certain photograph. Sometimes this works, but frequently the weather doesn’t cooperate or conditions aren’t right.
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by Michael Frye | Aug 15, 2012 | Announcements, Workshops
A January moonrise from Valley View, Yosemite
The Ansel Adams Gallery recently announced their 2013 workshops. I’m pleased to be teaching four Yosemite photography workshops for the Gallery next year—Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom: Mastering Lightroom (January); Spring Yosemite Digital Camera Workshop (April); Hidden Yosemite (July); and The Digital Landscape: Autumn in Yosemite (October).
As many of you know, I’m a big fan of Lightroom because it’s simple, yet powerful—easy to use, but sophisticated enough to get great results with almost any image. Last January was the first time I taught a workshop specifically focused on this tool: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom: Mastering Lightroom. This class was popular, and a lot of fun, so we’ll be doing it again next January. Of course it’s not all computer work—the workshop includes field sessions to photograph snowy January landscapes, the rising full moon, and, if we’re lucky, clearing storms. I’m really looking forward to it!
The other three workshops—Spring Yosemite Digital Camera Workshop, Hidden Yosemite, and The Digital Landscape—have been very popular in the past, and sometimes fill quickly, so be sure to reserve space early.
And stay tuned… I’ll be announcing more workshops within the next month.
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