Ever think much about Contrails? Air travel is great, but it often pains photographers day and night. During long exposures at night you’ll often see plane lights streaking across a dark sky and during the day you’ll frequently see contrails polluting the sky. On a trip to Yosemite last summer it became painfully evident how bad contrail pollution is, while taking in the scenery at the Tunnel View lookout
Witnessing moments in nature when something is clearly at the end of it’s journey is always bitter sweet. Rather than focus on that which is sorrowful at the end of such natural cycles, I think to the sweeter moments when that cycle begins anew. To quote a great author and Transcendentalist: The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
This week was Ansel Adams birthday, he would have been 110, and one of his lesser known photo subjects that caught my eye long ago was his photos of Devils Postpile National Monument. I have to admit I had a soft spot for Devils Postpile due to the geology of the basalt columns to begin with, but his take on the formation as a photo subject always inspired me. Truly a fascinating place to explore and photograph. Happ
Ever have a moment where you’re out with your camera and you think to yourself that there isn’t anything to photograph? I’ve had my moments in the past where this thought has crossed my mind, but over the years such notions have disappeared from my thought process. There is always something to photograph. Always! Enter my world of nerdy thoughts… zero. The number zero. Did you ever stop to thi
One of the many things to love about Yosemite valley is that once you get past those big grand landscapes the valley starts to speak to you in subtle ways. Heading home on my way out of the valley this reflection caught my eye. This scene could have easily been overlooked for a view of a near by waterfall or a dramatic valley wall photo, but it was the slow meandering flow of the Merced river that caught my eye. Not
Seeing that we’re about to end another week I thought a sunset / dusk photo might be in order. Pictured below is the north western section of San Francisco (Sea Cliff, Outer Richmond, the Golden Gate Park and Outer Sunset) as seen from the Marin Headlands on a mildly foggy evening at dusk. Note the solid horizontal band dividing the city lights is Golden Gate Park. I should also note as we transition into the w
A little over a week ago I was working with a great client in the Owens Valley on a private workshop at Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve. Our session was timed perfectly after a large storm passed through the area and we were treated to great star trail photography conditions. At the time the moon was at 20% visibility which provided just enough light to give the tufas some needed side lighting and made them a gr
Fitting quote for the week as we wrap up a week here in the United States commemorating the life of Martin Luther King Jr.: Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. – Martin Luther King, Jr. If you ever show up to a location you’ve had your heart set on to photograph only to find that the weather isn’t up to your expectation this