Glowing Orange

As mentioned in the last post, the Merced River canyon had a fantastic poppy bloom this spring, while most of the other widflower hotspots were subpar. I spent a warm Easter Sunday photographing the bright orange blooms along the Hite Cove trail. After a couple of hours, I wanted to move on and check out another spot that I’d explored in 2009, a side road along the river near El Portal. Read the rest of this post »

Must Like Orange

While most of the famed California wildflower hotspots sit dormant this spring, one location stands out above the rest. The Merced River canyon in Mariposa County is a scenic spot that is a great warm-up for Yosemite Valley, which is the ultimate destination for travelers along Highway 140 through the canyon. In the spring, the steep hillsides become green after winter rains, which sets the stage for an awesome spectacle in some years. Read the rest of this post »

Merced Muffins

My last stop for the day on this late-winter Yosemite trip was the Valley View area, on the western side of the Valley. The snow was closing back in by this time, and I figured that I would head out of the park before the chain controls were hoisted again. Before I left, though, I wanted to revisit this popular spot for some snow-covered river rocks. Read the rest of this post »

Iced Falls

As I made my way through Yosemite Valley on March 18, the departing winter storm was still hanging on. The clouds were breaking and sun was peeking through, but it was intermittent at best and I focused on smaller subjects for a while. After an hour or so, the clouds cleared a bit more and allowed some sun to break through. This light provided fantastic shadows along the snow-coated Valley walls. Read the rest of this post »

Infinite Orange

Wildflower season has gotten off to a slow start this year in the great state of California. The early and mid-winter months were very dry; the weather pattern was dominated by high pressure, which steered all of the usual winter storms farther north into the Pacific Northwest. The lack of rainfall for most of the winter season is a contributing factor, but the late winter and early spring weather pattern is also to blame. Read the rest of this post »

Spring Snow

The calendar may read April, but Mother Nature doesn’t seem to care. Winter in California is still hanging on; the weather pattern has shifted from high pressure, which dominated January and a good part of February, to a series of Pacific storm systems that has brought rain and mountain snow to the thirsty state. The contrast from previous years is stark; two years ago, the beginnings of an epic wildflower bloom were in progress at this time.   Read the rest of this post »

Photometeor

After a chilly night at Curry Village, I awoke before sunrise to an overcast sky.  A weak weather disturbance was passing by to the east, bringing clouds and a few snow flurries to the Sierra Nevada.  I had checked the forecast before I left home so I figured that the clouds would eventually clear out, much like they had the day before, so I wasn’t too worried about the photo opportunities later in the day.  But what to photograph in the meantime? Read the rest of this post »

Fire Without the Falls

As mentioned a couple of posts ago, my President’s Day trip to Yosemite had one main goal – to photograph Horsetail Falls.  During the latter half of February, the setting sun strikes the small waterfall that cascades down the eastern face of El Capitan and turns it bright orange and red.  This phenomenon has become very popular over the past several years, attracting photographers from far and wide to Yosemite Valley.  This was to be the first time I had attempted this shot. Read the rest of this post »

Veiled Dome

The Sentinel Bridge over the Merced River is a favorite shooting spot of many photographers, including yours truly.  Although I’ve shot many a picture from this bridge, I just can’t resist the urge to shoot another each time I’m in Yosemite Valley.  One of my signature images was taken from this bridge in January 2011.  The bridge affords a beautiful view of Half Dome, which in the winter can be absolutely spectacular. Read the rest of this post »

Spotlight

The purpose of my trip to Yosemite over President’s Day weekend was to capture the famous (or infamous, if you are crowd-averse) “firefalls” phenomenon.  However, on the first day, the western horizon was blocked by clouds for most of the afternoon, so I made alternate plans for sunset. Read the rest of this post »

• Archives

  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010

• Photography

  • Home
  • Portfolios
  • Image Library