yosemite summer 2005
A day in Yosemite, at anytime of the year, is better than a day anywhere else, at anytime ... period! Some have said that Yosemite in the summer is crowed, hot and not the time to be in the valley. I refer back to the opening statement and think it's more a matter of being more creative than a question of logistics.
Our Sierra high camp loop trip was put on hold this year (rescheduled for next year) because of a huge snow pack last winter and a very late spring thaw that eventually produced floods when it did happen. The high camps, except for the two on the Tioga road, did not open for the 2005 season leaving us scrambling for alternatives. The small group of us that just could not imagine a summer without the Yosemite, instead participated in a series of day hikes that produced some great moments, some new friends and some very nice photography.
We covered one of the high camps at May Lake this year, along with hikes out to the top of North Dome, the Panorama Trail from Glacier Point to Illilouette Fall, Nevada and Vernal falls to Happy Isles, one of the most spectacular in all of Yosemite. We tackled the Four Mile Trail (actually 4.6 miles) from Glacier Point to the Valley floor and were rewarded with great views of Sentinel Rock along the valley and all the way down. We concluded with a magical hike from Sentinel Dome trail head on the Pohono Trail out to Taft, Dewey, Sanford and down to old Inspiration Point where Ansel Adams took his Clearing Winter Storm photo. The hike ended at at the tunnel view.
There were many highlights of the week. Sunrises in the Sierra are hard to match anywhere and sunset can be as magical. While hiking the park gives a special perspective that most never see, the photography only changes in the respect that you must carry the gear with you. This means that you must photograph when you are there, as waiting for light is not always possible. On a 10 mile hike it's best to be off the trail before dark, unless you are camping out the night. Backpacking allows you to wait for the light, but it limits the equipment you can carry. The best of both worlds is accomplished with the use of the high sierra camps, where you just have to carry clothes and camaras.
During the workshop, we covered about 40 miles of back country and strolled the meadows for sunrise and sunsets. In my pack, along with Gitzo 1227 and Acratech ballhead strapped to the side, were my Canon 1Ds, 24-70 2.8L, 70-200 2.8L IS, 24 Tilt/Shift and 14 2.8L and 1.4 X. Also in the pack were the Canon angle finder C and Lightning Trigger. My photo vest contained all filters, reflectors, micro drives and all small related items. I travel with the Lowepro Mini-Trekker inside my Gregory backpack. This gives me the option of breaking down the gear for the different hikes. On a regular backpack I use the Gregory with side pouches for lenses with the rest inside. On shorter day hikes requiring only water, light food and photo gear I find these can be done with the mini. Comfort and balance are the key to any hike. I would not go anywhere on a trail without my Leki hiking poles.
Roaming the trails gives the time and dedication to pick and choose locations. It's not a lot different than car shooting in the sense that you usually have to leave the trail to find an angle or point of view, just as you must the road itself. The real difference is the pace at which the entire process is done. Having the hours of daylight as the only constraint gives a freedom that I especially like.
In the top image of Indian Arch I used the Canon 24 Tilt/Shift lens for perspective control. Indian Arch is only one of two natural arches found in the park and is a slight distance off the trail to North Dome from the Tioga road. Having a good tripod that can be made to function in almost any situation was key here. The lens rise made it possible to be very close, yet not tilt the camera up which would have distorted the image. A Singh-Ray warming polarizer filter helped both the sky and the shaded granite rock while accentuating the warmth of the reflected light in the arch from underneath.
El Capitian is shown here as a companion to the winter image that was used for the cover of the DVD Yosemite In Winter. In the summer months, the sun is at a much higher angle and produces much different light. In the winter months, the light is almost a spotlight in effect while summer light is more even. This allows for a great deal more flexibility in the time to photograph before the image is "too hot" or the contrast to sharp. It also gives a much more uniform illumination to the foreground. In short, it's just a different image at this time of year!
Half Dome from North Dome, the third image on this page, is most likely the best look at the face of Half Dome one can have anywhere in the park. Only a mile or so across Tanya Canyon, the monolith that is the park's landmark seems touchable from this vantage point. Yosemite is mostly granite rock and the fight for life on this huge rounded dome struck me as a story in itself. 
A young pine and a lightning stuck ghost seemed the perfect composition. The afternoon light made the detail of Half Dome even more stark and the wind that came and went, while not recordable here, gave me pause for thought of survival at 9,000 feet.
The trees and moon in Tuolumne Meadows image were difficult to compose. In the dark before dawn, the trees were pure silhouette and the foreground too dark. The multiple trees to the right were the attraction for me as I set the moon above and the single lone tree to anchor. Once again the use of the tilt/shift lens gave me a composition that did not "bend or fall" in the frame. Both a Singh-Ray reverse ND, for the bright horizon, and 5 stop soft graduated filter were used to even the exposure. Trying as I might to keep the shutter speed faster than one second to hold movement of the moon, I was not successful, but by stopping down to f/16 for one frame I produced the star effect that ultimately was pleasing.
The Valley View composition is a favorite of mine. Each time I try to add something to make it distinguishable from previous images. A very slow shutter speed, made possible by use of the Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter in combination with their Blue/Gold Polarizer, seem to do for this summer's effort!
The Photographer on the rock outcropping of Dewey Point high above El Capitian across the valley wraps it all up in words and image ... Yosemite, the range of light!
More of my images from the workshop are found in the gallery heading:
Want to be with us next year? Yosemite in Winter and Yosemite High Sierra Camp Loop backpack both have limited availability. See you out there!
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