Photographer Franka M. Gabler, John Muir Wilderness. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
Photographer Franka M. Gabler at work in the John Muir Wilderness.
A band of photographers, informally referred to by some as the “First Light Group,” has been photographing in the Sierra Nevada backcountry for nearly two decades as a group — and much longer as individuals. A core group has been there since the beginning, a few no longer join us (though they are present on every trip in our conversations), and others have joined the group subsequent to the first trip. I’m in the latter group, having gone along for about a decade. A remarkable collection of photographic work has come from the group over the years, and there is a story about this endeavor that warrants being told more widely.
At times the group has been sponsored by various entities. At one time the Yosemite Conservancy was a major supporter. On several occasions that group has been self-supporting. This past summer we were generously supported by Yosemite Renaissance. Our collaboration with them had several goals. They, of course, want to support artists creating work related to Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada — they were interested in learning about the logistics of putting artists in the backcountry for periods long enough to do significant work, something that the First Light folks know a lot about. They wanted to share in the experience of producing artistic work this way. As part of the latter goal several artists accompanied us this year, including photographer Franka M. Gabler, who is seen at work in this photograph.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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