Taking a break from the usual landscape stuff you’ll find here – don’t worry, it will be back soon! – I’d like to draw attention to a New York Times article posted today: “Images, the Law and War” (You may need to “join” the site there to see it.)
I’m not going to take sides here – not at the moment, anyway – on the question of whether President Obama is right or wrong to withhold the release of additional photographs that reveal painful truths about our treatment of captives in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have an opinion, but I’d rather you consider the article and the underlying issues it illustrates for yourself. The article, in my view, does an admirable job of laying out the complex and conflicting values that collide in questions like this one.
It also provides clear evidence of the power of photographic images and their ability to affect those who see them.
Sierra Journal reports that the opening of Sonora Pass is scheduled for May 22. This is significant for a number of reasons, including the following:
The availability of the Sonora Pass route considerably reduces the time/distance that SF Bay Area folks must drive to get to the eastern Sierra.
This suggests that other routes like Ebbetts and Monitor Pass will also be open at that time.
Tioga Pass often seems to open within about a week of the opening of Sonora. If that happens this time we could guess that Tioga might open before the end of May.
Some folks have written asking for ideas and advice about visiting Death Valley. (My first advice is go last month – too hot now!) In response I decided to start writing something that summarizes my experience (which is significant, but nowhere near that of the real DV experts) in the park, especially as it pertains to photographic locations and times of day/year to visit.
I originally thought I’d finish it right after my return from the park at the beginning of April. Didn’t happen… Instead, as I wrote the darn thing kept getting longer and longer. Today I decided to illustrate it with some of my DV photographs, and then I sat back and made a longer outline of the subjects I will eventually cover.
All of this is my way of saying that there eventually will be an article here on photographing Death Valley… but please be patient.
I can’t believe I neglected to mention this earlier, but John Wall asked me to be one of a group of California photographers contributing to the California Nature Photography blog. When John asked, I said “yes” immediately – partly because I’ve seen his work and like it and partly because he came up with a really fine idea for this blog. Wander on over and take a look, and while you are there subscribe to the blog’s RSS feed – you’ll find the link way at the bottom of the home page there.
I have a few posts planned in the near term, with likely photography subjects including Point Lobos, Death Valley, and possibly Muir Woods. I’m certain to post on “my” Sierra Nevada before long now that spring is here and summer is not far behind. I offered my first post there last week, a little piece on California’s “impossibly green” season. I had intended to post earlier… but with all the other interesting posts I decided to wait for a brief lull in the action!
Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.
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