Tag Archives: photographer

Michael Frye on fall photography in Yosemite and the Sierra

Michael Frye has just posted a very useful guide to fall photography in Yosemite and the Sierra at his blog. Frye has a great deal of experience here, especially with The Valley itself – you may know him as the author of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite.

I was interested to read that he really loves November photography in The Valley – as it is also at the top of my list of great times for photography there. Right at the beginning of the month I love to shoot the fall colors – wonderful big leaf maples, red leaves of dogwood trees, and the brown to golden colors of the oaks and the dry meadows. I find the weather during this month to be some of the most conducive to photography… basically you can run into almost anything: the first real snows of the season, arriving and clearing storms ringing the Valley walls with clouds, beautiful golden light of autumn, waterfalls that may come back to life after autumn rain, and much more.

Micheal Frye: Color Light and Form Exhibit at the Ansel Adams Gallery

Micheal Frye (author of the well-known book on photographing in Yosemite, “The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite”) reports at his web site that the Ansel Adams Gallery in The Valley will feature an exhibit of his work, “Color Light and Form,” from August 20 through October 4, with a reception for Frye on Friday, August 28th, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Oak Leaves and Branches, Yosemite Valley

Oak Leaves and Branches, Yosemite Valley

Oak Leaves and Branches, Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park, California. June 6, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The leaves and branches of a spring oak tree above the cliffs of Yosemite Valley, California.

I have photographed this oak tree before. It is one of several that sit near the edge of the drop off above the lower section of Yosemite Valley above the narrow section before the Merced begins its precipitous descent down the narrow canyon to El Portal; this is also the location of the first view of El Capitan and Half Dome as you arrive via the northern entrance to the park. I had stopped here to photograph those icons but decided to also photograph the new spring leaves on this tree with the cliffs across the canyon as the backdrop.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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False Solomon’s Seal, Rain

False Solomon's Seal After Rain

False Solomon’s Seal, Rain. Yosemite National Park, California. June 6, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Ground growing False Solomon’s Seal plants and flowers after morning rain – along Highway 120 in Yosemite National Park, California.

As I entered Yosemite on Highway 120 during the first weekend of June I stopped at one of my favorite dogwood groves along this road. The diffused light from overcast and the intense colors from early morning rain created striking colors in this grove – and I was surprised to find that there were still many dogwood blooms. While wandering around looking for just the right blossoms I happened to look down and notice a lot of lush new undergrowth including this little patch of false solomon’s seal.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: false, solomons seal, Smilacina racemosa, highway, 120, rain, shower, wet, drop, reflection, flower, leaf, foliage, wildflower, flower, ground, hugging, forest, grove, nature, travel, scenic, green, water, spring, yosemite, national park, california, usa, north, entrance, stock