Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak on a Summer Morning
Behind the scenes of this photo
Taken in the meadows above Ediza Lake overlooking Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak in the Ansel Adams Wilderness on July 26th, 2008
Surrounded by the Minarets, Mt. Ritter, and Banner Peak, Ediza Lake and its environs are surely among the brightest jewels in the high Sierra crown. Above the lake there is an endless series of terraced meadows that are so perfect and manicured they almost look landscaped. Numerous creeks, flush with snowmelt, cascade through the meadows, creating dozens of gurgling waterfalls. And in late July wildflowers of all varieties and colors spring up from the grass, covering the hills with reds, yellows, purples, and whites.
I had scouted this area the afternoon before and knew that come sunrise a view looking up at Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak would be ideal. I picked out a number of spots where the flowers and streams combined in a pleasing aesthetic. Then in the morning it was only a matter of analyzing the alpenglow on the peaks and choosing the spot that looked best to my eye in the moment. And voila, this photo was created.
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Rock and Leaf Textures
Taken in the Sierra Tuolumne River Canyon near Tuolumne, California on February 10th, 2008
Wanting to shoot some river scenes, I drove out to the scenic Tuolumne River in Northern California. After a fair bit of hiking around, I was feeling a little befuddled by the utter lack of the grand river vistas I was searching for. I then decided to turn my attention to a smaller scale which is when I noticed the contrasting and vibrant textures of this oak leaf and the lichen-covered granite boulder on which it was resting.
Weathered Tree at Sunset
Taken in the Sierra Nevada Foothills near Knight’s Ferry, California on February 9th, 2008
On my way to visit family in Northern California, I was brought to a halt by a two-mile-long backed-up line of cars. Not knowing when traffic would clear and seeing potential for a nice sunset that evening, I decided to go shoot to pass the time. Noting how the oak trees had not regained their leaves yet, I drove along some back roads, searching for an interesting composition. As I rounded a corner, I saw this solitary, weathered tree standing in a field with the deep reds and oranges of a sunset-almost-over radiating behind it and knew I had found the shot I was looking for.
Kearsarge Pinnacles, Kings Canyon
Taken at the Kearsarge Pinnacles, Kings Canyon National Park, California, on September 16th, 2007
I had hoped for some Alpenglow or lovely sunrise colors when I woke up to shoot photos in the Kearsarge basin. But rather than finding either of those, I saw a placidly-still lake reflecting the Pinnacles and creating wonderful geometries of light and shadow.
Marsh Lake, Little Lakes Valley
Behind the scenes of this photo
Taken at Marsh Lake in the Little Lakes Valley, Eastern Sierra Nevada, California on August 25th, 2007
One of my favorite places in the Sierra is the Little Lakes Valley. I’m not sure there’s another place you can go that gives you such a high reward-to-effort ratio. The trailhead is at 10,500 feet, and by the time you’ve reached the head of the valley you’ve only climbed a scant 700 feet. Most of the hiking is up and down over rolling hills. A mere 10 minutes after leaving the trailhead you will come to the first great view of this staggering place: Bear Creek spire and its attendant mountains spread out along the southern end of the valley. I’m not sure a more perfectly picturesque scene exists in all of the Sierra, and to reach this view after only a few minutes of hiking is mind-boggling.
But even though the good views begin almost immediately it’s worth hiking deeper into the Little Lakes Valley. About every half mile you’ll pass a little lake (gee, I wonder where the name of this place comes from): Box Lake, Heart Lake, Long Lake, the wonderfully-name Chickenfoot Lake. They’re spread out along the valley floor like a string of jewels. One of my favorite lakes in the whole chain is Marsh Lake, about a mile and a half in from the trail head. Ringed on all sides by a thick layer of reeds, Marsh Lake provides a stunning view of the mountains beyond. And thanks to its shallowness and clarity, the lake demonstrates a wonderful high country phenomenon: it focuses the rays of the sun into distinct lines that dance and shimmer on the lake’s bed.
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