Yosemite Part I: Winter White

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I have not been in snow since I blew out my knee 11 years ago. I didn't mean to stay away this long and I have been wanting to get back in it for some time (although not with long sticks attached to my feet). I signed up for Gary Hart's Winter in Yosemite photography workshop months ago. It never crossed my mind that there might not be snow in the middle of February. As the dry, warm winter continued, I held on to hope that snow would fall. I started a "Think Snow" campaign. I bought snow boots and winter pants. When I entered the park mid-day Monday, I was thrilled that there was some snow on the ground. It even flurried for a few minutes Monday afternoon. By Tuesday the forecast looked promising, and these pictures will show you what we woke up to on Wednesday morning!

The 14 members of the group (I in my snow boots, Gary, Don Smith plus 11 more students) bundled into three cars and headed into the park well before light. I was so excited. This was exactly how I imagined the park would look. The sun was breaking through and Gary knew the snow would not last, so before breakfast, he led us to 5 different shooting locations, each one decorated in winter white.

The woods behind these trees were very busy,
so I darkened them to make the trees stand out.

The reflections were incredible.

Did you notice there were no iconic views in this series of photos? I wasn't focusing on Yosemite in the winter. I wanted to capture Winter in Yosemite. What a wonderful way to spend a day.

You can view more photos from this trip on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Yosemite Part II starts below.

Yosemite Part II: Winter Color

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An abundance of color still shines through the white of winter if you get up early enough or stay out late enough to catch the edges of the days. This first photo was taken with my iPhone (Pro HDR and processed with Snapseed) from Tunnel View before the snow fall that covered the valley. The evening light and wispy clouds were incredible.

El Capitan in the morning
Half Dome from Camp 6 just before sunset.

Gary knew exactly when this late morning rainbow would
appear at Lower Yosemite Falls...

and this afternoon one at Bridalveil Falls

On a few rare days in mid-February, a celestial marvel happens if the winter weather cooperates. As the sun sets, the shade closes in on both sides of Horsetail Falls, until it is the last thing lit. The illumination is so precise that the water resembles molten lava as it flows over the face of El Capitan. Hundreds of photographers set up around the park, hoping to catch the magic. We gathered near the parking, focused our cameras & craned our necks up, and waited. The light was perfect, but it disappeared at the last minute. We came close.

Over the course of the workshop I realized that I preferred the smaller, more intimate details of the park, like this reflected sunset light on the Merced River, over the iconic views, .

You can see more of my Yosemite photos on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/
Yosemite: Part III starts below.

Yosemite Part III: Moon & Stars & Photographers

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Early in the morning we drove up to Tunnel View to practice creating silhouettes of the iconic formations. To everyone's surprise, a crescent moon peeked over the rocks. I left the silhouettes and turned my camera to my favorite celestial subject. Even though the moon never completely cleared the rocks, what an unexpected treat!

The workshop ended with Friday's sunset, but I had booked an extra night so I wouldn't have to drive home in the dark. Fortunately so did 5 others from the group. After eating a late dinner, we returned to Camp 6 for another try at star trails. After my poor results from Thursday night, Gary had explained how to compose the scene in the dark (because I could not see anything through the viewfinder). George helped determine the right exposure and then 4 of us who were standing together clicked our shutters at the same time. For the next 20 minutes, we told stories, guessed how much time had passed, and danced around to keep warm. We repeated this for two more 20 minute exposures.

This group shot was taken by Gary Hart (kneeling on right) in front of Lower Yosemite Falls. If you want to learn photography in a beautiful location with interesting people, sign up for a workshop.

Gary's website: www.EloquentImages.com
PhotoBlog: www.EloquentNature.com
Facebook: www.GaryHartFacebook.com

You can see more of my Yosemite photos on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Valentine's Day

Looks like Buzz and Woody are having quite a conversation.

Happy Sweet Valentine's Day

iPhone Morgan Hill

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My morning walks have become so much more interesting since I got my iPhone. I get up earlier looking for exceptional light, lively color, or a mystical apparition. On this particular morning, as I crossed my street, I happened to glance back, and whoa! there was the moon setting behind my house. The light was perfect, the sky was blue, and the moon was perfectly positioned.

I kept moving, looking forward toward the sunrise and glancing back toward the moon. I didn't have much time. Once the sun was up, the moon would fade into the bright sky. There were no clouds to reflect the sun's early glow, so I looked for a tree to partially block the light and add some interest to the photo. The Mount Hope Cemetery on Spring Street proved to be the perfect place. I got the sun just as it crested the hill...

but look what was happening in the west. El Toro (elev. 1,400 feet) glowed with morning light, and that moon! I was dazzled.

What a great way to start a day.

iPhoneography

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I never go anywhere without my iPhone. I am surprised at just how much fun it is. Who knew? (well, millions actually). The camera is the most used feature (along with the many processing apps). Big surprise? Without it, I would have missed capturing these scenes of light on my morning walks around town. This one was taken just down the street (W.Dunne) from my house.

I took this on my way into the CRC for an early yoga class. Half the sky was lit up. Camera shake prevented a clear photo, so I "posterized" it in PS Elements.

I have walked by this old oak on E. Third Street many times. On this particular morning, my timing was perfect. Within a minute, the glow was gone. HDR Pro took 2 photos and blended them. I further processed it in Snapseed.

This morning was overcast and cold with no sky on fire or glowing trees; but on my hike part way up El Toro (the easy part), I still found interesting scenes that whispered, "Take a picture of me." The next 3 were also taken with HDR Pro and processed with Snapseed.

Big Lens allows you (me) to set depth of field
after the photo is taken. Cool, huh?

I realized this morning that my camera is a terrific companion.
We always have a good time together.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

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Photographing in an aquarium presents a few challenges: tripods are not allowed, the light is low, and the constantly moving subjects are encased in thick, fingerprint-smudged glass. In the reef exhibit (my favorite), the vibrant colors of the corals and other animals grabbed my attention. I cranked up the ISO to get a faster shutter speed, leaned my lens against the glass to steady the camera, and shot this Bat Star and Tube Anemones.

This was taken with a fish eye lens (seemed appropriate)
attached to my iPhone.

Did I mention the vibrant colors?

In the kelp forest, the Pacific Sardines swim in an endless circle.

Watching Jellyfish is a mesmerizing experience. It is difficult to take your eyes off their constant, undulating motion. Remember lava lamps? Instead of long, trailing tentacles, the translucent moon jellies use a short, fine fringe to sweep in plankton and fish eggs. WARNING: "Plastic bags that end up in the ocean often look like jellies to animals that depend on these drifting creatures for food. Thousands of turtles and birds die each year after swallowing indigestible wads of plastic mistaken for jellies."

The rare Leafy Sea Dragon, a close cousin to the Seahorse, is now my favorite ocean animal. their long, leaf-like appendages provide perfect camouflage in seaweed beds. They're nearly impossible to spot as they slowly sway back and forth with the current. I spent a long time waiting for it to move into the open. Can you imaging being such an exotic creature?

I deleted many more photos than I kept from this afternoon of shooting. Scores were out of focus, blurry, too dark to save, or I caught only part of a darting fish. But I left the building in awe of the remarkable diversity of life that has evolved on Earth. It is a privilege to be a part of it. You can see more aquarium photos on my Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/