Sunbeams in a redwood forest, northern California coast

Today is the solstice, the official start of summer. It’s felt like summer for weeks here in the Sierra foothills. It’s been hot, and dry. Four (!) fires broke out near Mariposa and Oakhurst Thursday; fortunately they were all subdued quickly.

All of which makes me think about how nice and cool it was in the redwood forests. Temperatures were in the 50s and 60s the whole time we were there, thanks to the perfect, natural air conditioning along the northern California coast.

One of the wonderful things about photography is that it can remind us of past events. Looking at a photograph can instantly bring back memories of a particular time and place, and what it felt like to be there. For me, this image reminds me of those cool, damp, foggy days in the redwoods. I can almost smell the damp earth, and hear the thrushes calling. I hope it brings back memories of cooler times and places to you too.

— Michael Frye

P.S. Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there!

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Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom 5: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.