In the Moment:
Michael Frye's Landscape Photography Blog
by Michael Frye | Oct 1, 2012 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Autumn sunset from Tunnel View, October 4th, 2009
October is such a great month for photography in the Sierra Nevada. The leaves are changing color, and the light is changing too as the sun shifts from it’s high summer position to the lower, more interesting angles of winter.
Early October is a perfect time to photograph two of Yosemite’s classic views—Tunnel View and Gates of the Valley. In summer, from either of these spots, the late-day sun illuminates Cathedral Rocks on the right, but not El Capitan on the left. In winter it’s the opposite—sunset light strikes El Capitan, but not Cathedral Rocks. But for about two weeks in early October and early March both these rock formations get hit by the late-afternoon sun, so the light is evenly balanced. This image from Tunnel View, made on October 4th, 2009, shows that balanced illumination.
Of course the biggest show of the month is put on by all those colorful autumn leaves. The aspens have already started turning on the east side of the mountains, and by the end of October the dogwoods, maples, cottonwoods, and oaks will be changing in Yosemite Valley. Last week I linked to an article that describes the typical progression of fall color in and around Yosemite, but here’s another link in case you missed it.
Happy October! I hope you all have a wonderful month.
—Michael Frye
Related Posts: Autumn Begins!; Autumn in Yosemite
by Michael Frye | Sep 27, 2012 | Advanced Techniques, Night Photography, Photography Tips
Sierra juniper and the Milky Way, Olmsted Point, Yosemite
Gear Doesn’t Matter—Except When it Does
Regular readers know that I’m not much of an equipment geek. It’s not that I don’t think equipment is important—a photographer needs good tools. It’s just that I think light, composition, technique, vision, and imagination are more important. In other words, how you use the tools is more important than what tools you use.
But sometimes the right gear can make a difference. Two weeks ago I was recording video segments for some online courses I’m working on (more about that later!), and needed a digital SLR that could record video—something my trusty old Canon 1Ds Mark II can’t do—for some “through-the-lens” views. So I called up my friend Jim Goldstein. Many of you know Jim through his popular blog and social media streams. Jim also works for Borrowlenses.com, and he set me up with a Canon 5D Mark III for my video shoot, and then asked, “Is there anything else you need?” Hmm… well I’ve been wanting to test the Canon 24mm f/1.4L lens for night photos, so yes, there was something else!
(more…)
by Michael Frye | Sep 25, 2012 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Early-season aspens above Conway Summit (October 4, 2004)
If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile you probably know that Claudia and I go to the Millpond Music Festival in Bishop every September. We just got back from this year’s event, and I can report that we had a wonderful, fantastic, amazing time. This is either the 13th or 14th consecutive year we’ve attended this festival, so we obviously love it.
This festival always takes place around the third week of September, so our trip gives us a chance to check out the early fall color on the eastern side of the Sierra. I’ve been hearing reports that the aspen leaves are turning early this year on the east side (and in Colorado too according to Jennifer Yu). On our way home yesterday we took a quick drive up Rock Creek Canyon. I didn’t take any photos, but I can confirm that the colors are indeed changing quickly. Rock Creek isn’t at peak yet, but it won’t take long, and by this coming weekend the upper reaches should be at or near peak.
(more…)
by Michael Frye | Sep 13, 2012 | Announcements
Next week I’ll be announcing two new workshops for 2013. I’m very excited about these courses because they’ll offer great learning experiences in amazing places. I can’t wait to tell you about them, but because these workshops often fill quickly I want to give my most dedicated, loyal supporters the first chance to sign up. So the initial notice about these workshops will only go to people who are subscribed to my blog and email list, not to the public.
(more…)
by Michael Frye | Aug 29, 2012 | Composition, Photography Tips, Vision and Creativity
(A) Clouds and reflections, Tenaya Lake, Yosemite
At Tenaya Lake last week my workshop student and I watched and photographed a spectacular, constantly-changing cloud display for over two hours. I made many images, including the one at the top of this post (you can see two more here and here). With the lake in the foreground every composition included a prominent horizon line, so I was often thinking about where to place the horizon in the frame.
It’s not always an easy decision. If you’ve ever read any books on composition you probably learned about the rule of thirds. And when applied to horizons this means you should place the horizon a third of the way from the top or bottom of the photograph. And you probably also read that you should, at all costs, avoid putting the horizon in the center of the frame.
As many of you already know, I’m not a big fan of the rule of thirds. It’s too restrictive, too limiting when applied to the infinite number of possible subjects and situations a photographer can encounter. It’s useful sometimes, but shouldn’t be taken as dogma.
I think this applies to horizons as well. Sometimes putting the horizon a third of the way from the top or bottom works. Sometimes it’s better to ignore the rule and put the horizon right in the middle, or near the top or bottom of the frame.
(more…)
