In the Moment:
Michael Frye's Landscape Photography Blog
by Michael Frye | Oct 16, 2012 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Misty creek with aspens near the June Lake Loop, Sunday morning
Sunday I returned from teaching a four-day private workshop in Yosemite Valley and Lee Vining. As I reported in my last post, the color in Yosemite Valley is slow to arrive. Over on the eastern side of the Sierra some aspens are turning, but most of the groves near Lee Vining are not yet at peak. Here’s a breakdown:
June Lake Loop: About 20% turning, another 40% lime green, the remaining 40% dark green.
Lee Vining Canyon: The same, about 20% turning, 40% lime green, 40% dark green
Lundy Canyon (along the road up to the trailhead): About 30% turning, 50% lime green, 20% dark green. Most of the best color is in the lower part of the canyon.
Conway Summit: About 30% turning, 40% lime green, 30% dark green.
Above Conway Summit: The aspens in the first half mile of the road to Virginia Lakes are a mix of yellow and lime green. About a mile above Conway Summit there’s a colorful patch of orange but scrubby aspens down in a small valley to the right of the road; that grove was at peak Friday. Further up most of the aspens are bare.
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by Michael Frye | Oct 11, 2012 | Yosemite Photo Conditions
Big-leaf maple along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley (from late October a few years ago)
We had a great weekend with Sierra Art Trails. Sales were good, but it was especially nice to meet many online friends in person, and to renew old acquaintances. Thanks to all of you who stopped by!
I had a chance to check out the fall color in Yosemite Valley yesterday afternoon. Some of the maples and dogwoods are starting to turn, but I didn’t see a single tree that had fully changed. All the maples and dogwoods had at least some green leaves, and most were entirely green. At this point it looks like the autumn color in the Valley will peak near the end of October or beginning of November—the normal time.
Over on the eastern side of the Sierra the higher-elevation aspens started turning early this year, and are now mostly past peak. But recent reports I’ve heard indicate that the mid- to lower-elevation aspens are changing more slowly. They seem to be on a typical schedule, which means there should still be good color over on the eastside for another couple of weeks.
There’s a chance of rain and higher-elevation snow in the forecast for the next two days. The predictions don’t call for high winds, which is good news—strong winds could strip some of the yellow leaves off the trees. If Tioga Pass stays open I’m planning to head over to the eastern Sierra on Friday, so I can give you a first-hand report on the eastside color, and the effect of this weather system—if any.
—Michael Frye
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author and photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters, plus the eBooks Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, and Exposure for Outdoor Photography. He 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.
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!
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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.
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