Roads, Rails and Trails

My Ken Burns Christmas

2010-01-03T14:32:42-08:00

A Christmas card scene if there ever was one: the Yosemite chapel as snow falls on a quiet Sunday morning.

I wouldn't call it my best idea (that would be the multi-function GPS/autopilot/cell phone/Twitter auto-responder), but -- inspired by Ken Burns' recent series, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," I planned my holiday to visit Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. My goals were to add some winter photography to my portfolio and get some cold-weather hiking under my belt, or parka, or both. And to celebrate a white Christmas, sans Bing Crosby.

I had planned three days each in Sequoia/Kings Canyon and Yosemite. Unfortunately, I had to cut short my Yosemite visit due to business demands and a surprise snow storm. Nevertheless, I did accomplish all of my objectives.

I arrived in Sequoia/Kings Canyon the day after a fresh few inches of snow, which gave the forests of fir and redwoods a clean, winter holiday look. The distant 12,000-foot plus peaks of the High Sierras were blazing white. Temperatures were in the 30s and low 40s during the day, and no more snow arrived during my stay in the John Muir Lodge, a rustic 36 room inn at Grant Village. Roads were clear except for occasional patches of refrozen slush and some black ice in north-facing sections that receive little sun. Careful driving in my steady Subaru avoided any problems.

Trails beyond the most popular were covered in up to two feet of snow, and I wasn't equipped with either snowshoes or cross-country skis, so my excursions onto these trails were limited. I experienced both overcast skies and bright sunny days. By late afternoon, the sun would melt the snow along the tree branches, creating a rain shower under the giant sequoias.

I found subjects for my lens ranging from broad landscapes to forest meadows and close-up details. At the turnoff to the road to Lake Hume, I came upon a snow-covered meadow where the trees were decorated with frost and snow, looking like cheesy flocked Christmas trees from the 1960s. Only these were real.

Yosemite's skies were gray and threatening on the afternoon I arrived. I quickly got some moody shots of the iconic El Capitan/Half Dome scene from Tunnel View, and scouted the Valley for the next day's shoot.

The following morning found heavy, wet snow falling in Yosemite Valley. That had not been predicted: the forecast had called for the snow level to be at 5,000 feet, a good margin above the Valley's elevation of about 4,000 feet. It was already at three or four inches, with more accumulating. That's when I decided to shorten the trip, as I needed to be home no later than the next day. I still found time for some good shots as the snow was falling. As long as I could keep the camera reasonably dry, and clean the lens frequently, I was able to keep shooting.

Although disappointed to leave early, I was happy with the images I got and what I learned by scouting locations for a future return to Yosemite.

The select images are on my photo website in the national parks gallery.

An Affair of Light

2009-11-09T21:17:56-08:00

The Oxford American Dictionary provides a definition for "affair" as "a temporary romantic or sexual relationship." To a photographer, light is indeed a temporary relationship and one that must be romanced.

I recently pulled together a collection of my photographs for which the poetry of light is the essential element in my relationship with each image. Some hug the beginning light of the day, some the closing light of sundown, some the cold light of night. Others engage the magic of big city light. In some of these, as in the photo of the Jade Ribbon Bridge at the Huntington Garden above, you will see that I am drawing on the influence of impressionist and luminist painters to employ light to accentuate the subject of the photograph. This is an emerging theme in my work and is best seen in my latest photographs from the Huntington and those taken on the Olympic Peninsula in September.

You are invited to view the collection, "An Affair of Light."

Gray Skies are Gonna Clear Up

2009-10-19T12:14:04-07:00

There's always a very brief period after a rain in Southern California when our skies become remarkably, unsustainably clear. That happened for a couple of days after last week's rain, and was gone by Sunday.

I grabbed the opportunity to get a couple of sunrise shots from Griffith Observatory. The hues were startling in pre-dawn pinks and purples followed by sunrise orange. The pre-twilight sky was clear and dark enough to showcase many stars.

By Sunday, a thin, damp layer of fog was floating over Los Angeles in the early morning. Along the Fern Canyon Trail on the east side of Griffith Park, dampness was still in the air from the rains. And only the tops of the tallest downtown buildings were visible. Back to normal here.

First Timer at South Coast Botanic Garden

2009-10-10T19:41:32-07:00

Public gardens are places of refuge, relaxation and family outings. For a photographer, they offer a plethora of color, textures, and natural designs. I've enjoyed visiting and photographing such places ever since my older cousin Kurt introduced me to the New York Botanical Garden as a young boy in the Bronx.

From my base camp in downtown Los Angeles, I frequent the Huntington Gardens in San Marino, Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge, and the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia. I rarely get to the Palos Verde Peninsula, so I've skipped over the South Coast Botanic Garden until today.

I arrived shortly after the gates opened at 9:00 am and spent two hours hiking and photographing in the 87 acre garden, built on a reclaimed landfill. Mostly, I was scouting the gardens for future photo expeditions. The best floral displays are in the gardens nearest the entrance. Today's color included purple dahlias and pink-and-red Amaranthus. The few visitors stayed nearest these gardens, while I hiked to the back section, trying as many of the dirt lanes and small trails as I could. I had these trails almost entirely to myself.

The meadows and meandering trails didn't present much in the way of photo ops today. I had hoped the marine layer would hang in longer -- that perhaps there might even be some heavy fog -- but the thin cloud cover burned off by 10:00, leaving too much high-angle, contrasty light. Other days and other seasons will assuredly present better opportunities.