Clouds and Smoke in Yosemite
By John P. DeGrazio
Clear blue skies are ideal for those planning a hike in Yosemite National Park, but they are an overrated phenomena for nature photographers. Nothing adds drama to a landscape image like richly textured clouds. Capturing that texture is another challenge altogether. Another issue photographers are currently having is dealing with smoke from summer wildfires. The Aspen Fire is a 20,00o acre fire burning outside of Yosemite National Park in the Sierra National Forest. Reports indicate that it is now 65% contained, but the smoke continues to be an issue for Yosemite visitors. The smoke can sometimes enhance images like the one taken of Tuolumne Meadows at sunrise but it can also limit views. This week’s featured Instagram photo is of a Jeffrey Pine on top of Sentinel Dome during a recent Sierra storm. I took this image from this vantage point to emulate this Ansel Adams photo taken in 1940 (Jeffrey Pine, Sentinel Dome). Adams framed Mt. Hoffman in his image while I chose to frame the Clark Range with a loose interpretation. Unfortunately, the pine made famous by Adams fell a decade ago. Several pines remain on top of Sentinel Dome, but none are yet as impressive as the twisted relic in Adams’ shot.
courtesy of http://instagram.com/yexplore
All photos taken on an iPhone 5
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Photographing with a camera phone was once frowned upon as a lazy way out of making an image. With advancing technology, these phones are becoming more integral in everyday “outdoor” life. I am currently using the iPhone 5 with an 8 megapixel camera, and will share the world of Yosemite through my phone.
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