Yosemite and More

Last weekend Friedhelm and I went to Yosemite. The weather report said it might snow the day before then changed to rain. When we got there the fog had rolled in all around the peaks. El Capitan was very prominent. I converted several of my photos to black and white, color isn't very pronounced in fog. The face of El Capitan changed constantly during the day. Finally in the latter part of the day, the sun started to show through. It just added another dimension to the fog. This is a small peak next to El Capitan. I tried to find the name but guess I need to find a better and more detailed map. Just in case you thought El Capitan was the only feature effected. This tree poked it's tip out for just a few seconds before it was covered with fog. A couple of minutes later the whole rock face was visible. And yes there is still some color left in the Valley. This was taken at the Ahwahnee, oops I m...

A while back I went to the Merced Wildlife Refuge hoping to catch a foggy morning, both on the way up and at the refuge/ Both days I went the fog was absent on the way up. I kept going  because in photography you never know what you're gonna get. Kinda like a box of chocolates. This was the sky facing west, just before dawn. Looks like a sunset doesn't it. Nope sunrise looking east with Sandhill Cranes getting ready for breakfast. A Great Egret looking for a meal. Sandhill Cranes just a little bit later in the morning.  The sky never really cleared and I took this one later in the morning on the way back home Go, See, Enjoy. Dave

Took a few minutes yesterday and today to photograph rosebuds in my back yard. Yesterday before the rain. Today during a break in the rain. Go, See, Enjoy! Dave

A friend and I went to Yosemite on short notice last Monday. The one thing that was for sure was the waterfalls and  Merced River were running very high. The colors are still turning in some areas and maybe past in others. On a bright semi-cloudy day the colors just pop. I liked the contrast of the moss and new growth. Speaks for itself. Love the contrast of the leaf and bark. The barks was still wet after the recent rains which really deepened the color. The Merced River was high, the Elms were turning. This is a small bridge near the Merced River and the Larger Happy Isles Bridge. And last but not least, a view of Yosemite Falls. One you don't always expect to see in October. The recent rains have changed all that. Go, See, Enjoy. Dave

I like leading lines in my photos but this is ridiculous. Go, See, Enjoy Dave

Last week I went out to the Merced Wildlife Refuge with my friend Friedhelm,     http://photoblog.eye2eyephotostudio.com/       I let him get the best photos, but I was able to get a few I liked This is a wonderful place to photograph. The Sandhill Cranes are in abundance. Okay so none of the following are Sandhill Cranes.  I believe these are either Snowy or Great Egrets. I like the name 'Snowy'  so we'll go with that. This one was really good at hiding Here's what you get when you're a little slow. And the end to a very good evening. Go, See, Enjoy. Dave

Here's some more from my trip to the east side of the Sierras last week. This was taken just east of Silver Lake. After my car started acting up I had decided to go straight back to my motel room. That decision lasted until I saw this. If you're going to stop you might as well photograph the area  for a while. The car wasn't going to get any worse just  sitting there. That same day I had visited the Lee Vining Museum. Unfortunately the museum building was closed for the season. But the outside  displays weren't. If you know me, you know I like gears and lines. This is part of a large mining shovel used to move ore and rock. I thought it looked too crisp and sharp so I added grain and blurred it by .35 pixels.   Just an old dump truck I liked the looks of. Go, See, Enjoy. Dave

Finally made it to the Eastern Sierras for the fall Aspen color changes. It was an eventful trip in many ways.  The colors were spectacular. Some areas past, some in full color and some yet to change. Most places were a mixture of all that. As you come over Tioga Pass and head down the steep grade, if you look behind you, you see something like this. The sky on my first day was almost completely clear of clouds. This allowed for a great contrast between the leaves and sky. I read on another blog that the June Lake Loop was past it's prime. I beg to differ. This is Silver Lake on the June Lake Loop. I have a lot more  great photos ( I think) from this area, just need to take the time to edit them. The Aspens weren't the only attraction. The sky itself provided a wonderful  background and ranged from totally clear to almost overcast. The con-trails lined up almost perfectly with the hills outside of Lee Vining. ...

I had some work done on my eyes (not cosmetic) so it has been hard to work or play outside. I decided to play indoors with my new macro lens. Still a very learning experience. The depth of field is critical and even with a small aperture it was a challenge. I have an old typewriter that I believe my sister used when she went to nursing school. It still works. The first one is a good example of the depth of field challenges I faced. You'll notice the capital F is focused but the lower case f isn't  and they aren't that far away from each other. Here's just a wider view and better depth of field. Though still very shallow. Here's something that those younger than probably 50 have never seen. A fabric ink ribbon. This one is completely dried out, but I can remember how  messy they were to change, Did a better job with the depth of field on this one. The keys are actually on a different plain. I kept adjusting the an...

Last weekend I took a quick trip to Jamestown and Railtown 1897, a California State Park. It is the old Sierra Railway. The locomotives, cars and area have been in quite a few movies, one of the most recent was Back to the Future Part 3 It's quite a place if you like photography, old stuff and railroads. If you know me you know that's right up my alley. It is actually a working tourist  railroad that's not all neat and clean. It has acres of locomotives, cars, train parts, just all kinds of good stuff. Including a working turntable and water tower. There are a few places that are restricted, but mostly you can  wander around and enjoy. Here are a few photos from my trip. Some in Sepia tone  for that old timey feel. I liked the contrast in this photo, the light hitting the valves and the wonderful shadows.  I left this one in color because I liked the tones of the rusting gears This gauge which is used for the co...