Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__1.5 sec at f / 22__ISO 100

As with my previous post, this photograph was made last Sunday on my Earth Day return to nearby Merced River Canyon, my home for 20 years.  I love the change of seasons there, but the spring season is my favorite.  Many seasons, the flowers start blooming in February, and finally all turns brown in May.  Besides the flowers, the river is exhilarating in its moods, especially during the high waters of spring.  In my El Portal home, I could see the river from my living room only in the height of the spring runoff.  Its rumbling sound was very loud, and soothing, at night.

I had never photographed this tree before, but noticed these branches on Sunday while zooming past on the road.  The sun was too harsh at the time to stop, but I made note of it for later.  A few hours later, we returned as the sun was about to go down.  I worked with this composition for about one hour, taking many variations.  There was about 10-15 minutes when the light became warm as it passed behind a cloud on the horizon.  I positioned myself for good spacing of the branches, and so the glow in the sky reflected off the water.  I tried several shutter speeds in order to ge the best sharpness in the branches and sense of motion in the river.

I’ve made many images in the Merced River Canyon over the years, and one of my favs was of a special tree overhanging the river.  Below is my favorite redbud image from the MRC.  This tree is now gone, damaged by the 1997 flood and subsequent road repair.

I love my new Redbud image.  Which do you prefer?

Redbud and Merced River, Merced River Canyon, California 1989

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III__EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM__0.5 sec at f / 32__ISO 100

Last Sunday, for Earth Day, my daughter and I visited the Merced River Canyon. Although a little late in the blooming season, there were a few beautiful patches of lupine and poppies to enjoy. This spot has been a favorite of mine when I lived in El Portal from 1980 to 2000. It felt great to return to my “home” canyon, and it brought back many memories, including some for my daughter when she was very little. When I built my home here near Oakhurst, I used granite boulders from MRC to construct my hearth, to keep the Canyon “near” us everyday.

Here is a new Impressions of Light photograph, made using the Singh Ray Vari-ND filter and simple camera motion. Enjoy and share!

Photography is a quiet, contemplative activity for me. It is a time to slow down and enjoy the beauty of the natural world. I seek to experience and reveal the mysterious, spiritual aspects of nature.

Minor White wrote, “Be still with yourself, until the object of your attention affirms your presence.” My approach to photographing the landscape requires the time to truly see to observe closely the form of, and the light upon the subject. A spirit of exploration and curiosity has been vital in developing my personal vision.

I have lived in Yosemite for eight years. Emersing myself in its magical qualities has taught me a valuable lesson. To photograph Yosemite successfully, one must transcend the classic but cliched scenes. I have sought my own unique way of seeing Yosemite. In doing so, I have discovered endless intimate details that reveal an essence of Yosemite rarely experienced by the casual visitor. This lesson serves me well exploring other landscapes less familiar to me.

“Through my photographs, I am interested in inspiring a deeply felt love and respect for the natural environment; an understanding of the magic and mystery of the earth’s processes, such as the formation of a rock or of ice on a pond. I feel a need for a sense of spiritual ecology, a respect for “the earthforce.” These feelings are at the root of my motivations to photograph. I wish to give back at least some of what I receive from nature. Nature is a powerful healer, and it is its ability to rejuvenate and nurture my soul that keeps me in close contact with the natural landscape. Millions of people visit our national parks and other natural places to be rejuvenated. Making photographs, for us, is an effort to retain and later reconnect ourselves with those healing experiences with nature.

My approach to the technical aspects of making a photograph is simple and straightforward. Although craft is essential for a fine photograph, I feel strongly that technique is merely a tool to be used for self-expression. 1 mostly use a 4×5 view camera. It encourages a contemplative approach. Each image is thought through carefully before an exposure is made. The size of the viewfinder provides for easy and precise composition. I use Ektachrome Professional 4×5 sheet film and make my portfolio prints on Cibachrome print material.

I prefer to photograph in flat, even light found in complete shade, on cloudy days, at dawn or twilight. These low-contrast conditions fit nicely into the narrow latitude scale of color slide film. The resulting images are often richer in detail and more pleasing in color. Subtle or monochromatic color appeal to me. One can’t depend on the impact of color alone for a successful image. A sense of design, the careful placement of elements within the frame, is essential. I often find myself isolating and abstracting a part of the subject.

By creating photographs where the content or orientation is not immediately obvious, a surreal, mystical feeling may come through. I would rather make an image that asks a question than answers one; that intrigues and arouses curiosity in the viewer. I appreciate a photograph that grows on me and endures more than one that has initial impact, explains itself immediately but then quickly fades from memory.

Outdoor photography is a wonderful way to explore and encourage our own uniqueness. I feel that I receive more from the process of being out there making photographs than I do from the photographs themselves. I have learned a great deal about myself and my environment through photography.

Remember Ansel Adams. He touched our lives with his tremendous compassion for the natural environment and his deeply-felt spiritual connection with nature through his photographs. We can all follow his example ourselves by photographing with conviction and emotion.”         OP

Last week, I drove up Yosemite Valley (1.5 hrs from my home) to deliver two framed prints for the Yosemite Renaissance XXVII Exhibit. It was a beautiful day, but it was not a particularily photogenic one. The skies were clear, highlights and shadows harsh, and patches of snow cluttered the meadows.  I almost went home, but then decided to drive to the shaded, south side of the Valley where snow remained unmelted after the previous day’s storm. I walked to the banks of the Merced River, alone beneath granite walls of the sacred temple that is Yosemite Valley. Immediately upon reaching the river, I was captured by these stunning reflections.  Fortunately, I let my instincts guide me, with 35 years of living in and around Yosemite helping me to “arrive” where something simple and magical was happening.  The oaks of El Capitan Meadow, darkened by the shadow of Cathedral Rocks, stood out dramatically against the bright afternoon reflections of the west shoulder of El Capitan.

I worked on variations of this scene for around half an hour, engrossed in balancing the key elements, finding the right camera position, and trying different shutter speeds.  Many images that I made were with slower shutter speeds than the 1/10 of a sec used here.  In order to hold good depth of focus I used f/16. For a shutter speed fast enough to show the strong ripple textures, I bumped up my ISO to 320 for a faster shutter speed. What attracted me here were the graphic lines of tree reflections and ripple patterns.  I will post another version, with a slower shutter speed, for a comparison.

For now, enjoy this quiet view of Yosemite Valley.

Oaks and Sunbeams, Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park, Ahwahnee, California 2012
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 1/125 second at f/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2012 William Neill

Enjoy!  Bill

Oaks and Fog, Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park, Ahwahnee, California 2012
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
1/125 second at f/16, ISO 100
Copyright © 2012 William Neill

Other Morning Light images:

Late Summer Meadow, Ahwahnee, California 2011

Spring Oak, Coarsegold, California 2011

Buckeye, Foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California 2011

Sunbeams and Forest, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2010

Autumn oak and snowstorm, Ahwahnee, California 2010

Waterfall and Sunbeam, Sierra Nevada Foothills, California 2011

Morning Fog and Oaks, Ahwanhnee, California 2011

Sandpiper at sunrise, Santa Monica State Beach, California 2012
Copyright © 2012 William Neill
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM, 1/4 second at f/13, ISO 100

Last Saturday, I was at my son’s All Star soccer tournament in Madera, CA. In between games, I was walking around the park and found this tree trunk with great patterns. I used my iPhone 4s, and the quality of the captured file is stunning, surprising me even though I’ve had the phone since Oct. All post-processing was done in Lightroom 3.

ALSO:  I will be attending Photo LA on Sunday and part of Monday. My Impressions of Lights prints will be at the Susan Spiritus Gallery Booth B300. If you are in the area, come visit! http://www.photola.com/

Sunrise, Scripps Pier, La Jolla, California 2010
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM,
8″ second at f/22, ISO 100
Copyright © 2010 William Neill