Scorpion Firefall

On 2/18/16 I watched this incredible scene unfolding in Yosemite valley, from a vantage point that I have never seen photographed in past. Looking more closely at the series of shots I took on that night, about 65 of them, this one stood out not just because of the incredible cloud structure sitting on the prow of El Cap but because of the really cool shapes in the 'flames' shapes. I see a scorpion in there, how about you?

Cooks Meadow Hay Stacks

I love this perspective of Half Dome. It's taken at dawn from the far off Cooks Meadow, which sits just below Yosemite Falls in the heart of the Valley. In winter these hay stacks settle into clumpy patches of grass, and after a nice wet rain they lay down and you get these temporary reflection pools. A perfect foreground for a majestic background.

Tunnel View Dusting

Timeless location, looking equally stark and proud, Yosemite Valley Tunnel View after a fresh snow. Tunnel View is a scenic viewpoint on State Route 41 in Yosemite National Park. Visitors have seen and documented the iconic and expansive views of Yosemite Valley from the overlook since its opening in 1933. The large viewpoint area is located directly east of the Wawona Tunnel portal, as one enters Yosemite Valley from points south. The view looks eastward into Yosemite Valley, and includes surrounding features, such as the southwest face of El Capitan on the left, Half Dome on axis, and Bridalveil Fall on the right.

Half Dome Ice Rink

I was lucky to be in Yosemite after a winter storm cleared and the park was in a pristine mood. I love this turn in the river, I've photographed it before but thought I would make a long exposure, 1.3 seconds to emphasize the interesting movement of bubbles in the foreground as they rolled past in the Merced River.

Yosemite Valley Vista

Taken from the top of the south rim (a grueling hike to reach) this incredible perspective shows a total view of Yosemite Valley. From the west entrance below to El Capitan on the left, Bridal Veil Falls in the bottom center, the Sentinel, distant Half Dome on the top right and the snow covered Cathedral Peak in the top middle. It was an adventure to get to this vista and a sketchy hike out in the dark to get back out - but well worth the effort.

Cook's Meadow Life Cycles

If you've been to Yosemite, you know this spot. Cook's Meadow is just on the other side of the Yosemite Falls bus stop on Northside Drive. After the clearing of a cold, sloshy winter storm that unfortunately sleeted more than it snowed a light covering of snow was left strewn across the valley. The sun peeked out just for just a minute or two and Half Dome in the distance showed its face through the clouds. Most of the tourists were sitting in their cars with the heaters on when I made this image. Soon after I got my shot, a big cloud rolled in and took all that warm light away, just as a flurry of photggers raced out of their cars to try and capture the scene.

Bridalveil Light Burst

May 2018 / Bridalveil Falls is the first waterfall you see when entering Yosemite National Park. Set on the south rim under a darkened sky the passing storm allowed a burst of light through the clouds for a brief moment, igniting the rock face and creating an illusive, full length rainbow. 620’ from the creek edge to the glacier carved valley floor below. Pure beauty.

Dawn Over Half Dome

Not much needs to be said to describe a scene as soft and serene as the early morning light kissing the top of Half Dome. Enjoy!

Stoneman Bridge & Half Dome

The Stoneman Bridge (originally built in 1933) replaced a wooden bridge that had carried the former "Royal Arch Avenue" to the Stoneman Hotel, which had been demolished by the 1920s. This photo provides a fisheye view of Half Dome, as seen by brown trout during their afternoon commute. Construction on the bridge was started by Sullivan and Sullivan of Oakland, California, but was terminated when the Bureau of Public Roads lost confidence in the contractor's ability to carry out the work. The bridge was completed by the Portland, Oregon firm of Kueckenberg & Wittman.

Tuolumne River Canyon

There is something to be said for falling water - or moving water for that matter. It's purifying, uplifting and refreshing. It implies moving forward and sets a great tone for focusing not on what happened yesterday, but more and what's about to happen in the present or future. I just can't get enough of it. In all its glory, the Tuolumne River cuts throughout this remote backcountry canyon, forever sculpting and entrenching its base elevation.

Tuoulmne River Bend

As you enter the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne in Yosemite National Park you see something breathtaking at every bend. In this shot I captured the calm before the storm, so to speak, because just around the corner, frame right begins a massive and torrent descent of cascading waterfalls. Despite how tranquil it looks, swimming here is not recommended.

Sunny Merced River - Yosemite

Due to the fact that it is surrounded by some of the most impressive granite faces and waterfalls in the world, the Merced River is overlooked for it's solitary beauty. Photographers use it as a reflective tool for the famous peaks and tourists use it as a playful swimming hole or raft shuttle but the river itself is quite beautiful and this rendition captures it at one of my favorite bends, near the base of the Cathedral Spires.

Tuolumne River Granite

This photo is a classic depiction of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Richly colored granite formations, carved by wind and water with a the fresh fragrance of pine in the air. Seen here is the Tuolumne River just below the famed meadows and just above Tuolumne Falls, one of the of the first waterfalls that enter into "The Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne".

El Capitan - Yosemite National Park

El Capitan is no doubt the most famous rock climbing site in the world. This photo was taken during late morning light and is therefore in very sharp focus. "El Cap" has two main faces, the Southwest (on the left when looking directly at the wall) and the Southeast. Between the two faces juts a massive prow. While today there are numerous established routes on both faces, the most popular and historically famous route is The Nose, which follows the massive prow.

Yosemite Valley Sunburst

I included this image to show the viewer a full show of the Horsetail Falls phenomena. I captured the sun just as it was making its way into the V-shaped notch in the Cathedral Rocks located on the South Rim of Yosemite Valley, adjacent to El Capitan. You can see the sunlight being partially occluded by the immense brow of El Capitan. Once the sun reaches the horizon, the bright white swatch of light will be just an thin strip, squarely focused only on Horestail Falls and lit with whatever remaining color the sunset offered that particular night .

Pink Tunnel View

Tunnel View is among the most famous and commonly taken photographs of Yosemite Valley. I like this perspective because it is simple and factual. The pinkish tone was reflective of the modest sunset and a soft haze lines the valley resulting from the recently doused 'Meadow Fire' of 2014.

Rainbow Colors of the Tuolumne River Bed

This shot is not color enhanced and looked almost exactly like this depiction in real life. It took 2 days to backpack to this location deep in the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, a grueling hike honestly, but with scenery like this I was easily distracted from my cramping legs and pangs of thirst. The colorful and erosive rock formations left by the river, this year running at 30% lower than normal, were a spectacle to see. Yosemite National Park.

Half Dome's Winter Reflection

Half Dome in Yosemite National Park is always amazing to witness- although it is not technically 'half' of a dome. It is more like 80% of a dome and the other 20% has eroded away leaving this monolithic vertical rock face. But with spectacular beauty like this who's counting? This vantage point is popular for photographers - such a classic but every day is different and to my surprise on this day, I was the only one here. I composed this photo to include more of the foreground and riverbank to show the full scene - not just it's more commonly shared elements.

El Cap Meadow

With the late afternoon sun, El Capitan Meadow is the place to be in Yosemite. In the foreground are countless species of trees, and even a new sapling protected by a wire round. The Cathedral Spires to the left rise 2000+ feet from the valley floor and offer climbers a lifetime of routes - Central Pillar of Frenzy, Stoner's Highway and Gunsights to name a few.

Tenaya Lake from Olmsted Point

Tenaya Lake from Olmsted Point, Yosemite National Park.

Dawn at Glen Aulin

In the backcountry of Yosemite National Park you can find all kinds of pristine beauty. This is the White Cascade located at Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp, on the Pacific Crest Trail. Just upstream is the incredible Tuolumne Meadows - which feeds the Tuolumne River and this explosive waterfall seen here illuminated by the warm dawn light.

Tuolumne Cascade Dreamscape

A timeless capture of one of the most incredible waterfall regions in the world - the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne of Yosemite National Park. A friend and I backpacked into the canyon in June 2014 and this well hidden, barely accessible waterfall is rarely seen from this vantage point. Seen here is the cascade reflective of the bright orange sunset afterglow, rainbow included.

Valley View Moonrise - Yosemite National Park

This perspective is the definitive view of Yosemite Valley, looking towards the east from the valley floor. During this multi-layered moment the upper half of El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls and the south rim were illuminated by the sunset which cast that orange glow. The full moon was rising over the Cathedral Spires and the long exposure balanced the lack of foliage by allowing all that color and soft flow of the Merced River. Late winter dusk in Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite Falls Rainbow

My good friend Josh Miller is a phenom Landscape photographer. He's graced the covers of many a photo magazine and recently earned a place on the 2015 National Geographic calendar. He and I spent a few days shooting Yosemite together in March 2014 and this is one of his perspectives that he shared with me. He knows when and where stuff like this is happening.

Dawn in Cook's Meadow

Soon after making the photograph entitled, "Dawn Over Half Dome" I recomposed, moved the trip close to a reflective pool in COok's Meadow and caught that same light reflecting in the foreground of dormant grass clumps that dot the scene. It's all about the light!

Sunset Cascade on the Tuolumne River

This was one of my favorite moments on a recent backpacking trip into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne in Yosemite National Park. This small cascade had such a unique and soft shape to it that I couldn't leave. I worked around it from all angles and experimented with many different shots. Since the river is deep in the canyon there is no hope of getting direct sunset light on the water but the orange glow of the setting sun did hit squarely on the rock faces above which intern reflected down onto the river below. All this color lasted for 5 minutes or so, and poured over the scene - even making the trees glow. It was really beautiful to witness.

Tuolumne River Cascade

Taken at a spot in the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, Yosemite National Park - in a lesser known area that is mostly inaccessible. My friend and I spent four days in the backcountry searching out remote locations to shoot Yosemite's 'other' falls. We found this spot and could't get enough.

Waterwheel Falls

In May 2015 I landed on the cover of Shutterbug Magazine. My friend and fellow photographer, Josh Miller and I were on a wilderness trip in Yosemite National Park. Josh’s work frequents magazines like Outdoor Photographer and Backpacker. A few times every year we reconnect and backpack to remote locations to photograph. The focus of this mission was explore the lesser seen regions of Yosemite National Park’s High Country. In Josh's cover shot I am seen standing on a rock outcropping at Waterwheel Falls, deep in the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. This is the photo I was making while Josh was shooting his cover shot.

Yosemite Pond

The name of this pond is debatable due to its size. Some smaller ponds in wilderness areas aren't grand enough to earn a title but I have heard it referred to as 'backpacker pond' and 'mosquito soup'. Next time you are driving along the Tioga Road on the way to Tuolumne Meadows see if you can find it. The mosquito part, that is too true - repellent strongly encouraged, I have the welts to prove it.

Yosemite Black Oaks

This shot was taken in El Cap meadow during the swing season between winter and spring - a time when photographers are nowhere to be found. Since the usual snow, flowers or autumn colors aren't present it was almost all to myself, and of course hardcore climbers. As an artist attempting to share new perspectives, I spent some time here in the bare forest and came away with this soft, almost lonely.

Horsetail Firefall, 200mm

A beautiful and elegant depiction of the Firefall phenomena in Yosemtie National Park shot on February 15, 2016. This is actually occurs when the 'nose' of el Capitan casts its shadow on the eastern face as the setting sun manages to reach only a thin strip of the mountain, which happens to be the location of an allusive waterfall called Horestail Falls that only flows in February to high rain years. 2016 is an El Niño year creating an awesome opportunity to view this incredible event. **Note - see the square photo next to this picture, "Firefall Closeup" - it is a 100x zoom of the middle section of this picture!

Lava Firefall, 300mm

A beautiful and elegant depiction of the Firefall phenomena in Yosemtie National Park shot on February 15, 2016. My son asked this was a photo of lava, and many of my followers on Facebook asked if it was actual fire coals being pushed off of the mountain. Just natural awesomeness here - light, water and rock.

Tuolumne Story Telling

There is so much to celebrate in life and being in nature continually reminds me of that. Photographing nature is a lot like writing non-fiction stories, where they require no embellishment but still require creative prose and perspectives. Otherwise, stories can be too linear or bland or come across as boring. The story of this scene set deep in the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne in #yosemitenationalpark could have been told from the river bank or the mountain top but those perspectives felt too static. The star of this show was the purity and movement of the crystal clear water. To take this shot I rock hopped into the center of the river, set the tripod as low as possible and used a polarizing filter and long exposure to expose the rocks below the surface. The result is a dynamic, refreshing and grander story, one that expresses the feelings I had while being here.

Half Dome

I waited many years to have conditions this perfect to make this image of the incredible monolith that is Half Dome. Incredible lighting, passing storm, texture for days and when zoomed in 100% you can actually clearly see people standing out on the diving board, that beak like protrusion that the top. Just a spectacular day at Glacier Point, viewing the world famous granite feature.