This is a collection of my favorite images and the stories behind them. If you are interested in purchasing prints, you can do so by clicking on the image. I hope you enjoy reading about this collection of work that is very close to my heart.
MORNING SERENITY |
The weather conditions looked promising for sunrise photography on this morning as an overnight storm was due to clear around daybreak. I set my alarm and decided to head up to the iconic Tunnel View in Yosemite, hoping to create a image of the clouds clearing in the valley. When I arrived, I had forgotten one important thing: It was peak Firefall season, so the park was full of other photographers with the same idea. There was no parking and a line of people fighting for tripod positions lined the wall of the vista. Turned off by the crowds, I made a U-turn and headed back down to the valley floor. Instead of being in an uncomfortable position waiting for a shot to happen, I decided to spend the morning walking along the Merced River letting scenes reveal themselves to me. Watching the mist ebb and flow along the cliffs, and capturing the golden light as it warmed the newly fallen snow filled my heart with joy. This scene of Lower Yosemite Falls stood out to me because of the contrasts between the shadows and the side light illuminating the falls and the snow on trees in the foreground. Releasing the expectations that I had to capture a certain shot, and slowing down to appreciate some of the more intimate scenes, relieved stress and pressure that often come with landscape photography. This morning, and this image in particular, represent a new approach I am starting to take with my photography. I hope it brings you the same calm and serenity that it brought to me when I created the photograph.
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CLOUD CAPTAIN |
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To stand under El Captain is to truly be in the presence of one of nature's sublime landscapes. I am perpetually in awe when I stare up at this monolith and take in the colors and shapes of the granite, and even more so when spotting a small dot that is a climber making their way up the face of the giant. On this afternoon, I was driving around Yosemite Valley, and taking photos when clouds began rolling over the the top of the cliff. I pulled over, grabbed my camera and telephoto lens, and the rest of the world melted away as I watched the light and clouds dance along the face of El Cap. This image is my favorite from the series because I was drawn to the way the top of the rock is enveloped by the clouds, and how the golden illuminates the rock from the side and brings out the textures in the granite. In essence, this photograph captures what I love about El Captain. |
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Growing up along the coast of Southern California afforded me the opportunity to visit the beach often. Spending summers swimming in the waves and playing in the sand is what developed my love for and connection with the sea. When I first began experimenting with landscape photography, the ocean was where I frequented to practice and hone my skills. The challenge of finding compositions in the rocks, and timing the waves to create shapes and lines in the water is challenging, but fun. Years later, I continue to be drawn to photographing the coast and its ever changing shores. There seems to always be something different to photograph, even when I visit the same beach over-and-over again. This image also holds a special place in my heart as I visited this location with four other female landscape photographers who I have developed a friendship with since moving to the Bay Area. |
SIREN SONG |
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AUTUMN REFLECTIONS |
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Fall is a lovely time to be in Yosemite as the low water level in the Merced River creates opportunities for capturing reflections. There is also a variety of foliage that changes color, and every once in a while the various trees all change at the same time - creating a dreamy, golden forest. This image is a bit of an anomoly as it was created in the middle of the day. Most photographers, myself included, prefer to shoot in the morning or evening when the sun is lower on the horizon because it creates more interesting colors and shapes in the landscape. When I was driving, I initially didn't even plan on creating an image at this time, but my husband wanted to stop at this location just for fun. I am glad that he did, as the soft light being filtered through high clouds created a painterly effect on the gold hues of the leaves. There is a stillness in this image that I am drawn to - almost as if a fairy froze time for all to appreciate the magic of Fall. |
