Horsetail Fall, Yosemite

[mandoman7]

Well, a student for sure and still pretty green with larger format. I know this has all digressed significantly form the OP's subject and that it's not about me but I thought some might be interested in a quick and dirty neg-scan of the image I described above. I think it illustrates that today photography for me is not about things but my reaction to the environment. Of course this is not the only approach to photography but I think it contains some fundamental validity.

Oak Grove 2

That's a truly lovely image.
I hear what you're saying and know what you mean.

For me, there are times when I'm shooting and I know that the subject is not that exciting, but I'm getting a feeling or maybe there's something about the light. I'll shoot freely and give those times legitimacy. There are other times, too, though, when I have a feeling that the image may have broad appeal, but I know that its a bit cliche'd. The coastal sunset or whatever. Its all good, though.
Somewhere in my history I decided the dichotomy was OK, as long as I represented the subject honestly and without contrivance. A conduit, not an arbiter.

[Keith S. Walklet]

If you are going to shoot it this year, NOW is the time. I bet Keith and his class got some memorable photos. Rain moves back in on Friday.

You're right, Tom. The elements converged on Sunday evening, when half the class lingered beyond the workshop to improve upon their efforts from the first evening (Wednesday) when very little water was flowing. The string of warm days brought the falls to life, the sky to the west stayed clear and the last light of the day caught the windblown spray and seemingly transformed it into a spray of molten metal.

Monday and Tuesday, high haze to the west softened the intensity of the light. Still beautiful, though much more subtle.

This evening, the first night of the second class, we spent the last couple of hours of the day enjoying the light show as it grew more intense and the shadows lengthened to contrast with the falls. Lovely up until the last ten minutes of the day when western haze once again softened the light.

I found it interesting to note that of the students in the current class, only one had selected the class based on the opportunity to view Horsetail. He actually showed up a day early to try to capture the convergence on his own. As he was watching the light tonight, he commented that the previous night featured no color up until the last few minutes of the day, and suddenly the last rays of sunlight found a gap in the western sky and lit up the falls for less than sixty seconds. For him, it was a transformational experience.

For some locals, the appearance of the fall in the spring is part of the cycle of life (and light) in the valley akin to the return of the first redwing blackbird of spring. Regardless of whether artistic pundits view photographs of the scene as art, it is certainly a natural work of art.

I personally think that film (moving images) best captures the emotion of the gently waving veils of water against the shadowed cliff. To do so with a single frame is more challenging, but that doesn't keep me from trying when conditions are exceptional. William Neill, who has some of the finest images of the fall I've seen, was in the valley Tuesday and lingered for Horsetail.

So, to those of us who enjoy observing the phenomena, it doesn't hurt to return, revisit, remind ourselves of the earth's annual trip around the sun, the uncertainty of life, and the magic of the moment when the stars align, even if for just a brief moment.

When you stop looking, you stop seeing.

[Vaughn]

...When you stop looking, you stop seeing.

Wiser words rarely spoken...

[tgtaylor]

You're right... The string of warm days brought the falls to life, the sky to the west stayed clear and the last light of the day caught the windblown spray and seemingly transformed it into a spray of molten metal.

That's what I thought when I logged on to the parks website late in the afternoon and saw the beautiful apen glow on El Capitan. I knew it would be just as good on the other side

To all that may be following this thread, I would like to point out that it is perfectly possible to obtain a image that is fundamentally different from others photographing the very same scene - even at the same time and angle! Below is another work print I did last night from a negative that I made of Horsetail Falls last year. If you go on Michael Fry's website, for example, you'll see a similar view of the Falls but with a yellowish face. Mine is reddish and, last but not least, it was shot on film and the print was made in a traditional darkroom - a digital scanner or Photoshop was not employed at any stage in the images creation

Note: The yellow spot on the left is a reflection that the camera picked-up. It is not on the print itself.

[Drew Wiley]

A commuter brings in a copy of the Sacto Bee paper. Yesterday they published a fresh
photo of the fall from the rim with the explanation that conditions were pefect. And today there is a two-page spread about a Sacto nature photographer who makes his
living mainly from Yos or similar workshops named Gary Hart. Don't know anything about him except what's printed. Claims most of his students use DLSRS but he still tries to teach them to study and wait for the light rather than cooking things in PS.
Found that interesting.

[Brad Rippe]

Thanks for posting the photograph TG, I would like to see it in person sometime. As I read your original post I sense your excitement and enthusiasm to see this spectacular and fleeting phenomena. Plus its in Yosemite! It doesn't get much better.

I don't understand why this discussion has descended to a level where some claim to have superior personal vision only because they choose to photograph subjects that have not been photographed before. I hope we all realize the pedestals we think we may be standing on are imaginary; we are actually standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us.

Good luck to all who are going to Horsetail Falls. I wish I could join you.

-Brad

[Lenny Eiger]

on't understand why this discussion has descended to a level where some claim to have superior personal vision only because they choose to photograph subjects that have not been photographed before. I hope we all realize the pedestals we think we may be standing on are imaginary; we are actually standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us.
-Brad

Descended? I was actually trying to raise the level of conversation. You say that we are standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before. I agree 1000% That's my point. Study what has gone before, learn a little history.

There's no pedestal. There's only people who attempt to take inspiration from what went before and do something with something to it and people who don't. There's a lot more to photography than subtle color, or over-saturated color, whether you apply it in the darkroom or some digital means.

I think it's fine to go somewhere others have been and photograph. A particular place doesn't always reveal all at the first look. But taking the exact same picture doesn't make any sense to me - except as a technical exercise. A writer might as well copy Huck Finn and put his name on it. Ridiculous.

If you want to call yourself an artist it behooves one to study a little. Preferably photographers who had something real to offer.

Lenny

[srbphoto]

Finally a 35mm photographer sees me with my view camera and pulls over at the next
turnout down and starts shooting. Probably wouldn't have done it unless he had seen
me there.

Drew - That happens all the time on the Eastside (especially during fall colors). They see the 4x5 (in my case) , come to a screetching halt, get as close as they can to me, fire off a couple shots and take off. Always makes me chuckle. I guess the big camera makes me look like I know what I'm doin'.

[tgtaylor]

A little Heraclitus, anyone?

"You could not step twice into the same river; for other waters are ever flowing on to you."
---Heraclitus, On the Universe

"All is flux, nothing stays still."
---Heraclitus, from Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers

[Vaughn]

A image of Horsetail Falls from 2008. Taken from the Merced River. I had not planned on it -- just happen to be there. I was surprised when several other photographers showed up.

Not exactly LF, but the camera had GG viewing. Taken with a 150mm lens.

Scan of the contact print -- on textured paper, so that might show a bit. Destined to be a pt/pd print someday.