Photographing at the Edges of Light

One of the things I love about Ann is that she doesn’t zone out - or give me crap - when I delve into artistic babble about photography.I appreciate that because, as much as photography requires a certain degree of technical knowledge and skill, that’s not what it’s all about.At least for me that is.Which brings me back to that recurring subject of, “Why do I photograph?”Our trip to Yosemite, and the conversations we had during that trip, has shed a bit more light on that question. 

As I’ve said before, I see photography as an excuse to explore and to learn about the world.The act itself, the process of photographing is as important to me as the result.Once I think I have a photograph, I want the final image to convey the awe and wonder I felt in being there and discovering what I saw as well as the beauty of that place, but the purpose isn’t the image itself and if I’ve learned anything, it’s that after I’ve made one discovery at a location, there’s usually lots more to find. 

During this trip I realized that recently (since really working with digital cameras) I’m learning to see the world in new ways. Of getting the camera to make images of things I don’t readily see.This often involves longer exposures than the eye normally registers (we “see” at about 1/30th to 1/60th of a second - that’s why film movies and tvs work), or using other photographic techniques such as depth of field to isolate things in ways the eye/mind do not register.But the interesting thing is, once you learn that you can make images of these things, the eye starts to see them in real time.The subtle colors that are in a flowing creek, suddenly appear when you gaze carefully at it, or the complex patterns formed by waves.You begin to see more, which leads you to want to explore more, which means to photograph more.

So in preparing for Yosemite, I did my usual research into phases of the moon and where the sun and moon will be at certain times during our trip.We were entering a rather interesting time because, at least for a few days, we could have a couple of hours of full darkness before sunrise, but otherwise we were going to be faced with the prospect of the moon illuminating our subject during the night - a moon steadily heading towards full as the trip went on.So I prepared a complex table of “if we want to do this type of photography, then we need to do it on these days around these times.”Much of course, would be contingent on the cloud cover and, with heavy overcast skies the first half-day there and snow the next day, our schedule started out with a shake-up.

Well, by morning three we decided to get up early (planned for 1:00 AM, wound up getting up at midnight because . . . let’s just say that’s an entirely different story and one not suitable for young children) so we could photograph from the last “rays” of the moon, and then a couple of hours of relative darkness before sunrise to make up for lost time (nights).Things pretty much worked out as planned.

First of all, the moon-lit images were more interesting than I’d imagined (the moon reflects a lot of sunlight!).

And after the moon went down, we could still get the tail end of the milky way, even though the core had lowered below the horizon by that time.

Having had a bit of luck, we were game for more.But face it, we’re getting to be geezers and just can’t stay up all night every night like we used to.So after a good night’s sleep, we followed one of the optional game plans I’d developed for the trip, which was to head out to Mariposa Grove,a bit of a drive south of Yosemite Valley, and to hit Glacier Point on the way back for late afternoon and night photographs.Worked like a charm.On the way back from Mariposa Grove, we stopped off at a stream to photograph some cascades, and I did a bit of exploring the water and light there.

Once we got to the Glacier Point area, we decided that Washburn Point offered us a better view (and substantially fewer people) for the sunset shots.After the sun set, we took advantage of that blue period following sunset when everything starts to glow.Here, the blue landscape reflected some of the pink skies where the already-set sun was shining light on the underside of the clouds.

Then we hopped into the car to sit and wait for nighttime, and to warm up.We didn’t have to wait for long.What met us was simply stunning.

We kept at it for a while, then headed back with a stop at Tunnel View.What met us there was no less impressive.There was even a moon bow (think rainbow, except illuminated by the moon) at Bridalveil Fall in some of the images.

The best thing is that there is no one at Tunnel View at 1:00 AM.Needless to say, we slept in that morning.

But we weren’t done yet.As the moon was rising earlier and earlier each day, it meant that it would be ideally situated earlier in the evening as the week went on.So that night we had a nice dinner at the Yosemite Lodge, and then headed out to photograph some more.This time it was Yosemite Falls.

And since we didn’t have to stay up so late for Yosemite Falls, the next morning we got up early to see what sunrise is like from Tunnel View.Well, for starters, there is no one at Tunnel View at 4:50 am either.And the view is no less spectacular, if somewhat different after the moon goes down.

Later that day we took a hike up to Vernal Falls, which meant following the Merced River and, of course, exploring what light does with water.

At some point Ann and I were talking about photography, improving one’s work and making better images.In my answer to one of her questions I unfolded what we had been doing over the past year or so to uncover what has been a running theme in much of the work that has interested both Ann and me the most.Photographing at the edges of light.Those times of day or night that we tend (or want) to look carefully at what is before us.Conditions of light that are not normal, not typical for when we go places, yet reveal things that we often don’t even know to look for.But once I know to look, I can’t help but explore further.In different conditions.In different locations.Some of these locations happen to be famous, others are not.But all have something to offer me.

Quoting the famous photographer and educator Minor White, “One should not only photograph things for what they are but for what else they are.”I’m slowly starting to understand what he meant by that.

*Apologies for the unfinished look of most of these images.  In order to get the blog post out I pretty much just grabbed the .jpg files and inserted them into the story.