How I know God guides my photography.....

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies announce what his hands have made. Day after day they tell the story; night after night they tell it again. They have no speech or words; they have no voice to be heard. But their message goes out through all the world; their words go everywhere on earth."
Psalm 19: 1 - 4 (NCV).

Every time I look through the lens of my camera I see God working. Every day He reveals His majesty. Every night He shows me how He creates beauty even in the darkness. Even if I had not known Him before I started taking photos, the moment I looked at His creation up close (or far away) I see His glory and He guides me to see His beauty in all He has created. Photography just allows me to capture an image of what He has created.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Yosemite Falls Creek Bridge

Using any excuse to just get out and start photographing, Martin Luther King Day (Monday, January 17, 2011) was no exception. It had been well over a week since the last good snow hit the Central Sierra Mountain range. The sky was clear in Yosemite, the sun was warm, and for the third week in a row, the Central Valley was fogged in. That was more than enough to get me packing.
My wife and I spent the day going from one spot in Yosemite to another. This is one location I never tire of. With every curve in the road or twist in a trail there is another breath-taking view. This first photo is of a stone bridge that crosses over Yosemite Falls Creek (just down stream from Lower Yosemite Falls). It's not one of the Valley's more famous bridges (that's probably why no one was taking photos of it); however when the sunlight pokes its way through the trees and reflects off the creek creating a golden glow on the under curves of the bridge, you just have to stop and spend a few minutes watching the reflection ripple upward.



Another location in Yosemite Valley that is missed by many is Fern Falls. Unless you know what you are looking for or where this very small falls is located, it is easy to overlook. Even in the summer most Yosemite trekkers overlook this spot. Winter shooting (even if the sun is shining) is difficult because of the deep shadows and flashes of bright lighting that fall on the snow. This photo was taken in a very shadowed light. Even with fill flash it was almost too dark to capture. ISO was bumped up as were the exposure and sensitivity settings.

White snow against dark green moss, granite rock, and dirt... I was happy to even be able to capture what I did...

Going to the north side of the Valley from the south side created a totally different view and lighting. Here in the meadow in front of Yosemite Falls is a view of the snow, the tree line, and the falls. The skies were clear and deep blue. At the bottom of the falls was formed an ice dome (about thirty to thirty-five feet high and about forty feet across.

Here is a close up of the ice dome from just under the Lower Falls. The spray off the rock where the Falls reaches bottom is what causes the freezing water to form a egg shaped dome of ice.

I'll be posting more Yosemite photographs soon... check back for a view of a panorama I took from the Merced River looking back toward the east end of the Valley. Sunset, full moon rising, and a low misty fog hovering over a meadow.

7 comments:

ebjerke said...

Hey, Bill, I was just checking out your various sites after I saw your name as the creator of the Friendship Weekend Card. I have enjoyed looking at your work! It looks like we are working the a louis Palou event at different times, but it was nice to meet you through your work.

Keep up the good work!

-Eric Bjerke

Mountain Mom said...

Oh! How you have captured the splendor of Yosemite! God bless you!

William Moore said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Grumpy1 said...

Magnificent - just to be there would have been magical, let alone the thrill of capturing the splendour, as you did, for mere mortals like me.
Thank you.

Grumpy1 said...

Yes, I am from Australia, Bill, and I thank you for the link. I also have linked to this blog, from my Great Blogs site, in several places as well as the Tabs bar.

I have been awestruck by your presentations of His works, His creations. He has blessed you with the skill, and the opportunities. Some people can't see the forest for the trees unless their eyes have been opened.
I can't make it through a week without a visit to your sites.
Thank you.

John D. Heaton III said...

Hello Bill. Long time no see! I hope all is well with you and yours. God Bless.
John

Anonymous said...

Hi Bill, are you still persecuting the ill and dying?