April 28, 2009

Yosemite: Photography Walk

Sunday started early with a free photography walk put on by the Ansel Adams Gallery. One guide took about 20 of us out into the Yosemite valley floor to take some amazing photos and share some really great insight. If you have the opportunity to go to Yosemite, see if they are offering one of these walks. My husband even said he learned more about Yosemite from this free walk then he did on the tour we paid for. Between the photography advice, stories about Ansel Adams, and Yosemite trivia... it was really good! ( and no, I'm not being paid to say any of this ;) )

The walk started with a group of deer hanging out near the gallery. The deer in Yosemite are not afraid of people. It's amazing how close you can get without them running away!













Then we headed to a nearby meadow. Our guide taught us about how Ansel Adams would frame his images using the trees, and he pointed out the tree below as one of the famous trees in his work. Looking back at some of my earlier pictures from the trip, it fascinates me how many pictures included this tree and I didn't think anything of it!















As we headed over to the next location I spotted this painter. If you look closely you'll see her painting of the falls. I have a lot of respect for painters. I don't have that kind of patience...



The next location was on the edge of the meadow (can you spot that tree again?) where there is a reflecting pool that only happens in the spring. Nature is amazing!











Next we headed across the Merced River. There is a beautiful view of the falls from here. It's right down from Sentinel Bridge so there is also a really cool view of Half Dome as well.






Look carefully... can you see Half Dome?






Our wonderful guide





Stay tuned for the last bit of our trip!

April 27, 2009

Yosemite: Day Two

You would think after all that hiking that my husband did during his backpacking trip would make him never want to hike again. Well, not so much. Saturday was the big hike. We were going to attack the Mist Trail. The name of this trail makes it sound like an easy little walk. Don't let it fool you! Most of the trail is straight uphill, and the second half is all stairs (most of which are soaking wet).

We were headed to the top of Vernal Falls.


My husand hiking ahead of me.


The lower part of the falls.
Almost a mile after we started we reached the footbridge. If you look closely you can spot the falls in the background. (Do I look exhausted or is it just me?)

View from the footbridge

After the bridge came the STAIRS! Ekk!
I also put my nice camera away so it wouldn't get all wet, so the next set of pictures were taken with my snazzy little point & shoot!










Then we made it to the top!







Emerald Pool







After we ate lunch and rested our feet for a few minutes, we headed back down. It still shocks me just how many people were headed up even after we got to the bottom. Apparently it's one of the busiest in Yosemite and I totally believe it.


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April 22, 2009

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