Valley View

[Robert]

No filters used. I shot the photo in RAW and "kicked it up a notch" in Photoshop. (Perhaps too much PS was done, you can see evidence of halos in the sky next to the edges of the cliffs)

[Buck Forester]

Here's another shot of that big red log. I think the log can be composed well into a frame, like what you did, but there won't be any love lost for me if that big tree gets washed downstream soon. It's been there long enough... you listening to me, Mother Nature?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/buckforester/96621862/

[Robert]

Buck,

Your photo is what inspired me to compose my photo. I saw it while perusing your portfolio on photo.net. Everyone of your photos are spectacular, but this one always catches my eye. I imagine this is a scene similar to what the first white men saw as they entered the valley from Merced Canyon.

Breathtaking!

Regards,
Robert

[mountaineer]

I don't know Buck, the picture would still be a great one without the log, but not nearly as interesting. There would be far too much boring gray water in the foreground.

[SierraVisions]

Love your shot Buck. I would have never thought of composing it that way. But then again, the last time I was there, there were about 50 other people there too

Here is a shot that doesn't have the log in it, but the log played a huge part in the shot because two of my tripod legs was on the log, the other leg was on a rock, as was I. It was one of the fun, challenging tri pod positions.
http://www.sierravisionsstock.com/galle ... itemId=382
Steven

[mountaineer]

Love your shot Buck. I would have never thought of composing it that way. But then again, the last time I was there, there were about 50 other people there too

Here is a shot that doesn't have the log in it, but the log played a huge part in the shot because two of my tripod legs was on the log, the other leg was on a rock, as was I. It was one of the fun, challenging tri pod positions.
http://www.sierravisionsstock.com/galle ... itemId=382
Steven

Ah...but the water was lower and you had rocks in the foreground. Nice shot!

[SierraVisions]

Ah...but the water was lower and you had rocks in the foreground. Nice shot!

Much lower. From there we walked along the river to the bridge shooting the fall maples and dogwoods.

[Robert]

The water was very low as of last weekend. Yosemite Falls was nearly non-existent. The high country has received some snow, so I would imagine the falls are starting to kick in again. Winter in the valley should be nice again this year.
I can hardly wait to go again!

[Buck Forester]

Thanks... and they're all great shots! Yes, I do like the log in all these shots, it brings a different element into the same old scene (I shouldn't say "same old scene" because it's one of my favorites on the planet and I never get tired of it!), but it's more difficult to compose images without having the log there, once you've already gotten your 400 log-in-foreground photos. Plus, it'll make these existing images unique because they won't be able to be replicated once the log is gone.

As soon as the first big snow dump happens in Yosemite Valley, I plan on being there during it! I can't wait. I drove down to Lee Vining last Monday to drop off images for consideration for the Mono Lake Committe 2008 calendar, and it was snowing like crazy over Hwy. 50. Chains required (not needed for my 4x4), everything was white... it was very beautiful!

[Robert]

Buck,

I don't understand what that committee needs to consider....the whole damn calendar should be your images!

Keep up the good work. Maybe I'll run into you in YNP one day. Or maybe in your neck-o-the-woods, we have some friends in Auburn that we visit often.

Regards,
Robert