Yosemite Chronicles #7

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 11, 2011458 views21 comments

Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall? The continuing theme of my recent trip to Yosemite just a little over a month ago.

Shortly after capturing #6, Chris and I took off on foot up the side of the 2-lane Highway 41. This is about a 2mile section of road that runs between the Bridal Veil parking area and the infamous Tunnel View overlook. Along this short stretch of road I have always been attracted to the mossy rocks and oaks found along the way. Unfortunately there are no pullouts, so I wanted to hoof it and see what we could find.

Here is a view that one might glimpse on their drive up towards Tunnel View. I love the mossy greens. Combined with my love of the trees and forest and I couldn't resist setting up the camera.

As always, your thoughts and honest critique are appreciated. If this doesn't move you, please don't hesitate to say why. If you like it, ditto.

4x5, 300mm, V100F, f/32 @ 2s.

Thanks!
Lon

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by Danny Laureys on December 11, 2011 at 1:39 AM

This is great Lon, I've always enjoyed your tree shots, they are hard to do for me,but somehow you always pull it off.

Registered on January 5, 2008, 590 Posts, 1261 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on December 11, 2011 at 2:31 AM

Nice as always Lon.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on December 11, 2011 at 8:30 AM

Gorgeous, Lon!! Beautifully composed and wonderfully processed. The image does a great job of making me feel like I am in this scene. Love that foreground. Excellent image!!!

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on December 11, 2011 at 8:46 AM

I love the mossy greens too Lon, very natural and wonderful looking woodland.

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on December 11, 2011 at 10:29 AM

Nice! At first, I thought this looked a little flat, but one must view the larger image to enjoy the detail and micro-contrasts. I've seen these trees many times, of course, and you did a very good job of capturing the feel of the place. I have one suggestion: You might consider bringing down the tones in the light grey branch near center. That's pretty minor--this is still a wonderful image.

--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on December 11, 2011 at 11:06 AM

Amazing details!!!! This is just great.

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Walt Sterneman on December 11, 2011 at 11:57 AM

I also really like the mossy green rocks Lon. I am perplexed on how to shoot these kinds of shots. I will keep trying to figure it out but am having trouble getting an interesting comp. You do a very nice job with it.

Registered on March 24, 2010, 73 Posts, 1268 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on December 11, 2011 at 12:09 PM

Love the mossy carpet Lon, overall though, I don't think it stands up to your typically very high standard. It certainly does, however, portray the forest in a "I feel like I'm there" kind of way - just not in as artistic a way as so many of your other tree images.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on December 11, 2011 at 12:45 PM

This is lovely, Lon. Wonderful detail, subtly presented.

- Dan.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on December 11, 2011 at 12:59 PM

What impresses me most about this image is the comp. It's about perfect, imo. I really like how you managed such a coherant and distraction free composition out of this area. I was looking at mine and was just not that inspired about the outcome. I guess I just didn't put enough effort and vision into it to get as good a result. Very nice!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on December 11, 2011 at 1:59 PM

Looks like you came away with a very believable scene. By that I mean we pass by these areas on our individual quests for awesome scenery, all too often. And it's this type of view that makes up a forest, the branches and twigs and walls of green that hamper our visual depth. But here what makes this really work for me is the contrast of a busy scene made solid by a velvet feel.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on December 11, 2011 at 2:08 PM

Hi Lon

What moves me, is the way you captured the scene.... composing the strong horizontal layers of moss and stone against the vertical elements of tree trunks and very fine detailed branches and leaves....... to me, everything is in harmony.

Albert Darmo
Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on December 11, 2011 at 2:18 PM

Hi Lon,
great to see the images from your Yosemite trip coming in on a regular basis! I am maybe really a strange guy,but I think this is my least favourite - although it offers all the things I like in a photograph. The moss covered boulders are very nice and I also like the ornamental upper part of the composition. Overall, I think it offers the ususal balance known from you and it has that "Overacker" elegance. But there is something that does not come together so well for me here. Hard to put my finger on it. I think it is that the three trees in the front merge a bit too much with the background. Maybe the light was too flat to sculpture the scene with more depth and separation.
Man, that was hard to get it out.

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on December 11, 2011 at 3:57 PM

Thanks for the comments so far folks. Appreciate the honest critiques.

Preston - good call on the tree branch. I had actually thought about that after posting. I think there's a little magenta in those trunks as well. I'll certainly address that if this ever sees print (not likely though!) ;-)

I like it enough, but agree that it's not up there with any of my favorites. Thanks again folks!

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on December 11, 2011 at 8:56 PM

Exquisite, Lon. Love your composition and how the moss on the trees ties in with the moss covered rocks. Wonderful detail and flow. Fantastic.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on December 11, 2011 at 9:33 PM

Really nicely composed. You've kept all the elements from seeming chaotic. The mossy rocks anchor it and the grouping of tree trunks works as an interesting shape to pull me in. Very balanced comfortable feel.

Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments

Comment posted by Adam Gibbs on December 12, 2011 at 12:21 AM

Okay, Lon! Technically I think the image is fine.I also like all of the elements that are included within the frame, especially the deep green mosses. What doesn't work for me is the composition, especially the central section as there are no defining trees to take center stage, if that makes sense. The small central tree (in front) actually gets in the way a bit. I am sure that printed large the image has many fine details but as you know detail is not always everything. Compared to some of your other tree images this one doesn't quite stack up.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 168 Posts, 870 Comments

Comment posted by David Edwards on December 12, 2011 at 3:27 AM

A fantastic comp, Lon. The detail is again outstanding. The light is a touch drab, but it does fit with the lush, moss of the forest.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 12, 2011 at 1:16 PM

Nice! Great use of thirds, and i just love mossy forested scenes! Two thumbs up...

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Hilton on December 12, 2011 at 7:34 PM

Lon,
Did you get any shots of just the moss covered rocks?
I think the entire frame will make a wonderful large print...
but I would love to see some of those rocks featured in your 4x5 capture...

Registered on September 19, 2011, 68 Posts, 668 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on December 13, 2011 at 9:00 AM

Lon, This is really nice! The detail in this must just be fantastic from what I can see. I enjoy the light and the moss covered rocks and trees are wonderful. As with much of your work I'm sure viewing it on the web does not do it justic. Excellent work!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments