I recently visited YNP and it was quite depressing for several reasons. Because of all the recent fires, the forest service has cut down many trees and there are also piles of cut underbrush everywhere. Driving along Northside and Southside drives you feel like you are driving past a slagheap. Also, because of the prolonged drought there are brown conifers and most of the trees just don’t look happy, not green and vibrant but pale and a bit droopy. Lastly, there is major construction going on. The entire parking area at Bridal Vail falls is under construction and inaccessible and construction extends down to the Pahono Bridge intersection, which involves up to a 45 minute wait. Also, the construction extends along Southside drive almost to the swinging bridge, so that the Pahono walk along the river is inaccessible. On the other hand, the dogwoods seemed to be happy and it was a banner year for the blooms. I enclose one shot here, taken with a 100-400 lens at 332 mm, f/16, 1.0 second, and heavily cropped.
Beautiful! The crispness of the Cornus against the soft flow of the water with reflections keeps the eye riveted.
I had to stop and look closely because of the lovely photograph, but also by the title. They just didn’t fit together, but after reading about you experience I understand. Often I feel that the greatest injustice we do to grand lands is to make them National Parks and then allow craftsman artists to create images of them. Wouldn’t it be nice to say, hey, there’s this beautiful place, gear up for an 8-mile hike, and go see for yourself.
Beautifullly done Tony. This is a composition that’s not uncommon from Yosemite at this time of the year. I like the mixture of warm and cool in the background. There is little to suggest. Most like use a branch with an arch to it but this works just as well for me.
Yes, I’m afraid many parks will be going through changes very soon. Yosemite is struggling and trying to preserve what it had before. There are now 40 million people in California and they’re going to impact the state’s natural resources. I had a similar experience last fall at Arches National Monument. Let’s just say that the experience bears no resemblance to Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire. There’s nothing solitaire about it any longer.
Beautiful image. I have the same comments as the others: nice mixture of colors and patterns in the water, soft light on the water and the blossom.
The impact of crowds is not limited to the NP’s around the world. The images on social media of e.g. Iceland and the Faroe Islands brought hordes of people there to make a snapshot of the popular spots. And it is going on for a long time already: I visited California with my wife in 1985, and we avoided Yosemite because of the crowds. Sequoia/King’s Canyon was a quiet alternative. In May 2008 I was 2 weeks with my family in the Southwest. The camp warden in Zion told me, that before the introduction of shuttle buses it was very common in summer to drive around all day without finding a place to park.
If the accessibility of beautiful places to all people contributes to the ecological awareness, it might have positive sides too. I hope so.
This is very nice. Besides the depressing devastation happening to our natural wonders, you found something that perseveres–life goes on. Composition is outstanding and it shows that water is essential for life. Awesome photo…Jim
Tony I like how you kept the water lighter and more delicate looking, rather than going for a darker background to accentuate the dogwood blossoms. I think the look of the water here creates a softer, more gentle feeling that is fiittng for the spring season. Overall this image is very well done, with a nicely balanced composition between flowers and water.
I visited Zion in the spring prior to the creation of the mandatory shuttle system. By mid-day parked cars completely filled both sided of the road for several miles back from the end of the road at the Temple of Sinawava. It was a total circus.
I wonder how long it will be before some of out most over-loved parks like Yosemite will switch to a lottery system to even gain entrance to the park. Sadly, that may be the direction we are heading.
Classic image. I like the warm/cool color contrasts in the water. Plants like this never seem to stop moving when I take my camera out. What’s your secret?
Just a comment that all the sadness in YNP sounds like it was caused by humans. I’m sure many natural places would be much happier if humans would clear out.
I love this image, its zen-like quality, its simplicity. Congratulations. I have been to YNP many times. In the eighties, I was bothered by the circus in Yosemite Village. This was before the reorganization of the campgrounds. My wife mentioned that as obnoxious as these people were, they vote. At least they had the chance to experience the park, and would support future funding. I don’t know of this has held, but I for one now contribute to the park foundation. It’s the least I can do to pay back for all the years of enjoyment. That, and keeping to Tuolumne Meadows or the AA Wilderness as much as I can. In closing, thank you for brining a little peacefulness to my morning.
I’m pretty late to this one Tony but you captured a very graceful and delicate image with terrific flow and some of that reflected light from one of the walls. Like some of the commenters, I too struggle with trying to get a sharp shot because of the breeze that is so prevalent here. Nice job. I like luck! :))
About Yosemite and some of the Southwest National Parks, they are being overrun with too many people. This has been the case for Yosemite for several decades but it is now true of most of the Desert southwest parks the last 5-10 years as well, particularly Zion. I fear the only hope is a lottery system so that these national treasures can heal and get back to normal. I agree with @JeffS that Yosemite is not all about the valley. That’s only 2% of the total park. If more people would take the drive to Tuolumne Meadows and the Ansel Adams Wilderness, they would discover a backpackers heaven on earth that few people visit with scenery and views that rival the valley.
