I’ve been invoking many of my favorite authors’ perspectives lately: Abbey, Pirsig, and now Frost.
Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold,
Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.
–Robert Frost
In choosing my November image of the month, a repeating thought I had was, “Wow, autumn seems to have just arrived…its already bending under the weight of winter in some places!” In California, what seemed for many photographers to be a weekly rat race to the Sierra for fall color photography has come to an end; soon winter will take its extended, frigid hold on the mountains. While it may seem like a long season ahead, it gives us time to breathe deep and take in the scenery a bit.
Winter sets in, January 2010
November’s image of the month comes from the final day of 2009; I enjoyed a very quiet and solitary few hours walking around El Capitan Meadow searching for images. As sunset neared, fog started rising from the Merced River, filling the Valley floor. This image is iconic, but really brings back memories of that afternoon. Standing alone at the base of this magnificent monolith was the perfect way to end the year, and–I think–an ideal way to begin November.
Iconic maybe, but not a clichéd look by any means. I love the way the monolith stands out against the sky. Very strong. You’re making my feet itch and my blood stir. Great piece of work.
Its a fantastic monolith indeed, PJ. I’ve yet to stand by it or even see it without getting that tingly feeling…
You’ve done it. This is what I have been talking about: finding an unusual viewpoint when photographing icons. I am chuckling and enjoying PJ’s expletives. I struggle to come up with new ways of expressing the enjoyment of a photograph, but any photograph that can make PJ’s feet itch has to be good. He has those adventurous, far-traveling photographer’s feet, you know. Frost was one of my father and mother’s favorites too. My father had me read the “Road Less Traveled” at the Celebration of my mother’s life.
Wow, thank you David. I’ve been thinking about the icons for a few months now, and am working to find new ways to photograph them. Granted, I’ll come out with something recognizable every once in a while, but any time I can make PJ’s feet itch, I’ll take it. 😉
That’s pretty good you guys…Keep up the fine work Greg. These old feet haven’t felt this lively in a long time…
Wonderful composition, very nice photo. I like the position and contrast of the monolith with the sky and the forest below.