Worn and tattered, some of the largest and oldest trees remain in the San Gabriel wilderness only standing to weather the storms, the winds, and the harsh conditions imposed upon them. Erosion by wind and heat, the exposure carves character into the landscape and its features.
Worn and tattered, some of the largest and oldest trees remain in the San Gabriel wilderness only standing to weather the storms, the winds, and the harsh conditions imposed upon them.
Sometimes, while on the march to your chosen place and destination, there are these wilderness pockets open to curiosity. A clearing among many that aren’t all that remarkable, but significant nonetheless. Largely because of what grows there. What nature is doing there and how it contributes to life by shaping the character of the forest. Each hidden place in full view is a canvas filled with meaning and beauty.
While under tree cover, or at lower elevations along the terrain, you can’t really always see your destination. From navigation and planning, you improve the possibility of reaching your prize. Yet the best perspective is to keep in mind that the trip is about the journey and the time to get there. As much as it is about the destination to mark a meaningful achievement. Your wilderness experience is what you make of it.
The way to go is obvious. Even though the way to go is very far out on a remote trail, it genuinely feels like you’re going somewhere. What’s on the other side of the path isn’t really as relevant. As compared to where you’re at at the moment. Step by step all but missed getting where you’re going. Only to look back and see where it is you’ve passed. And what it is you’ve missed.
While trying out the NIK Collection, I came upon many image processing capabilities that are pretty useful. These are a few highlighted screenshots of a small creek in Yosemite. They are totally new to me, so it will take some time to get familiar with them to put them to better use. So from among the many functions and capabilities, this is an example of a Bokeh effect without using a Bokeh lens, per se. While this is a bad Bokeh image, it’s to give an idea about what these filters and processors are.
Experimenting with Google’s NIK Collection
This is what it looks like when the way to go is obvious, but doubt still settles in about it being the right way. Finding your way through an obscure path is either an exercise in risk or a wise decision made. Depending upon conditions or your perspective.
In a world of enormous creatures in this wilderness place, Titans such as this can fall and come to rest. After centuries of standing strong and tall, they fall from their stature and come to rest such as this. In a very brief felling event, they begin to die. They come to rest in their space and provide shelter and sustenance for other creatures of this wilderness kingdom.
While trudging along the trail, it is far too easy to miss the highlights of where you are. Where you pass where you were to get where you’re going. The color and variety of Springtime flowers and grasses are completely worth your while to stop and spend time with them. To see how they move and bear meaning to each other, the wildlife and insects. It is even of more interest to consider how they got to their current form.
Sometimes finding your way through an obscure direction takes guesswork. This photo was taken several miles out on a trail that faded in and out along the way. With enough persistence and curiosity, the effort can completely pay off without having to turn back or check the maps. You just have to pay attention to what the forest and wilderness are telling you.
Sometimes you can find the best light in the most inconspicuous places. Where the light’s direction is going, where it reflects or spreads, and how it applies color from its spectrum makes for some of the best impressions made. Knowing how to find the best light quality and knowing when it appears increases the likelihood of what drama or beauty you’ll see. Regardless of your physical location.
The mysterious Mt Watkins. Tucked back behind the more prominent features of Yosemite Valley. Standing opposite of Half Dome along the Tenaya Canyon, it has a character all its own. For generations, you see sketches and photos of this monolith in Yosemite without as much fanfare or notoriety as the others such as El Cap, Three Brothers, Sentinel Royal Arches, and Half Dome.
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