Morning in the Sierra. The trail was muddy and lined with wildflowers. This side of the lake was still in the shadow of the mountains and the air was chilly. I had spent the night in my car along the side of the road after arriving late into the night. Today was for acclimating to the high elevation since I was coming from sea level.
I was searching for a composition that had a foreground, mid-ground and background. I liked the shadows along this side and tried to find a foreground that was in shadow and that used the shadow to frame the shot. I soon found this finger of land jutting into the lake that became the mid-ground. Slowing my pace I searched of a good foreground. I found three potential possibilities, all of which were trees. The first was two aspens standing side by side, their leaves fluttering in a breeze that was so light I couldn't feel it. The second was also a pair of aspens though these were naked and without their leaves. The third possibilities was this one that I uploaded. The mountain that rose above the lake provided the obvious background. I also wanted as little sky as possible.
I use tree silhouettes as a regular foreground object quite frequently as you can see from the older images flic.kr/p/26S728q and flic.kr/p/26x789G


youtu.be/8eVUZ9UMfYY

Tags:   lake mountains high sierra wilderness morning reflection tree silhouette shadow landscape hiking backpacking camping pine water green blue rocks

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After the previous night's thunderstorm we dried our tents out and continued on to Governor Dern Lake. We had three other thunderstorms today that hovered on our periphery, just close enough to serenade us with their thunder but not so close that we had a repeat of the previous night. Only a few small drops fell but that was it. All the while I was hoping for a good soaking since I love experiencing such storms even if I have no shelter to run to.
At sunset the clouded sky cleared and the lake stilled. I had spent almost three hours sitting quietly beneath some pines next to a stream on the outskirts of a meadow, waiting for the light to become photo worthy. though when the sun did set the light was not what I had expected so I headed over to the lake and found this spot. The entire time I patiently sat and waited I did not see any wildlife, not deer nor elk or moose, only a single frog. The trees were filled with singing birds and the percussion of woodpeckers.
Once sunset faded and night's cloak fell, we heard the call of a female elk echoing from the meadow that I had just spent all those hours at.
It was a perfect day.

Tags:   lake sunset utah water reflection trees wilderness silhouette shadow pine fir evergreen calm peaceful granddady basin contrast landscape sky blue black orange high uintas

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I went to Jennie Lake over Memorial Day weekend. After a full day of thick fog that dropped visibility down to about 15-20ft, I awoke to a crystal clear morning.

youtu.be/EPhOSFVfjFE

Tags:   Black and White landscape mountains wilderness jennie lake sequoia kings canyon reflection forest high sierra backpacking camping hiking morning trees lake pine shadows light ansel adams sunrise water

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After the calm night had fled the rising sun I awoke to this scene here. When I first saw it the whole of the land was in shadow and only the distant peak was bathed in a vibrant pink light.
flic.kr/p/RNQtG6
After waiting in peaceful meditation for an unrealized length of time the sunlight flowed into the scene as you see it here.
This was the last morning on trail. It didn't take long after beginning to hike that we reached trails end. There we waited for our ride to pick us up and take us back to base camp.

Tags:   lake calm pond reflection shadow light utah high uintas wilderness trees mountain forest pine camping backpacking wilderness wandering blue green black silhouette water

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This shot was taken with a Kodak Retina IIF film camera that I found at an estate sale and a roll of high contrast black and white film.

part 4

The mosquitoes were still lying dormant, hiding from the cold morning air, at least up here in the shade where I was.
As the sunlight grew and spread to embrace Merriam Lake I shared the beautiful view with this group of trees.
I've seen photos of a single backpacker silhouetted against a glowing peak; I'd love to do a shot like that if I had some one with me but I usually don't. I the one thing that is almost always there are trees and they are just as sentient and just as deserving to be the subject as any wilderness wanderer.

"Wilderness Wanderer", that bring up another thought.
Backpacking, a boring title for something much more than boring. Sure its hard and dusty, dirty, gritty, difficult, challenging, full of sweat sometimes blood and maybe tears as well. I my opinion wilderness wandering is a much better name for what we do, especially those of us who venture off trail into the vast, wide open and unknown wildernesses.
Anyway, if you take time to read this and you like the term, "Wilderness Wandering" share it and spread it around, and who knows, maybe we could start something.

Tags:   film landscape wilderness wandering black and white trees lake mountains sierra backpacking camping hiking wilderness view shadow light rocks water

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