The name Ansel Adams and Yosemite National Park are intertwined! It is very difficult to think about one without thinking of the other. Ansel Adams spent many years living, photography, and advocating the preservation of Yosemite NP, a park he truly loved. Whenever I visit the park, it almost feels like I am walking in the footsteps of this photographic master. Although photography has transitioned from an exclusive analog perspective with film to the digital, I still have a special place in my heart for film photography. There is just something about selecting a roll of film, loading it, contemplating the shot, and getting it developed...that is missing from the digital perspective. However, I still enjoy digital photography as well. I will post some of my film shots once I get them developed.
The scene above "Smoke Fills Yosemite Valley" was taken with my trustworthy Fujifilm X100S. I captured this shot from the tunnel view overlook on my final day in the park. Smoke was billowing from a fire on the western flanks of the park, west of the valley. The wind patterns were pushing the smoke directly into Yosemite Valley, resulting in the above photo. Later I would learn that the pilot of a firefighting plane crashed...resulting in the expanded smoke plume. Unfortunately, the pilot died in the accident.
I had the chance to visit the Ansel Adams Gallery during my stay. It is well worth the visit and if you have an extra $70,000 burning a hole in your pocket, you can buy a limited edition Ansel Adams print!
The Ansel Adams Gallery
Fujifilm X100S
