DISPLACED INVERSIONS (Late evening mist shifts around El Capitan in Yosemite National Park) Waiting for the snow plows to clear the road wasn't working for me but having no choice in the matter I hunkered down and waited things out with the others. Eventually I got into the park and high tailed it down to the this Bridal Veil field area. It was about 4:30 or so and time was running thin as I set up and landed a few shots of El Capitan with the clouds moving in and out of the mist. Getting back to the car I realized I was atleast 1 1/2 stops under exposed on the image and maybe more from the prism finder reading. After calling myself a few expletives I settled on just getting the film home and push processing it to make up the difference. The film came back exposed properly but blue, I shifted some of the color, and converted over to black and white to create this image. The tall Oak, towering to the skies, The fury of the wind defies, From age to age, in virtue strong. Inured to stand, and suffer wrong. -James Montgomery, “The Oak”

TIMELESS The walk was brisk as I worked my way up the switchbacks to get a glimpse of Upper Yosemite Falls. Eventually the trail gave in and I found myself in a familiar area awaiting my move down the wall and towards a settling area to hit the image. My intention was to capitalize on a spot I had found the winter before where I had encompassed both Halfdome and the Upper falls in the image. Try as I might I couldn't find the spot so had to go up higher and try to shoot both from a different vantage point. To make a long story short no matter what location I found I wasn't getting both icons in the image so settled on just shooting the Upper falls. The lighting added up to some nice shadows on the wall and a glancing spray water rainbow on the ground. "Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old." -Franz Kafka

GLANCING AT SPRING Half Dome reflecting in a flooded Yosemite Pond (May, 2005) Excitement built up in me as I sped towards the back of Yosemite hopeful to get in the backdoor of the high country. Spring was in the air and rumors had it that the water levels would be higher then they had been in 50 years. Just the day before the park had been closed from flood conditions. Arriving at the back side I found it closed as the snow levels in the high country were way to high. 7 hours later I found myself getting in the park from the front side. After taking on an Upper Yosemite Falls climb the next day that left me dehydrated to some degree I found myself back at the car looking off in this direction. Upon walking through the reeds I found this pool of water aching for a mirror Lock up on the camera. I shot off about a roll and a half of film including black and white and settled on this one image. The wind was moving the water and reeds while the sun was moving in and out of the image. To add to the drama I couldnt decide just how low or high to go with the Graduated ND filter. Finally it came out some what to my liking. “Memories may escape the action of the will, may sleep a long time, but when stirred by the right influence, though that influence be light as a shadow, they flash into full stature and life with everything in place” John Muir

SPRING BRIDAL Bridal Veil Falls in spring time During a foray with my shooting partner Seth we reached a precipice where we found ourselves close to the fall yet out of view of tourists. The spray kept us wet but it was fun getting this different view of the fall and soaking up the moment at the same time. Seth captured an image of me against the fall while I ran into technical difficulties with the back on my own camera. We may repeat this image one day and I'll be ready to capture him against the spray the next time. Raymond Marlow

COLD LEVELS Ice Melts slowly as spring looms on the Merced River A solemn word kept in youth flows back to one in silence. Time sets forward to stay forth our memories fulfilled. Raymond Marlow Stats: f11 1/8th sec hassy 503CX 80mm Fuji Velvia 50

THE CAPTAINS FIRE (Sunset adds fire and color to Elcapitan at Valley view) What fire in creation brings life to our souls; would not depart of water this birth, and every breath of life with both. Raymond D Marlow

DELICATE GRANITE (Ice and snow transpose form and reality against the Granite background of El capitan). Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Natures peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of autumn. John Muir

MIST TRAIL RAPIDS Vernal Falls flowing on a beautiful spring day. (Spring 2005) Moving past Vernals Photo Rock I put myself into position to let the waters flow into my lap. A few rocks kept me out of the water and I was able to run off a few shots of the flowing waters with people on the trail. I decided atleast in this image to keep the people in the image to add some perspective to the image. "Everything is water." -Thales of Miletus

QUIET IMPRESSIONS (Snow clumps line the Merced river across the way from Elcapitan). In the attitude of silence the soul finds its path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after truth. Mahatma Ghandi Stats: hasselblad 503CW 50mm lense Fuji Velvia 50 converted to black and white through Photo Shop.

THE HOURGLASS Upper Yosemite Falls reflecting in a flooded area of Yosemite (May, 2005) Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude; It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Bible, Paul, 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 Stats: Hasselblad 503CW, 50mm, Fuji Velvia 50 , f16, 1/8th second. polarized.

POTHOLE SMOKE (A Yosemite Valley fire brings unwanted smoke to the Yosemite high country) The shiny, flat surface of some rocks is the handiwork of glaciers that polished them centuries ago. Sand and other small abrasives that pressed against the granite under the weight of the glaciers cut distinct striations, or scratch marks, on the rocks, which indicate the direction the glaciers were moving.

ICE TIOGA (Ice thaws in late spring Tioga lake on the border of the Yosemite high country) Though short is the time span our lives would be, great is the presence and well kept thought which would preserve our love for the wilderness and natural preserves. Raymond Marlow

MAY LAKE (Trees line the banks of May Lake) The solstice of May Lake is like the silence of a lost friend in the wilderness. If you find the one, the other will unfold to you as a natural presence. Raymond Marlow

Tobacco Cap Elcapitan at sunset “The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.” Bible quote