Snow is such a magical thing, I wish that I had gotten to go to the snow more often as a child myself to experience the wonder of snow. Like this little girl, dancing and running in the snow. There is such innocence in just playing around in the snow. She and her little brother where running around just having fun with each other by the ski lift. It is refreshing to know that people, whether just children or not, can appreciate the innocence that nature provides.
No sunset is ever the same, even just one sunset can be portrayed in a thousand different ways. As a photographer it is your job to take something normal and everyday like a sunset and transform it into something new and exciting. I try to do this as often as I can because I sure do love sunset pictures.
One of the most difficult and frustrating shots for me is trying to get good pictures of birds. It drives me crazy trying to get a good bird shot because they are very hard to get.
However, most of the time it just turns out flat and boring as you get a picture of the birds butt. And no one wants to see that.Let me just say to all those people who get amazing bird shots out there, first of all I envy you. Second of all you must be photography gods or extremely lucky because for me at least it is near impossible to get bird shots.
On the ride up to Yosemite I was on a mission. I was going to get a good shot of a bird no matter how long it took. My plan was this:
Simple plan? not really. Driving at eighty miles and hour and trying to slam on the brakes fast enough to not miss the bird is incredibly hard because by the time you actually spot the bird and start screaming and frantically gesturing to pull over, you pass it.
Strange thing is that these birds on the side of the road really don’t seem afraid of cars. However as soon as they see a person emerging from the car they get the flock out of there. So even if you stop in time just as you creep closer it would fly away. Then there is the disappointing walk of shame back to the car without a single picture. Trying times, very trying times. However I finally did get one so the hard times and the disappointment were not for nothing. Here it is, the fruit of my efforts.
My mom and I on our road trip to Yosemite saw many interesting things and actually had a lot of luck with wildlife on the ride up, however you will have to wait for those stories. Yes I know I am evil, lets just call it a cliffhanger, high-five, then walk away.
We were hoping there would be lots of snow in Yosemite but there was surprisingly little. There was a lot of interesting fog and mist that added another dimension to my photography. It provided an intriguing experience to experiment with photography. It was breath-taking, the beautiful sites all over the park that made both of us sad that we only two days in total for our trip. We made the most of it though, running around after wildlife and chasing reflections in frozen rivers. It was a lot of fun and the little dose of adventure that I was yearning for.
I decided that instead of just getting normal landscape shots of Half Dome that I was going to try to get a new spin off of the original photos to spice up my photography a bit. My idea rested on a hunt for Half Dome’s reflection. Finding just the perfect spot on the river where Half Dome’s beauty could be found was tricky but a fun challenge.
I think it worked splendidly. From Half Dome we moved onto Yosemite Falls. We didn’t have time to go up to the upper falls so we settled for just the lower ones. The rainbow being cast off from the falls was magnificent.
We could at least watch from afar the majesty of the upper falls that cascaded down the cliff’s face.
My mom was helping me by being my camera assistant the whole time. Helping my swap out lens and helping out with the tri-pod. So a little shout out for my best travel buddy, my mom, and my lovely camera assistant. Love You!
It was a really fun little trip and I hope to go back soon and get even better photos. Other photos from our adventures in Yosemite and the road trip up will all be coming soon!
My mom and I are heading out to Yosemite for a short trip before Christmas. I am hoping to see lots of snow even though it says it will just be raining. I have been yearning for some new adventures and haven’t been to Yosemite since seventh grade. So adventure here we come. Hiking , maybe cross country skiing, and lots of photos. Stay tuned for photos! See you all in a couple of days.
Can you see me between the lines of this poem
Peaking out behind the imposing columns
Of the words that I have created
Yet which are slowly uncreating me.
Can you find me in the contours of every word
Molding my body to shape of the letters
That makes up my very essence, my very soul
They are my children that have one by one left me.
Can you search for me when I am lost in this forest of words
When they consume me and leave me for dead
Will you be there waiting to help pick up the ruin of who I have become
Or will I be left alone with the whispers of the words begging to be born.
Can you distinguish the person who I used to be
From the creature that the words have made into me
I am afraid of the darkness that hides within the words
Lurking in the shadows of every line I write. It is watching me.
Can you read the words imprinted on my heart
That left burning scores tattooed in my skin
As I tore the words from my body
And lay them down as a sacrifice to you.
Can you understand the agony I have suffered
From you merciless gods who pick at these words
That are pieces of my being and lay them to ruinous waste
Leaving me in tatters only to rise again to create.
Can you believe me when I say this is my purpose
This is the reason I live and breath
The words that I breathe life into
Breathe life back into me.
I am tired now let me sleep
The little girl says in a voice scarred
By winters claws in her throat
Not yet, not quite yet
Our feet drag in the snow
Her little hand held loosely in my own
If I can not feel my own hand
How am I supposed to keep track of hers
I feel her hands slipping frequently
From within my grasp
To hang limp by her sides
They drag her down
She is so little
So fragile I have to take care of her
But even as I think this
I feel my eyelids dragging too
We are dying
And I know this
I wonder if she knows too
We keep moving
One foot in front of the other
Trudging through this desolations
To a destination unknown
I have no answers for her
Just empty reassurance
That soon the answer will come
Who knows maybe a flaming chariot
Will come from the sky
In a flourish of warmth
That will thaw our tired bones
Or not.
Nevertheless we keep moving
She falls to her knees beside me
I barely notice in my own fogginess
I am going to take a nap
She says in a voice now more than a whisper
That echoes in my ears like a scream
No.
I say forcing my way through the snow
To reach down and rouse her
She has curled up in the snow
Like a kitten next to a warm fire
There seems no difference
She looks so peaceful as she closes her eyes
I shake her, yell at her
Tell her she can’t die
I have to protect her
Keep her safe and alive
But she is gone now
Curl up in Winter’s embrace
Leaving me in this winter wasteland
Alone.
So devastatingly alone
I kneel in the snow
Unable to move
Not willing to die
But not strong enough to live
Where does that leave me
I pet her soft hair
And say goodbye
I have to continue on
Alone if must be
So I left her behind
She belonged to the winter
Not mine any more
I screamed in silence
Because there was no one left to hear
This desolation this utter fear
It was the first time I had felt anything
Since this terrible winter of silence began
And it was the last feeling I ever had
As Winter pulled me in
And left me hollow and cold inside
I died with her
Long ago in the snow
Yet here I am still moving
But who am I now?
