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Vidya Kane
I am a landscape photographer who aims to provide an emotional connect to the beautiful world around us. Photography is a vehicle to express my inner most sense of connection and spirituality to our majestic landscape. This has led to an unending quest of not just the right light, but also the right conditions to provide a window into my feelings. I also believe that the ultimate manifestation of my art rests in the creation of expressive prints. So, I spend a lot of my time in constantly refining the digital raw files using techniques similar to those employed in the traditional darkroom to ensure that the prints are optimized for color, contrast, sharpness and saturation.
But no temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite. Every rock in its walls seems to glow with life. Some lean back in majestic repose; others, absolutely sheer or nearly so for thousands of feet, advance beyond their companions in thoughtful attitudes, giving welcome to storms and calms alike, seemingly aware, yet heedless, of everything going on about them.~John Muir
For generations, Yosemite National Park has inspired photographers, painters, and mountaineers to create their best work. Its glacier cut granite cliffs, fast flowing rivers and mix of deciduous and evergreen trees provide the perfect canvas for nature to weave a rich tapestry.
My first ever trip to Yosemite National Park was during a powerful storm in the winter of 2007. I had moved to the USA just a few years earlier and was excited to have the opportunity to visit this famed national park. After witnessing the drama and spectacle of my first winter storm in Yosemite, an insatiable urge took over to create my own interpretations of this magnificent landscape. In 2009, I moved to California in order to have unfettered access to this spectacular national park. I have since visited Yosemite many times over and have photographed it in all seasons. Each trip has offered me the opportunity to visualize the landscape with a fresh perspective, and as such, I have found Yosemite to be an all-weather location to power my creativity.
What sets winter apart in Yosemite is the supreme quality of light that permeates the landscape. Low angled winter light weaves a magic wand on Yosemite’s landscape by accentuating the texture of its sheer granite cliffs. At times, the light plays hide and seek through the clouds, spotlighting Yosemite’s landscape. This is even more magical when it happens during sunrise or sunset, as such light tends to be warmer. The photograph “Face of El Capitan” illustrates one such evening when the late afternoon light broke through the clouds to spotlight the imposing El Capitan. While no one can predict such occurrences, witnessing it was surely an incredible experience!
I adopt a fairly intuitive approach to photography as I often do not have any pre-conceived ideas on what to photograph. This is even more important while making winter photographs in Yosemite since the conditions change so quickly. I allow the light and conditions to dictate my photography. This flexibility has worked well for me as it allows me to observe and react to how light sculpts the landscape. Further, visualizing whether a particular scene works well as a color or monochrome image helps convey the desired mood.
When winter storms roll into the park, a thick blanket of fog envelops its higher reaches. The soft, diffused light filtering through the fog takes on a near magical quality lending an air of mysticism to the landscape. Fog also simplifies the composition as it obscures many distracting elements in the scene. The use of a longer focal length helps isolate subjects while making photographs. The result was a series of minimalist images that perfectly encapsulated the feeling of quiet and solitude.
I have experienced the entire spectrum of emotions while being immersed in winter photography at Yosemite. Deep winter storms often provide the time for quiet, contemplative photography under the backdrop of a moody landscape. Winter provides a feeling of stillness from the chaos of everyday life. Time seems to slow down and encourages introspection. Even the mighty Merced river that rages through Yosemite seems to slow down and meanders serenely through the valley in winter.
I find it inspiring that even as nature may appear to be on a temporary pause, it is still inherently dynamic. This dynamism makes Yosemite beautiful even in the midst of adverse conditions as pristine snow adorns bare tree branches, Yosemite is dressed in white and the silence of the valley is broken only by occasional gusts of wind.
Cool wintry conditions interplay quite dramatically with the warm, winter light sculpting the landscape. The incredible light striking Yosemite’s granite cliffs illuminates shadows in its crevices. The lazily flowing Merced River becomes a reflecting pool for these illuminated cliffs. During the golden hour, warm light bounces its way through Yosemite’s narrow, snow covered valley until it eventually colors Merced River running along its floor with radiant hues of orange and red.
No condition better captures the essence of Yosemite as does a clearing storm in winter, especially when the clearing occurs at sunrise or sunset. Parting storm clouds, swirling mist and warm light striking the top of Yosemite’s grand cliffs make for some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the USA. The iconic photographs of Ansel Adams have immortalized the beauty of Yosemite, especially in winter. His photograph “Clearing Winter Storm” is so synonymous with Yosemite that every visitor, regardless of the camera format, hopes to capture their own interpretation of it.
Photographers line up at Tunnel View, hoping to catch that magical light during a clearing winter storm. In all my visits to Yosemite, I have been fortunate to witness many clearing storms and to photograph some of them. The contrast between the ephemeral mist and the valley during a clearing lends a moody quality to the scene. These clearing storms are also the ultimate sign of hope. Nature shows that despite all the challenges, a day filled with light, warmth and positivity is just around the corner.
When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence~Ansel Adams
Photography has been as much a spiritual and meditative experience as it has been a way to express my creativity. Through the years, Yosemite has helped me connect with nature and to experience how light interacts with its landscape. This portfolio titled “Winter Light, Yosemite” is an expression of the enduring yet awe inspiring spectacle that nature puts on at Yosemite. It is intended to showcase the magnificence of Yosemite’s winter landscapes in the backdrop of an ever changing environment.
