Questions or comments and/or requests for information about specific trips:
mr.yosemite@imountainman.com Phone: 323 377-7565
Yosemite in Winter
An Exploration of the National Park
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Dates: Thursday through Sunday, February 21-24, 2008
Transportation: by private auto. We will carpool where
possible, the trip leader will help make connections between
participants. (Travel by van is also possible, depending on interest
- contact Dave).
Departure Date: Thursday, February 21 Return: Sunday,
February 24
Accommodations: We are staying just outside the Valley, in El
Portal, at the base of the spectacular Merced River Gorge, in a
comforable motel. Two people to a room, single occupancy is an
option. Our location will give us access both to Yosemite Valley, the
forested high country, and the park's historic barns at nearby
Foresta.
Trip difficulty: None; conducted at a photographer's
pace. Limited to six photographers plus the instructor.
Weather: Expect cool to cold days, snow or rain are possible.
Ideal conditions will give us snow in Yosemite Valley. There is no
guarantee we'll see any snow at lower elevations. However, Yosemite
itself, no matter what the conditions, is guaranteed to be gloriously
beautiful.
Cost: $475 Deposit: $100 Full amount due by:
February 15 Single suppliment: Add $100.
Cancellations: No refund unless another person takes your
place, in which case there will be a $25 charge.
| The Trip: Explore Yosemite National Park during its most
extreme season - the sunlight is at its lowest angle, the fewest
number of people are in the park, and conditions can create snow and
ice. Our photography tour will take us around Yosemite Valley, to
fire damaged Foresta (with its old barns), and, conditions
permitting, along the upper stretches of Highway 120. We may also
photograph pines and peaks mantled in snow, bare aspens along the
Merced River, the Ahwahnee Hotel against granite cliffs, oak trees in
El Capitan Meadow, and the textures and shapes that define the visual
sense of winter in one of the most beautiful places on earth. We will
also explore, on our way home, some of the backroads west of the park
that lead through historic Gold Rush country. Do we need skis, snow shoes, or winterized cameras? No. We'll make our forays on easy terrain, out of the cars and/or free shuttles buses. A comfortable pair of hiking boots should do, or even comfortable walking shoe,s if you're careful not to step in a snow drift and bring along an extra pair of socks. Trip leader: Dave Wyman has had his photographs and articles appear in several magazines, including Outdoor Photographer, Backpacker, and LA Architect. He has conducted photography and natural history tours in California and the southwest since 1982. His book, Backroads of Southern California, was published in 2005, as was Yosemite in Photographs. What Image Quest Photography Will Provide: |
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What You Need To Bring:
- Clothes for winter weather: gloves or mittens, knit cap, warm coat,
sweater, or parka, and rain gear (such as a raincoat or even an
umbrella). Comfortable, broken-in boots are a good idea, but,
depending on the conditions, you might also be able to wear
comfortable walking shoes (bring extra socks).
- Money for meals not provided
- Tire chains if you are driving
Camera Equipment: this is the trip to bring it all along -
super wide angle lenses, telephoto optics, filters galore, three
kinds of film and at least two camera formats. But if the truth be
told, a basic digital or 35mm camera with one lens will work just fine
on this photography workshop.
Two filters for aficionados: the polarizer and the 81A or 81B
warming filter (the latter more for film photographers) will allow
you to saturate colors and keep a blue tone out of your photographs
made in the shade or under cloudy skies.
Bring plenty of CF or SD cards for your digital camera. Make
sure you have enough battery power to last through a day.
Film Considerations: bring any sort of film. The less
sensitive to light the film (lower ISO numbers, such as 25 to 100),
the better the color saturation and image sharpness. Higher speed
films, such as ISO 200 to 400, allow you to more easily hand hold
your camera. The faster films, to a slight degree, do not as
accurately record color or hold image sharpness. Fujichrome film
offers the best in color saturation for slide film and is very fine
grained. Both Fuji and Kodak have excellent slide and print films.
Fuji has Reala, its premium print film. For slide film, the Sensia
and Provia and Velvia are all excellent slide films from Fuji. Velvia
offers the most saturated colors and is The Kodak Ektachromes are
excellent, too.
When you send payment: We'll send back a receipt.
If you have more questions, call Dave at 323 377-7565, or
e-mail him at mr.yosemite@imountainman.com.
Itinerary: Meet on Thursday at our accommodations at El
Portal. No activities planned except for a slide show for those who
arrive by early evening. On Friday we'll drive to Yosemite
Valley and spend the day there, photographing along the Merced River,
beneath El Capitan, under Valley oaks, etc. On Saturday we'll
photograph the Merced River below the Valley, and travel to Foresta,
with its old barns and burned pine forest. Weather and group dynamics
permitting, we'll explore along the upper reaches of Highway 120 to
look for snow if there is none in the Valley. On Sunday
we'll
head for home, stopping in the gold rush town of Mariposa for brunch,
and then travel to the gold rush town of Hornitos. Then we'll end the
workshop, by late morning/early afternoon.
Note: Bring a set of tire chains, just in case there is heavy
snow. The park entry fee is $20 and is not included in the
cost of the trip. The instructor will help set up carpooling where
possible, both to El Portal, and for our field excursions into the
park.
How to Register: Send a check to Image Quest, 1164 Alvira
Street, Los Angeles, California. We'll send back a receipt and any
additional necessary information. You can also use paypal.com
if you would like to use your credit card.