In these bizarre times we are doing our best to cope. This capture was done back in winter months before the current Coronavirus situation and after a rare large storm. I must admit that we are tiring of the endless storms of March and April! having had more snow fall in the last six weeks than the rest of the winter. A workshop question I am always asked is, "How do you find, and then recognize where to point your camera?" I have been at this a long time - it’s hard for me to believe I'll be on Medicare this year - and many of my images are the result of years of sub-conscious contemplation. The below capture was inspired by David Muensch's work decades ago, but by 2020 I needed a more refined composition. I scouted several locations back in December and noted what was important to me. The peaks of Kings Canyon National Park and the Owens River were perfect, but the key ingredients were missing. I think I made the image in mid March when talks of a lockdown were on the news. I wanted a perfect pristine morning, and the lockdown inadvertently provided amazing air quality. We were camped in the Owens Valley during a stormy evening, and I arose early in the cold clear morning. Conditions were perfect!
When you are out in daily life, always be looking for what is important to you, and keep the right side of your brain open and aware. You might not even be consciously looking, but a capture seems possible What does the scene need? The blue-hour, snowfall, clouds? Perhaps rain? Maybe low light? Is it possible that mid-day light would work the best? Maybe a different season - early autumn after a light snow? I often hear, “You must have waited for days for this image." I’m not that patient, but, rather, have been working on many different concepts for years, even decades, to realize an image. I hope there are many more to come. It seems many pro photographers lose their edge later in life, whereas I am feeling that the most productive years are still ahead for me.
Here is a normal 2x3 composition too!
All the best,
Margaret and Vern