Pictures Taken By you...

[Petrarch's Love]

Well, all I can say is if it addled your brain, Petrarch, then I am glad for it since it obviously made you a superb photographer!

I am breathless looking at both your and Bluevictims outstanding photos. It make me want to go pack my bags and be on the first plane there. Keep them coming. Wonderful!

Thanks Janine. I've never considered myself much of a photographer, but I do love my digital camera, since it's made me feel much freer about taking tons and tons of pictures for that one good shot. I agree that Bluevictim's shots are amazing. I want to go back to Yosemite this instant!

Since we're on the topic of National Parks, thought I'd post some of those shots of the Grand Canyon at sunrise I mentioned. Here are two groups of pics, each showing a particular rock formation over about a 15 or twenty minute interval. I've put the time of each picture at the top of the shot:
8:14

8:18

8:28

8:44


8:17

8:19

8:28

[Janine]

Petrarch,
I am breathless again...seriously. I love the way you took these sequencually; what a great idea. I had not really thought of doing that before, so this is a good tip. I will pass it onto my son, who has a great love of photography. He has all types of cameras. In fact, he was just in Arizona and took other pictures in the Sedona (think that is the name) area.
I know what you mean about digital cameras - they really free a person to become a good photographer. However, one has to have an eye (like you) for composition, as well. You did a fine job on this last set - I like the way the light changes everything - they look like entirely different rock formations in each shot. Good idea to post the times - that makes it more special and interesting. Thanks for taking the time to share these great photos with us.

[manolia]

Petrarch your pictures are amazing!
(I had those too in my dissertation by the way ). You have many interesting rock formations in US. Keep on posting

[Niamh]

Nothing compared to Petras but i took these yesterday morning at work.



And heres a crazy Kiwi! (some street theatre in dublin at top of grafton st beside stephens green. )

[bluevictim]

Were you rock climbing up there?

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. So what is the deal, Blue?

Yes, a lot of my pictures of Yosemite were taken while climbing (and I should note that many were taken by some friend I was climbing with rather than by myself). Yosemite is kind of a Mecca for rock climbers because of the great weather, convenient infrastructure, and of course the spectacular rock formations. Usually, though, a very similar angle can be accessed without any technical rock climbing; for example, both the summit and the base of North Dome are accessible by hiking, so that view of Half Dome from North Dome that I posted (or something very similar to it) can be reached by anyone who is adequately healthy.

Petrarch's Love, those sunrise pictures of the Grand Canyon are gorgeous!

Niamh, thanks for sharing those pictures of your workplace. I guess after every trip outdoors we all have to come back to work . That street performer looks very impressive, too.

[Virgil]

Thanks Petrarch and Niamh.

Petrarch is that the north rim or the south?

[Petrarch's Love]

Petrarch,
I am breathless again...seriously. I love the way you took these sequencually; what a great idea. I had not really thought of doing that before, so this is a good tip. I will pass it onto my son, who has a great love of photography. He has all types of cameras. In fact, he was just in Arizona and took other pictures in the Sedona (think that is the name) area.
I know what you mean about digital cameras - they really free a person to become a good photographer.

Thanks again Janine. For the Grand Canyon pics I took 76 shots between 8:10 and 8:46 (more than two a minute). That is something I never would have been brave enough to do with precious film that I needed to develop in its entirety. I love having all those pictures though, because it helps me remember the once in a lifetime experience of watching that sunrise over that amazing place. Hope your son got some great pictures in Sedona. I've never been to that part of Arizona, but I hear it's beautiful.

Petrarch your pictures are amazing!
(I had those too in my dissertation by the way ). You have many interesting rock formations in US. Keep on posting

Manolia--Glad you enjoyed the pics. So do you study geology and that's why you were looking at all these big rocks for your dissertation?

Yes, a lot of my pictures of Yosemite were taken while climbing (and I should note that many were taken by some friend I was climbing with rather than by myself).

Blue--It must be amazing to do rock climbing in Yosemite. I've never done it before, and not sure I have the upper body strength to try, but that must be the ultimate place to do it. Ever tried your hand at El Cap?

Niamh--Great pictures, especially the ones of the street performer. That guy really is crazy!

Petrarch is that the north rim or the south?

South rim. Right near the El Tovar, where we stayed the night. It was a detour off route 66 en route from CA to Chicago.

[Virgil]

South rim. Right near the El Tovar, where we stayed the night. It was a detour off route 66 en route from CA to Chicago.

I don't recall what El Tovar is. Is that on the north rim, looking across? I was never on the north rim.

[Petrarch's Love]

No, it's the big hotel on the south rim. Here's a pic of the front of the hotel and one that shows where it's located right near the edge, though you can mainly just see the roof in the picture.

[Virgil]

I just don't remember the name. It was maybe 13 or 14 years ago. My wife and I went down the canyon with the Bright Angel Ranch mule ride down. Oh wait we stayed at the Bright Angel. That must be right there too. Camped over night at the river (Phantom Ranch) and mule ride back up the next day. Here's a little something on the mule ride:

http://www.grandcanyon.com/gcnmule.html
And this one has a real good write up of the experience:
http://www.opentravelinfo.com/north_...ule_experience

I have some great pictures, only this was before digital cameras. Canyon looks completely different as you go up and down and from the bottom.

[bluevictim]

Blue--It must be amazing to do rock climbing in Yosemite. I've never done it before, and not sure I have the upper body strength to try, but that must be the ultimate place to do it. Ever tried your hand at El Cap?

You should try it sometime. Unlike climbing in an indoor gym, upper body strength is not an issue at all until the higher grades. It's very fun, especially at Yosemite. In fact, feel free to PM me, if you want, the next time you go to Yosemite and if I'm still around I'd be happy to "show you the ropes". I haven't tried El Cap yet.

Here's a picture of me climbing a route called Crescent Arch on Daff Dome, which is in Tuolumne Meadows (also a part of Yosemite National Park):

[Virgil]

Ack!! Blue, what if you fall? I know I'm getting to be a real pansy in my old age, but I know what even a little fall might do one's bones.

[Petrarch's Love]

I just don't remember the name. It was maybe 13 or 14 years ago. My wife and I went down the canyon with the Bright Angel Ranch mule ride down. Oh wait we stayed at the Bright Angel. That must be right there too. Camped over night at the river (Phantom Ranch) and mule ride back up the next day. Here's a little something on the mule ride:

http://www.grandcanyon.com/gcnmule.html
And this one has a real good write up of the experience:
http://www.opentravelinfo.com/north_...e_exper ience

I have some great pictures, only this was before digital cameras. Canyon looks completely different as you go up and down and from the bottom.

Yes, the Bright Angel is practically right next door. The mule ride must have been amazing. I really wanted to try something like that, since I was so curious to see the base of the Canyon, but I only had a brief night before pushing on to Chicago.

[Petrarch's Love]

You should try it sometime. Unlike climbing in an indoor gym, upper body strength is not an issue at all until the higher grades. It's very fun, especially at Yosemite. In fact, feel free to PM me, if you want, the next time you go to Yosemite and if I'm still around I'd be happy to "show you the ropes". I haven't tried El Cap yet.

Hey, I may just take you up on that, though it'll probably be until next summer before I'm up that way again. About how high up are you in the pic. of the Tuolumne climb?

[bluevictim]

Ack!! Blue, what if you fall?

That's what the rope is for!

I know I'm getting to be a real pansy in my old age, but I know what even a little fall might do one's bones.

You're right about short falls potentially leading to injury. There are some routes on which the climber needs to be very confident about his ability to climb without falling, and there are some routes on which falls are no big deal. The one in the picture is relatively safe.

Hey, I may just take you up on that, though it'll probably be until next summer before I'm up that way again. About how high up are you in the pic. of the Tuolumne climb?

Great, that will give me time to brush up on Milton . In that picture, I'm probably about 500 ft (150 m) up.