Uploads from AnthonyMikeLee

Rock that Monochrome

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 09:10:25 -0700

Upper Yosemite Falls [+1 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:35:00 -0800

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The Story
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For the first time, I've wandered into Yosemite Valley during the winter time. Everything lives up to it's name there -the snow, the ice, the scenic views ... and the definitely the cold. While I was there, the daytime highs were in the 30's to low 40's. At night time the temperatures dropped to about 25F. Very cold considering we were staying in unheated tents!

In any case, everything at Yosemite was beautiful as could be. I did only wish that the road to Glacier Point was open ... but I being that is wasn't, this just means another trip later in the year, maybe.

I made a point to pack much lighter this time around, compared to my other camping/hiking trips. I grew tired of carrying a 25 pound backpack filled with camera related things. This time around I packed only my camera body with attached lens, batteries, a remote, and a single GND. And I opted to carry everything in a camel pack, instead of a heavily padded camera backpack. Instead of carrying around my standard Benro tripod, I ended up just carrying a gorillapod (any tree around was turned into my personal tripod!).

The last time I was here I spent most of my time wandering around the Tuolumne Meadows area. This time, I wanted to spend a bit more time in the Valley and see it for myself.

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Some of this and some of that
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Some of the waterfalls that most will see when driving into the Valley on the south side road is Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. During the dry seasons/spells the water falls can be a bit sparse. There was some snow a week before we went, so I think we lucked out not having to look at a trickle of water. The waterfalls themselves are pretty moderate in size, but are quickly dwarfed by the rocks they flow over and off of. If you stand and listen carefully, you could hear the roar of the waterfalls off in the distance.

Mirror Lake, Yosemite [+6 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 08:05:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

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The Story
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For the first time, I've wandered into Yosemite Valley during the winter time. Everything lives up to it's name there -the snow, the ice, the scenic views ... and the definitely the cold. While I was there, the daytime highs were in the 30's to low 40's. At night time the temperatures dropped to about 25F. Very cold considering we were staying in unheated tents!

In any case, everything at Yosemite was beautiful as could be. I did only wish that the road to Glacier Point was open ... but I being that is wasn't, this just means another trip later in the year, maybe.

I made a point to pack much lighter this time around, compared to my other camping/hiking trips. I grew tired of carrying a 25 pound backpack filled with camera related things. This time around I packed only my camera body with attached lens, batteries, a remote, and a single GND. And I opted to carry everything in a camel pack, instead of a heavily padded camera backpack. Instead of carrying around my standard Benro tripod, I ended up just carrying a gorillapod (any tree around was turned into my personal tripod!).

The last time I was here I spent most of my time wandering around the Tuolumne Meadows area. This time, I wanted to spend a bit more time in the Valley and see it for myself.

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Some of this and some of that
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Upon our arrival the first place Molly and I went was Mirror Lake, which is north easterly from Camp Curry. The trail was pretty easy to hike. We just had to watch our footing and be sure we did not slip and fall on the ice. We certainly came close on many occasions, flailing our arms, and saying "whoa whoa whoa!" That always gets your heart rate up for a second. When we finally arrived at Mirror Lake, we realized most of the lake was frozen over. Some of the ice was thicker in some areas. In some places, the ice was thin, and in other the water was just beginning to freeze over.
It was also really cool because all along the trail you were afforded an up close and personal view of one side of half dome.

The Base of El Capitan, Yosemite [+1 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:00:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

Yosemite Meadows

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:19:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

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The Story
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For the first time, I've wandered into Yosemite Valley during the winter time. Everything lives up to it's name there -the snow, the ice, the scenic views ... and the definitely the cold. While I was there, the daytime highs were in the 30's to low 40's. At night time the temperatures dropped to about 25F. Very cold considering we were staying in unheated tents!

In any case, everything at Yosemite was beautiful as could be. I did only wish that the road to Glacier Point was open ... but I being that is wasn't, this just means another trip later in the year, maybe.

I made a point to pack much lighter this time around, compared to my other camping/hiking trips. I grew tired of carrying a 25 pound backpack filled with camera related things. This time around I packed only my camera body with attached lens, batteries, a remote, and a single GND. And I opted to carry everything in a camel pack, instead of a heavily padded camera backpack. Instead of carrying around my standard Benro tripod, I ended up just carrying a gorillapod (any tree around was turned into my personal tripod!).

The last time I was here I spent most of my time wandering around the Tuolumne Meadows area. This time, I wanted to spend a bit more time in the Valley and see it for myself.

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Some of this and some of that
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This was a meadow that Molly and I made our way through on our way back to Camp Curry after a small hike that we went on during our first day in the Valley. Despite some of the meadows being so barren at this time of year, some might be inclined to think things would look very bland and drab. If I looked in the right places, I actually found these barren meadows to be just as beautiful as anywhere else in the park. Somehow you feel surrounded by nothing but the openness of the meadow you're in ... and then you feel surrounded by the granite formations in every direction from you. Such imposing formations!

Lower Yosemite Falls [+1 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:45:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

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The Story
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For the first time, I've wandered into Yosemite Valley during the winter time. Everything lives up to it's name there -the snow, the ice, the scenic views ... and the definitely the cold. While I was there, the daytime highs were in the 30's to low 40's. At night time the temperatures dropped to about 25F. Very cold considering we were staying in unheated tents!

In any case, everything at Yosemite was beautiful as could be. I did only wish that the road to Glacier Point was open ... but I being that is wasn't, this just means another trip later in the year, maybe.

I made a point to pack much lighter this time around, compared to my other camping/hiking trips. I grew tired of carrying a 25 pound backpack filled with camera related things. This time around I packed only my camera body with attached lens, batteries, a remote, and a single GND. And I opted to carry everything in a camel pack, instead of a heavily padded camera backpack. Instead of carrying around my standard Benro tripod, I ended up just carrying a gorillapod (any tree around was turned into my personal tripod!).

The last time I was here I spent most of my time wandering around the Tuolumne Meadows area. This time, I wanted to spend a bit more time in the Valley and see it for myself.

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Some of this and some of that
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Early on in our trip Molly and I hiked to the Lower Yosemite Falls. This was as close as I willing to get to the falls. Getting here involved some traversing up and over some we and slippery rocks. I even saw some careless people slip and fall coming back down. One person fell and almost hit his head on a rock ... he was lucky he did fall an inch more to his left and die -literally. There was a moderately heavy mist from the water fall all around. The mist made everything very enchanting. And unforgettable.

About the photo in the comment:
On our second evening Molly and I went to the base of El Capitan to try and catch a glimpse of the fire falls phenomenon. This phenomenon occurs once a year for a week every February. The sun sets at just the angle to illuminate Horse Tail Falls a vibrant red color for a couple of minutes. We actually forgot about this event, until the day of. So we made a somewhat last minute venture out there. We also got to take the time to wander around the area too, and do some exploring. Unfortunately Horse Tail Falls was VERY dry, and very sparse that day ... you can barely see the water dripping over the edge. So we did not get to see any Fire Falls this time around. Instead we got treated to a [still very cool] glimpse of an isolated area on the side of El Capitan emblazoned in a bold red color. It seemed like lava was erupting from the top of El Capitan! SOOC.

Morning Time at Badger Pass, Yosemite [+2 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:44:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

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The Story
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For the first time, I've wandered into Yosemite Valley during the winter time. Everything lives up to it's name there -the snow, the ice, the scenic views ... and the definitely the cold. While I was there, the daytime highs were in the 30's to low 40's. At night time the temperatures dropped to about 25F. Very cold considering we were staying in unheated tents!

In any case, everything at Yosemite was beautiful as could be. I did only wish that the road to Glacier Point was open ... but I being that is wasn't, this just means another trip later in the year, maybe.

I made a point to pack much lighter this time around, compared to my other camping/hiking trips. I grew tired of carrying a 25 pound backpack filled with camera related things. This time around I packed only my camera body with attached lens, batteries, a remote, and a single GND. And I opted to carry everything in a camel pack, instead of a heavily padded camera backpack. Instead of carrying around my standard Benro tripod, I ended up just carrying a gorillapod (any tree around was turned into my personal tripod!).

The last time I was here I spent most of my time wandering around the Tuolumne Meadows area. This time, I wanted to spend a bit more time in the Valley and see it for myself.

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Some of this and some of that
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On our second day in Yosemite, we did a couple of things. Namely some cross country skiing, and some snowshoeing! The former was super difficult given the time of day we went; because we went so early in the day, the area was still very much icy, making maneuvering and stopping extremely difficult. Soon after we ended up snow shoeing in the direction of Dewey Point. Snow shoeing was much less painful (no falling!), and much less strenuous. It was awfully relaxing as well ... I might even say therapeutic. Just you, the wind, and the crunch of the ice beneath your feet in the snowy wilderness.

Curry Village, Yosemite

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:43:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

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The Story
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For the first time, I've wandered into Yosemite Valley during the winter time. Everything lives up to it's name there -the snow, the ice, the scenic views ... and the definitely the cold. While I was there, the daytime highs were in the 30's to low 40's. At night time the temperatures dropped to about 25F. Very cold considering we were staying in unheated tents!

In any case, everything at Yosemite was beautiful as could be. I did only wish that the road to Glacier Point was open ... but I being that is wasn't, this just means another trip later in the year, maybe.

I made a point to pack much lighter this time around, compared to my other camping/hiking trips. I grew tired of carrying a 25 pound backpack filled with camera related things. This time around I packed only my camera body with attached lens, batteries, a remote, and a single GND. And I opted to carry everything in a camel pack, instead of a heavily padded camera backpack. Instead of carrying around my standard Benro tripod, I ended up just carrying a gorillapod (any tree around was turned into my personal tripod!).

The last time I was here I spent most of my time wandering around the Tuolumne Meadows area. This time, I wanted to spend a bit more time in the Valley and see it for myself.

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Some of this and some of that
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We stayed in an unheated tent cabin in Curry Village this time around. Normally when we go camping we will pitch a tent, but pitching a tent in the snow when it is in the 20's isn't exactly my idea of a jolly time. Being that the tents were unheated, we had to use lots of blankets in addition to our down filled sleeping bags. Molly and I both had 3-4 layers on at all time during the day, including when we went to bed. It was such an odd thing to fall asleep and still see my breath condensating when I exhaled.

Most of Curry Village was closed -only one store was open, and the options for food were limited to two places. Prices were high, customer service is inept, food was forgettable. But we did go to Curry expecting anything stellar anyways, so nothing shocking there. I also don't care so much for all of the tourists running around; I prefer areas a bit further away from that activity. That said, there was a very convenient shuttle system that helped move people through the immediate valley area, which was nice.
The photo above was taken just a 20 minute walk from Curry Village.

Running Into 2013 With Some Superhero Help!

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:05:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

Some of you may remember this picture

That image was an installment for the 52-week self portrait project I did a little ways back.

Having survived the end of the world, and with 2013 clearly here to stay, I have decided it might be a good time to get in a self portrait.

Contrary to the previous Marvel mural from last time, I've stumbled upon a Marvel/DC mural! What were the chances? Pretty slim, I would think ... but there it was, in a parking lot, calling out to me! I was fortunate enough to have my camera equipment in my car, and an hour to kill! I pulled a quick U-turn (perfectly legal!) and got to snapping right there in the parking lot. Keeping with the tradition of the previous super hero mural photo, I stuck with the jumping theme.

In other news; Everything at UC Berkeley has been great -fantastic in fact. Outside of that, things have been going smoothly and running their course as they should. I still take photos when I have time, though I don't upload them to Flickr. However, I still peruse Flickr from time to time, and am glad everything with most of you has been going well! I hope 2013 brings great things to all of you, whether they related to your photography goals, or other personal ambitions.

I know 2013 is going to rock my world, and I am ready. I'm ready to charge headfirst into a year that is going to change my life; especially with the help of my friends behind me. In fact, 13 may become my new lucky number, so 2013, you had better watch out.

In any case, another post-52 self portrait for the archives.

Get at me on Instagram @anthonymikelee

Rocking the single strobe pony!
Strobist: Canon 430EX @ 1/2 power bare, triggered via poverty wizards

Ah. And Marvel > DC. kthxbai!

Sutro in Monochrome [+1 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:19:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

Hit "L" on your keyboard to view this photo in high resolution on a black background in Flickr's light box!

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The Down-Low
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This morning I made my way to the Marin Headlands to chase the sunrise. I got up at 5AM, and quickly washed up. I put on a plaid flannel shirt, and grabbed my tripod and camera bag on my way out the door. As I opened the door, I was surprised, as the air was not as chilly as it has been in the mornings recently. I took it as a good omen, and armed with tripod, camera, and CF cards, I officially began my quest!

It was early enough that there was no traffic on the way over to the Marin Headlands, which was nice. My friend, and I could not decide on whether or not to go to Hawk Hill, or Slacker Hill -two very popular vistas of the bay. I suppose we opted for the the latter, as it is slightly closer. We did experience some difficulty finding the trail head however ... lack of lighting and unfamiliarity with the area did not help. After a couple of U-turns and eventually whipping into a parking stall, we made our roughly 1 mile trek up to the summit of Slacker Hill with flashlight in hand. Definitely a moderate to hard hike ... a very steep, and rocky trail. Lucky us, no poison oak!

As we approached the summit and craned our necks upwards, the light of the impending sunrise became more and more prominent with each step we took. Able to sense, and even taste what awaited us, we hastened our steps over the unduly terrain and ignored the burning sensation in our legs. Out of breath, we reached the summit, and we gladly indulged in a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in the background. The moment the sun broke the horizon is when the show really started though! Once that happened, rays of sunlight and warmth were thrown all over us -the hills, the bridge, the city, the ocean, everything. It was beautiful how everything in front of us suddenly seemed to take on a new life. The experience is very humbling.

An amazing way to spend Sunday morning, really.

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Summa' this in'summa that
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I do not post very often anymore, however I certainly still contain the same zest for taking photos -unfortunately most of my time has been preoccupied with other things in life; work, my better half, family, and a handful of other things. I humbly appreciate those who continue to support me, and swing by to say hello here on Flickr. I do frequently visit Flickr and continually draw inspiration from all of your photos. Take my word when I say life has been doing a superb job of keeping me busy! A while ago during my 52-week'r, I made this (click) installment. Nearly two years ago, these were my words, and thus I quote:

"
So often I hear "I don't have time," or "I wish I could find the time to do that." While this may be the circumstance occasionally, too often I hear it all the time from some. If you appreciate and cherish something enough; love someone enough; enjoy somewhere enough, you have to make the time. Don't find. Make -it is so important to striking and keeping a healthy balance in your life. If you insist and being a work-a-holic and insist on always putting yourself on the back burner, please do so by all means. And let me know how that works out for you down the line.

So, go out there and live your life! And don't just go through the motions; embrace and nourish all aspects of life, your interests, and yourself!
"

While not having as much time as I did prior to dedicate to taking photos, I do make sure to remind myself that I do need to make time for me ... and all I am passionate about.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have a great week everyone!

Lighting: All natural

Chasing the Sun [+2 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 07:28:00 -0800

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

#Explored

Hit "L" on your keyboard to view this photo in high resolution on a black background in Flickr's light box!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Down-Low
------------------------------------------------------------------------

This morning I made my way to the Marin Headlands to chase the sunrise. I got up at 5AM, and quickly washed up. I put on a plaid flannel shirt, and grabbed my tripod and camera bag on my way out the door. As I opened the door, I was surprised, as the air was not as chilly as it has been in the mornings recently. I took it as a good omen, and armed with tripod, camera, and CF cards, I officially began my quest!

It was early enough that there was no traffic on the way over to the Marin Headlands, which was nice. My friend, and I could not decide on whether or not to go to Hawk Hill, or Slacker Hill -two very popular vistas of the bay. I suppose we opted for the the latter, as it is slightly closer. We did experience some difficulty finding the trail head however ... lack of lighting and unfamiliarity with the area did not help. After a couple of U-turns and eventually whipping into a parking stall, we made our roughly 1 mile trek up to the summit of Slacker Hill with flashlight in hand. Definitely a moderate to hard hike ... a very steep, and rocky trail. Lucky us, no poison oak!

As we approached the summit and craned our necks upwards, the light of the impending sunrise became more and more prominent with each step we took. Able to sense, and even taste what awaited us, we hastened our steps over the unduly terrain and ignored the burning sensation in our legs. Out of breath, we reached the summit, and we gladly indulged in a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco in the background. The moment the sun broke the horizon is when the show really started though! Once that happened, rays of sunlight and warmth were thrown all over us -the hills, the bridge, the city, the ocean, everything. It was beautiful how everything in front of us suddenly seemed to take on a new life. The experience is very humbling.

An amazing way to spend Sunday morning, really.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summa' this in'summa that
------------------------------------------------------------------------

I do not post very often anymore, however I certainly still contain the same zest for taking photos -unfortunately most of my time has been preoccupied with other things in life; work, my better half, family, and a handful of other things. I humbly appreciate those who continue to support me, and swing by to say hello here on Flickr. I do frequently visit Flickr and continually draw inspiration from all of your photos. Take my word when I say life has been doing a superb job of keeping me busy! A while ago during my 52-week'r, I made this (click) installment. Nearly two years ago, these were my words, and thus I quote:

"
So often I hear "I don't have time," or "I wish I could find the time to do that." While this may be the circumstance occasionally, too often I hear it all the time from some. If you appreciate and cherish something enough; love someone enough; enjoy somewhere enough, you have to make the time. Don't find. Make -it is so important to striking and keeping a healthy balance in your life. If you insist on being a work-a-holic and insist on always putting yourself on the back burner, please do so by all means. And let me know how that works out for you down the line.

So, go out there and live your life! And don't just go through the motions; embrace and nourish all aspects of life, your interests, and yourself!
"

While not having as much time as I did prior to dedicate to taking photos, I do make sure to remind myself that I do need to make time for me ... and all I am passionate about.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have a great week everyone!

Lighting: All natural

Angela [+4 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:50:00 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

Hit "L" on your keyboard to view this photo in high resolution on a black background in Flickr's light box!

I got to hang out with Angela, in San Francisco. Angela and I met at UC Berkeley, however she is now pursuing her M.D, at UCSF! Since she went ahead and moved to San Francisco (we are practically neighbors now), we thought it would be great to catch up with one another since we had not seen each other since she left Berkeley earlier this year. And just so you know, everything is going absolutely spiffy with her! We exchanged many stories, and many thoughts on many things (I know, ambiguous, right?) as of late, and had a great time. It is always a wonderful feeling when you are able to reconnect with someone after not seeing them for a while. To trade stories of adventure, learning, and exploration with someone else is a fantastic time.

In any case Angela was great to work with -very laid back, uber cheerful, and full of smiles. All the while we were talking and shooting, all we heard was the sound of the Blue Angles ripping through the air after Fleet Week. It made things really exciting (the roar of a jet engine seems to do it for me), and Angela got to see them for the first time! All of this rounded off by grabbing scrumptious chicken quesadillas at a local tex-mex joint.
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Instead of taking portraits in a park like a normally opt to do, I decided to try and step out of my comfort zone and work with a more urban setting, which is certainly not the norm for me. I suppose it is because in large part parks are generally very lush and welcoming in of themselves -you've got it all laid out for you! Whereas in an urban setting I feel as though I need to work harder to make the environment more like a park -inviting and well ... "cozy." And I found out after getting just a couple of frames I had to pay much more attention to composition, which is something I always struggle with anyways.

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More of Angela here
There are additional photos -generally my favorites from the batch, in the comments. I decided to go with diptychs in the main image this time around for a change of pace, and I think the diptych treatment compliments the given photos well. That said, I'm open to constructive C&C (comments & criticisms) about any, or all of the attached images. Did you like it? Did you not? Angles, lighting, crops, awkward poses, et cetera. Let me know. I really value any feedback you might have, as to further hone my abilities.
I don't mind getting torn apart, and ripped to shreds -in fact I welcome it, but please be constructive :)

Currently bobbin' my head to Adorn ft. Miguel

Lighting: All natural (I should just sell my strobist stuff, yeesh)

Angela [+4 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:49:00 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

Patrick and Karina

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 19:15:08 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

Patrick is the first of my awesome friends to have gotten married. Just last week he and his now wife, Karina, made it official. This couple is truly a unique one, and Patrick and Karina could not be more suited for one another. It was an awesome day, in every way.

The reception was at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, followed by an evening time reception at a restaurant in Millbrae.

I guess there was just one hiccup throughout the day. The bridal party seems to have set the music machine on fire (literally) with our mad awesome gangnam style dance. So a large part of the reception did not have any music -I think this was also really nice though, in the sense that everyone at the tables seemed to mingle more with one another, being that they could not use music as an excuse to not talk to one another.

All in all a great day. A day that will go down in the books for all of us, I'm sure.

Tuolumne Meadows - Yosemite [+2 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 12:53:00 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

After a much anticipation, I made a painfully overdue trip to Yosemite Valley. In all, my girlfriend and I must have spent somewhere in the range of 12-15 hours in a car winding to/in/from the greatly hailed park. Somewhere along the lines of 500 miles after all was said and done. And we did it all in just two days.

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This was along the Glen Aulin Trail. Somewhere near Soda Springs, too, if my memory serves me correctly. I was beginning to lose hope as far as taking pictures as the day wore on, because the skies became more and more gray by the hour. I had already put my camera back into my pack not foreseeing anymore picture taking for the day.

While, I don't like enjoy being wrong, I am particularly glad I was wrong this time about not taking any more photos. I pulled over to the side of the trail, jumped on top of a large fallen tree trunk to get the highest vantage point I could easily access, and took it in. It was quite beautiful -and dramatic. The air was becoming cool and heavy, and a cool chill was working its way about. And we were also able to observe some fish breaking the surface of the water every now and then. The silence of the moment was often broken for just a second as the ripples in the water from the fish subsided.

I can't wait to go back to Yosemite to humbly indulge even further in the vastness, and the general monumental beauty to be found all throughout the park.

Until next time, Yosemite.

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Below are two images I took the next day in the Valley. Much clearer skies, and 100F heat! Fantabulous.

Lake Tenaya - Yosemite

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:30:05 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out I found, was really going in.”
- John Muir
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After a much anticipation, I made a painfully overdue trip to Yosemite Valley. In all, my girlfriend and I must have spent somewhere in the range of 12-15 hours in a car winding to/in/from the greatly hailed park. Somewhere along the lines of 500 miles after all was said and done. And we did it all in just two days.

Lake Tenaya is located not far from where we set up camp in Tuolumne Meadows. Just a short half hour drive west along the Tioga road, and you'll find Lake Tenaya on your left hand side. It seemed to be a popular destination spot for many people, and with good reason. It is not difficult at all to find a gorgeous scene in Yosemite, however Lake Tenaya certainly stands out -it is just a wonderful place to visit and see for yourself.

On our initial drive into Yosemite was very dark. As I made my way down Tioga road, I glanced in my side view mirrors. Pitch Black. Rear view mirror. Pitch black. I glanced out the passenger side window I was able to make out a couple of trees that were right on the side of the road. But just beyond those, pitch black. It numbed my mind for a bit because immediately past those trees I knew there was a steep drop off. Hard to believe I drove past such wonderful scenery in the dark. Makes driving by during the day time like a surprise! And mind you, people are not exaggerating when they say it is hard to not be impressed by the grandeur of Yosemite. If you're not impressed, you'd best get yourself checked, if y'know what I mean.
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As I stood there next to my tripod it was hard not to be emersed in my surroundings. I could make out the murmur of thunder off in the distance. The clouds took on an interesting formation while I was here -it almost seemed as though the clouds were preparing to swallow the lake everything around it.
Soon after I took this image I hopped back in my car and high tailed it outta' there.

Olmsted Point -Yosemite [+more below]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 15:29:15 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

#Explored

"It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter."
- John Muir
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After a much anticipation, I made a painfully overdue trip to Yosemite Valley. In all, my girlfriend and I must have spent somewhere in the range of 12-15 hours in a car winding to/in/from the greatly hailed park. Somewhere along the lines of 500 miles after all was said and done. And we did it all in just two days.

Friday evening my girlfriend, Molly, and I got on our way to Yosemite with the rest of our party. It would be fair to say that we expected traffic, especially along California Highway 120. And traffic did not disappoint. After grinding through the brunt of the congestion, we were on our way, and within an hour and a half of the park gates. It is worth noting that by this time the sky was growing heavy with darkness (and quickly, too!).

Upon arrival at the gates, we continued on Tioga road into the heart of Yosemite. Our destination: Tuolumne Meadows, on the eastern side. Now just 46 miles spanned between us and our campsite. Well ... that and a few thunderstorms. The weather said a 20% chance of thundershowers, and I guess our luck ran out. We passed through a couple of wet cells, and pushed onwards along the Tioga road. A little over an hour later, we pulled up into our area, and established camp. The ground was damp, and the terribly paved roads were littered with puddles from the thundershowers that passed through the region. But the cool midnight air smelled appeasing and suddenly all was worth it.

The weather was less than ideal on this trip, unfortunately, so from a photographic standpoint, I was a little bummed. I was really hoping for some epic, sky popping colors. But what I got to photograph instead was equally great, I think - a handful of images that [hopefully?] show the looming storm clouds bandy with the daylight for dominance in the sky. I'll get those up in another post soon after this one. As far as the images go in the comment below; we hiked about 12-14 mi along the Glen Aulin Trail, not far from Tuolumne Meadow. It is a beautiful trail that passes through Soda Springs (where natural carbon dioxide is being released from the ground into the waters). There was a nice blended of hiking in wooded areas, and open scenic vistas. At someone point early on in our hike we even heard (but did not see) an eagle. Attached are some images I took along the way.
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As for the main image -this was taken at the beginning of the sunset on my second day here. Olmsted Point is a place I was recommended to go see, and I was glad I did; I am really impressed. We had a nice break in the weather, and the sky just lit up with awfully soothing pastel hue from the setting sun opposite this scene. The goliath known as Half Dome is pictured and is actually deceivingly far away. Because of the scale of the park, everything seems really a lot closer together then they actually are when you are out looking at things like this. Half Dome is well over an hour drive from where I was.

Intricacies

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:27:00 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

#Explored

Faith is not a delicate flower which would wither away under the slightest stormy weather. Gandhi

Sometimes beauty is simply a matter of knowing where to look.

Lighting: All natty

Big Sur: An Exuberant Slice of the Golden Coast [+more in comments, per usual]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:07:00 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

Camping season is officially in full swing now! I spent this past weekend camping about four hours due south of San Francisco, down in Big Sur State Park. Big Sur is a jaw dropping park that does not fail to impress. The views to be had of the California coastline from Highway 1 are unbeatable; truly humbling scenes. The weather the entire weekend was in the high 70's to low 80's. Perfect.

I went camping with my girlfriend, Molly, and Jose, Munlika, Emily, and Richard. Kind of a "couples retreat," if you want to call it that. It was a very beautiful drive down to Big Sur, especially with the sunset on my right. It was certainly windows down, and moonroof wide open weather too! We arrived to the camping grounds at 9PM on [Friday] evening. Lucky enough for us, we arrived just after sundown and ended up pitching our respective tents and related apparatus in the dark (yay for headlamps). After swiftly setting up camp, we started a warm, glowing campfire and indulged in copious amounts of laughter, good company, and great food (Jiffy Pop!).

On our way home on Sunday we stopped by Old Fisherman's Grotto, in Monterey, for lunch. That was delightful! Wonderfully delicious fresh seafood. Great ambiance in the air here (even the wharf area in general, too) -and a friendly and helpful staff was a big plus. A little pricey, but well worth it. Sometimes you jus'needa splurge a wee bit!
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As for the rest of the trip -this is the part where I let the images in the comments take over. Photos were taken with either my X100 rangefinder, or my dSLR.

*Main image, X100

Tilden Park, Berkeley [+6 in Comments]

nobody@flickr.com (AnthonyMikeLee) — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:41:00 -0700

AnthonyMikeLee posted a photo:

LightBox
I know, I know, another flower-esque picture! Rolling in the grass is fun!

I went to Tilden Park in Berkeley (or Albany, depending whereabouts in the park you are) for the first time this past weekend. I was there for a work related "off-work hours" picnic -you know, the type that is meant to foster unity amongst individuals outside a work setting. And I must say, that the weather could not have turned out any better. The breeze was a bit cool, I'll give it that. But other than that, primetime.

We had a picnic near the educational center in the park. Unfortunately this facility closed at 4:30PM, so my girlfriend, Molly, and I were unable to check that out. Conveniently, however, just a stones throw from the educational center there was something that is called "Little Farm." It is a petting zoo open to the public. Should you choose to do so, you can bring your own lettuce and celery to feed the livestock. Yes, the livestock. Cows (smelly), pigs (smelly), and sheep (Fluffy!). They also had wild turkeys, roosters [and hens], and rabbits. Interesting little attraction this place was. Also, there were outhouses on the premise ... just like in the cartoons. Doesn't get more farm-like than that, if I said so.

But the picnic. Whiffle ball. Soccer. Catered Mediterranean foods; drink -and great people. Everything worked so synergistically. I'd say everyone had a blast.

And just earlier today there was an eclipse, and a "ring-of-fire" for everyone to observe high in the sky. I've been seeing some awesome pictures from you guys [and gals] on Flickr, keep them coming.

Lighting: All Natural