I usually don't photograph in the National Parks, for a number of reasons. However, in this case, I was in Yosemite National Park to teach a workshop and I found this scene irresistible.

Yosemite is a black and white photographer's ideal landscape subject: the incredible cliffs and mountains are delicate, shimmering greys and naturally lend themselves to monochromatic images. Of course, wonderful color photographs often abound where we least expect them and I would never say that any area or subject would not have worthwhile photographic potential.

We've been to Yosemite numerous times over the years and yet I've only taken a handful of photographs there. Usually, it's some detail or close-up (for example, Draping Oak Branch). But every time I visit the Park, I've been drawn to the wonderful green water of the Merced River which runs through the valley. The green is actually the color of the water; not algae or plant life growing on the rocks.

In this photograph, the shimmer of the reflections, the motion of the water, and the pattern of the rocks resting in the bed of the river combine to create a somewhat mysterious, almost impressionistic photograph. Since this image was taken onto an 8x10" piece of film, there is virtually no grain and excellent sharpness so that when the print is viewed closely, there is actually a wealth of detail. Most people recognize the high resolution of 8x10" film but smooth tonal quality, (which combines with extremely large color depth), is every bit as important.

I find that this image has a very peaceful but energetic feeling. When viewed from just the right distance, (especially in the larger sized print), the shimmering reflections in the lower part of the photograph look almost like the folds of a transparent, sheer curtain, which reminds me that much lies "just beyond the veil" of this physical world.