Erica and John had a glorious wedding at the Ahwahnee in Yosemite last weekend and it was just magnificent. Yosemite was in full fall splendor and the color and vibrancy was stunning. Erica and John flew in from Indiana where they’re currently attending school and they had family and friends in from around the country. It was a grand affair on a perfect day. Erica’s parents were married at the Ahwahnee years ago, so there was an extra specialness to the day. One other incredibly special touch was that the minister flew in from the East Coast and it was the same minister that married John’s parents years ago. I love that both sets of parents have special connections with this wedding outside their immediate connection to Erica and John.

Erica and John, thank you so much for having me be a part of your special day!! I had so much fun being there with you capturing moments and memories. I wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness!!

You can check out the slideshow below by pressing play or click here to see it in its own window. Enjoy!!

I just got back from an awesome trip to Yosemite where I shot an amazing wedding at the Ahwahnee and then stayed around a few days to enjoy the spectacular fall color. I never really think of Yosemite as a place to go for fall color because its so amazing in the Eastern Sierra canyons around home here, but I was blown away how gorgeous Yosemite Valley was this past week. The Blacks Oaks were lit up and Tenaya Canyon was so beautiful. Erica and John were so stoked to have such beautiful conditions for their wedding. I’ll be sharing more from their wedding early next week so be sure to check back. But for now, here’s some of my favorites from my wanderings around Yosemite and a few teasers from Erica and John’s wedding. Enjoy!

Which of these first two  do you like best?
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9. These next few shots are up in Tenaya Canyon. It was so fun following the creek.

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12. I wandered out around the top of the Rostrum and came across Dean Potter doing some yoga. What a spot!

13. The Black Oaks were incredible in El Cap Meadow.

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18. Here’s a few teasers from Erica and John’s gorgeous Ahwahnee Wedding in Yosemite.

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Hope you’re well,

Claudia and Bill had an absolutely stunning wedding at the Ahwahnee hotel in Yosemite this past weekend. They had friends and family in from around the country to join them, and the day couldn’t have been more perfect.

We met before the ceremony and were able to get some stellar shots of the both of them together and Claudia alone. The ceremony was in a beautiful spot down by the river, and the evening reception was bathed in golden light before we headed in for a fantastic dinner prepared by the Ahwahnee’s excellent staff. The evening finished with some fun music live music with lots of dancing and mingling.

Claudia and Bill, thank you so much for having me to capture moments and memories on your special day. I had a blast and wish you both many years of love, joy, and happiness.

To check out the slideshow press play or you can see it in its own window here.

I had another awesome little trip up to Tuolumne last week. Its been so nice getting to spend some more time up there this year after hardly getting any time up there last year.  It truly is one of the most beautiul paces on earth, and feels like home to my heart like no other place.  I’m really getting inspired about my nature work again, and want to spend as much time as I can in Yosemite, Tuolumne, and the High Sierra mountains this year soaking up their goodness and hopefully bringing back images to share that love with you.

Hope you’re having a wonderful day,

My friend Kevin loves to paint by the river, and I love to accompany him to beautiful places in nature and just be, or walk around, listen to the birds, go swimming, play guitar, whatever; but I always love capturing images of him creating art.  He has a special energy that comes through in his art.  Its very alive. You should definitely check his work out.

One day we hiked up to find this lake Kevin had seen on a map under the east face of Johnson Peak.  It looked like we might get some afternoon thundershowers, so we made sure to bring our Gore Tex jackets; not something us Sierra minimalists used to dreamy Sierra weather often bring.  After almost 2 hours of hiking we found the lake!  It’s so beautiful up there and was perched up in this high basin that had great views all around, but as you can see the clouds were starting to build.

That lit up rock pillar way out in the distance is something we refer to as Minas Tirith.  A super cool prow in a remote basin where Kevin did a rad sculpture last year.

We looked in all directions and rather quickly the thunderheads were starting to build all around us.  And then we heard the first big BOOM!!!  We were up pretty high with no cover and lots of granite all around us.

We decided it was really time to high tail it and get out of there as the thunder and lightening started pounding.  So we started running thinking it was coming from the south and we might be able to outrun it.

Our hearts were pumpin pretty good as we raced down this long meadow filled corridor of granite.  Kevin’s look says it all on how we were feeling; WHOOOOA, this is gonna be a dusy!!!!!

So we kept running trying to get to lower elevations off the ridge top.

But a beautiful field of Lupines sure has a way of making a couple of artists stop dead in their tracks and commence shooting pictures, even with pure blackness at their backs.

As we were having fun taking pictures in the lupines, the storm was building behind us and little did we know what we in store for.

Right after this last picture it started raining so hard I had to put the camera away.  We ran/speed hiked till we were off the high plateau and into the trees, and the thunder and lightening was pounding all around us.  Its the first time in years I’ve gotten caught out in a storm like that, and there was a part of me that was definitely scared, even though I genuinely felt in my heart that everything would be alright.  After an hour and a half of hiking in the all out pouring rain and hail with thunder and lightening all around us, we made it back safely, albeit soaking wet like we had jumped in the river with all our clothes on. What an adventure!!!

The next day Kevin was back enjoying one if his favorite past times, painting by the river.

I love his river paintings.

One day I went down into Tenaya Canyon to these awesome granite bowls where the river flows down in these beautiful cascades. I absolutely love this area.

I ran into my good friend Doug Robinson again and this time he was on his way to the Palisades with his kids and some friends. They stopped in Tuolumne for a little climbing and bouldering and it was fun to hang out with them. Here’s Doug and his son Tory bouldering on perfect Tuolumne amazingness.  Tory’s a great climber!!

Must take after his dad.

Got to go on a new hike down Yosemite Creek that was gorgeous.  Ever wandered what it looks like looking down the world’s 3rd tallest waterfall?

I also got to hang out with a really cool family that I know from working in Tuolumne for years. I hiked out to the top of Yosemite Falls with them one day, and we shared a nice sunset this evening.

Gotta love Tuolumne.  I sure do.  The simple life in nature’s grand beauty.

Alexa and Andrew had a gorgeous Yosemite wedding on the Ahwahnee Lawn last Sunday June 29th. It was the day after Amy and Greg’s wedding, so the California wildfires were still raging and making lots of smoke, but again Yosemite seemed to clear up just enough for us to have a lovely day (not to mention a lot of warm light)! Alexa and Andrew then went to spend the week in one of my favorite places on earth, Tuolumne Meadows, which lies in the high country of Yosemite.  So I just had to offer them a day after shoot for the chance to shoot such beautiful people in one of the most beautiful places on earth. So look forward to that post coming in the next day or two!

Alexa and Andrew, thank you so much for having me to capture moments and memories on your special day! May your days be filled with joy and happiness. You can check out the slideshow below by pressing play or clicking here to see it in its own window.

Enjoy the pics!

Amy and Greg had a fabulous wedding in Yosemite last Saturday. We met early and had 2 full hours to go get shots at few different locations throughout the Valley which was awesome. There’s forest fires raging through California, so we enjoyed the fringe benefit of nice soft light with a built in warming filter. The smoke even cleared just enough for a beautiful ceremony at Glacier Point which has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth for a wedding.

Amy and Greg are from the East Coast and this was Amy’s first trip to Yosemite. How exciting! The reception was at the the historic Ahwahnee hotel which is also incredibly stunning. Thank you so much for having me to capture moments and memories for you Amy and Greg. I wish you both a lifetime of health and happiness.

You can check out the slideshow below by pressing play or clicking here to see it in its own window.

Enjoy the pictures!