Roaring River Fall, in Kings Canyon NP, plus a huge boulder

In Kings Canyon National Park, there aren't as many waterfalls as in Yosemite Valley, but this one is in a special setting. Roaring River Fall gets its name because of how loud the water is as it drops down the canyon. The shape of the canyon at this point actually helps to amplify the sound. Also in this image is a huge erratic boulder that was left behind after the glaciers melted during the last ice age. You can get to this feature by parking along the main road and walking a short distance. During the spring, you'll be able to hear it. This image was taken in September after a very wet winter earlier in the year. So there was still a lot of water in the river. During the spring, though, the water can be as high as the whitish line of the rock face that you can see to the right of the waterfall.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Cascade Creek flowing over granite boulders below the Fall, Yosemite NP

Cascade Creek flows through Yosemite National Park crossing under the road that enters the park from El Portal. Before the bridge, a small parking area provides access to the creek and a view of the Cascade Creek waterfall. The section of the creek in this image is below the fall as the water flows over granite boulders in the creek bed.

Because the creek was in full sun, I was able to use a fast shutter speed (1/1500 sec) even with the ISO at 100. I was perched on a granite boulder almost directly in front of the flow. The pattern in the water streaming over the boulder caught my attention. I could see it even without the benefit of high speed photography, so I wanted to capture it.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Cascade along Grouse Lake Creek in Yosemite's backcountry, Wawona area

On the second night of a three-day backpacking loop trip in the backcountry of southern Yosemite National Park, we camped near this cascade along a tributary of Chilnualna Creek.  This tributary flows out of Grouse Lake. This was just a hint of what was ahead of us as we looped back to Wawona and followed Chilnualna Creek back down the slope.  Chilnualna Creek forms a number of cascades and waterfalls before forming the biggest drop Chilnualna Falls, a 240 foot drop into a cataract.

We enjoyed this little cascade as our dining spot not far from where we camped in our hammocks. Getting an image with the feathery effect is accomplished by using a slow shutter speed. The shutter speed for this image was 2 seconds with an ISO of 50 and f/stop of 22.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story.

Bridalveil Falls along Highway 50, between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe

Bridal Veil Falls along Highway 50 east of Pollock Pines in January 2017.  This was after a series of storms had come through and helped bust California's drought.  This waterfall is readily accessible having its own turnout right off the highway.  This waterfall is formed where Esmeralda Creek falls 80 feet and then passes under the highway.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

California's El Dorado National Forest's Bridalveil Falls, between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe

On the drive between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, along Highway 50, in the El Dorado National Forest, there's a turnout for people to view Bridalveil Falls where Esmeralda Creek flows over the brink on its way to join the South Fork of the American River. We were on our way to the Sierra to get in a few hours of cross-country skiing while California has plenty of snow. The storm that dropped snow on the mountains was followed by a blast of cold air, so the falls had ice coating the rocks away from the main stream. Because we look like well-equipped photographers, we are often asked to take group photos for other people, and that did happen while we were stopped at these falls. The family seemed happy with the result.

This image is a merging of three images taken horizontally from top to bottom using the same settings for each. These were ISO 100, f4, 1/45 sec. It has been cropped to a 4x6 ratio and would make a good 8x12 picture.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Canada goose at Woodward Park, Fresno, California, posing for the camera

Rick was out biking today and passed through part of Woodward Park, by the waterfowl refuge. There was a large flock of Canada geese seemingly expecting to be fed and it gave him an opportunity to get this close-up. The difficult part was capturing an image that only had one goose in it. Geese are something like the cattle of the bird world. Even if they'll take bread from park visitors, they mainly graze on grass. Rick runs to Woodward Park regularly and on one of those times that he was there, he watched several Canada geese swallowing whole acorns from under an oak tree.

The close-up was equivalent to a 1245 mm telephoto lens with 35mm film camera. The lens aperture was fully stopped down (which is f/8 for this paricular camera), ISO 100, and the shutter speed was 1/400.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Salt Creek pupfish, an endangered species in Death Valley National Park, Spring 2012

During the spring, the endangered Salt Creek pupfish males set up territories in Salt Creek as if flows from a spring south to the below sea level section of Death Valley National Park. The pupfish are considered the remnants of fish that once inhabited Lake Manly which filled what is now Death Valley during the last ice age. As the water level receded as the ice age ended, the water became saltier and now only a few springs persist and provide the only habitat for this species. Besides the saltiness, this creek experiences flash floods, nearly drying out, and temperatures from near freezing to over 40°C. (104°F.)

This image was taken by hiking along the boardwalk of the Salt Creek Interpretive Trail, a short turnoff from Highway 190, between Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek, the two main developed areas within Death Valley. Rick got down on his belly and waited for a male to swim near the shore to get this shot. You can tell it's a male because of how colorful the front is and by the bluish dorsal fin. Females are better camoflouged and blend in with the grainy creek bottom.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!