Through the Shutter : The Spectacular Vistas of Yosemite

We recently took a nostalgic trip into the history of American photography. It started in San Francisco when we boarded the California Parlor Car tour bus and headed for Yosemite National Park, the former home and working site of the late Ansel Adams.

The rolling countryside northwest of San Francisco provides little hint of the spectacular glacial valley that lies hidden in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. As the bus emerged from the Wawona Tunnel and pulled into the parking area at Inspiration Point, we experienced a sense of deja vu. We had seen this spectacular vista of El Capitan and Half Dome before, through the ground glass of Adams’ view camera and in his exquisite black-and-white prints.

Awesome Dimensions

Stepping from the bus onto the granite shelf overlooking the valley, we were awed by the dimensions of this natural wonder. Clouds and sun dappled the forest and meadows with a patchwork quilt of green and yellow. Majestic walls of granite soared out of the valley, gray sentinels guarding a paradise of waterfalls, wild flowers and quiet forest glens. No wonder Ansel Adams had chosen to spend much of his life in Yosemite.

On short notice it is often difficult to get room reservations in Yosemite Valley and this is one of the reasons we chose to go on the bus tour. California Parlor Coach Tours reserves blocks of rooms in advance. They offer a choice of Yosemite Lodge or the Ahwahnee Hotel.

Elegant and Comfortable

The Lodge is both elegant and comfortable and many rooms have a balcony view of Yosemite Falls, but our choice was the historical Ahwahnee, a stone-and-timber structure that has hosted presidents and foreign dignitaries.

The spacious dining room has cathedral ceilings with rustic chandeliers and tall windows. The cuisine and wine list are outstanding and men must wear jackets and ties for the evening meal.

The supplemental charge for a couple at the Ahwahnee is $80 for two nights. You can get a color brochure, tour costs and details by calling (415) 474-7500 or writing to California Parlor Car Tours at the Cathedral Hill Hotel, 1101 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, Calif. 94109.

As photographers, we were eager to visit the Ansel Adams Gallery and Workshop, which is in the central area of the valley near the Visitor’s Center. The creative spirit of Ansel Adams is nourished by spring and summer workshops conducted by his former students and other noted photographers. Teachers in 1986 are Ted Orland, Paul Caponigro, Ernst Hass, Wanda Hammerbeck, Jerry Uelsmann, David Bayles, Dave Bohn, Martha Casanave and Joel Meyerowitz.

Any visitor can purchase a mounted original Ansel Adams print at the Gallery for $60. These have been printed from the master’s negatives by his students and are unsigned.

It is refreshing to find a place where an original print by a recognized artist can be purchased at such a reasonable cost. (Larger signed prints by Adams sell for several thousand dollars.)

Prints can also be ordered by mail and an illustrated brochure is available by writing to the Ansel Adams Gallery, Box 455, Yosemite, Calif. 95389 or calling (209) 372-4413. Information on the workshops is available at the same address.

Overwhelming Beauty

The visiting photographer is overwhelmed by the beauty and size of Yosemite Valley. It is invariably a case of visual over-stimulation. In a short visit of only a few days, a photographer feels an urgent need to be in all places at all times. When will the light be best on Half Dome? What time of day does the sunlight hit Yosemite Falls? Which vantage points offer the best views of the Valley? Many such questions are answered by a small booklet published by Kodak that is available at the Visitor’s Center.

It takes about two days for students attending the workshops to “get the cliches out of their system.” After that they start to see the Valley with a fresh eye.

A Range of Images

Living here, Adams saw and photographed the Valley year after year, in the sunlight, in rain and in snow. His images are the result of dedication and involvement with a place. Often he would spend days to create one image with his view camera. The large format was a discipline and a restriction, but his photographs reflect the time and thought that went into each one.

Too often the younger generation of photographers with automated cameras shoot without thinking. Modern 35mm cameras are designed more for catching the “decisive moment” in the school of photography spearheaded by Cartier Bresson, but improved film and optics makes it possible for these small cameras to record images of high technical quality.

We met two photographers, Jim Wilson and Jeff Nicolas, who work in the Ansel Adams Gallery and who have achieved considerable recognition on their own. They conduct photography walks in the park and surrounding wilderness area. Wilson and his wife have published a handsome paperback book titled “Sierra Sunrise: Along the John Muir Trail,” and both Wilson and Nicolasf have provided some memorable images to the 1987 Yosemite Calendar. Their knowledge of Yosemite is extensive and if you stop by the gallery they will be glad to help and advise you during your visit. If your stay is too brief to attend one of the regular workshops, you might enjoy participating in one of their photography walks.

One day of the bus tour takes you through and out of the valley, first to Glacier Point with its spectacular view of Yosemite and then to the Mariposa Redwood Grove. Hope for a clear day on your visit to Glacier Point and take plenty of film. We found a bleached and gnarled log on the edge of a cliff overlooking Half Dome and by moving in close with a 24mm wide angle lens, were able to use the log as a foreground element in the composition of our pictures.

The Mariposa Grove is impressive, but the heavy shade presents some photographic problems. With patience you’ll find the clear areas where you can get good shots of these primeval giants of redwood.

After the second night in Yosemite Valley, we boarded the bus with a sense of regret and a feeling of deep respect for a man who dedicated his life to recording the wonders of nature that manifest themselves in this deep valley in the Sierra Nevada Range.