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When: June 2-7, 2012
Cost: $815 (does not include lodging, meals,
transportation or fees)
Deposit: $200 (non refundable)
Discounts: See the
2012
Discount Schedule
Have you experienced spring in the Eastern
Sierra? Join us on a Ralph Nordstrom Photography
workshop to explore the majesty and power of the
Sierra Nevada Mountains as they awaken from
their winter sleep. You’ll photograph the
locations you’ve heard about and some little
known gems. Take your photography to the next
level with personalized instruction for an award
winning nature photographer. Expand your
creative and technical skills through formal
classes and valuable photo reviews. Share the
wonder with other like minded people who share
your passion for photography. We’ll be going
hard from dawn to dusk. You will go home tired
but satisfied and with memory cards full of
great photographs. So join us. Others who have
come with us on the Eastern Sierra photography
workshop have loved it and you will too.
There are a couple of things worth
mentioning. This is a photography
workshop, not a photo tour. We will be
photographing during the great light of the day.
That is generally sunrise and sunset although if
great light develops during the middle of the
day we'll be out there. But normally we'll
spend the middle of the day holding classes and
reviewing your photos. Also, the proper camera
gear is very important for a successful
photography workshop experience. This includes
digital (or film) SLR with a range of lenses from
wide angle to telephoto. Also, a sturdy
tripod is essential. A more complete
equipment list will be provided when you
register. Finally, some of the locations
we will photograph are at high altitude in the
neighborhood of 11,000 feet. The little
bit of hiking we do is not not very long or
strenuous. But the altitude can make an
easy hike difficult if you're not acclimated.
If you think you might be challenged by the
altitude please contact me to discuss your
situation and how we can make this work for you.
A Little Background on
the Eastern Sierra
The Eastern Sierra are very special to me.
I grew up hiking the High Sierra trails,
sleeping under the stars beside her streams and
lakes. So I am always excited to return.
The Eastern Sierra escarpment rises nearly
two miles above hour heads down in the Owens
Valley. It boasts the tallest peak in the
lower 48 - Mt Whitney at 14,498 feet. And
as you drive north up beautiful US-395 you pass
one 14,000 footer after another. Glaciers still
cling to some of the slopes, remnants of the ice
age that ended 10,000 years ago. But those
mammoth glaciers of old left behind stunning
evidence in the form of deep, steep walled
canyons and massive glacial moraines that
stretch far out into the valley.
I love the springtime in these mountains.
The winter's snowpack is melting and the streams
are swollen, boisterous and jubilant. The
aspen that quiver in rich green all summer long
are just sending out their delicate, lime green
shoots. The willows that grow along the
streams are trying to fool us with their red
buds. And up in the higher elevations the
iris and onions are preparing to bloom.
This is truly a marvelous time of awakening and
rebirth.
Across from the Sierra are the White
Mountains, also home to one 14,000 footer.
But the most exciting thing about these
mountains are the ancient bristlecone pines,
trees that have been growing since before the
Egyptians started building their pyramids more
than 4000 years ago. I am always humbled
to be in their presence and touch their ancient
trunks. I feel the flow of the whole of
Western civilization pass through me when I am
in their presence.
I could go on and on (I'm just warming up).
There is Long Valley, one of the largest
calderas on the planet which experienced a
catastrophic eruption just 300,000 years ago
The area is still active with hot springs,
alkali pools and geothermal generating plants
that provide electricity for nearby Mammoth
Springs. The June Lakes loop has four
gem-like lakes with towering Carson Peak looking
down on them all. The small town of Lee Vining
is gateway to big Mono Lake, fascinating Bodie
and incomparable Yosemite. So it should be
clear that there is no shortage of outstanding
photographic subjects.
The Eastern Sierra has so many moods and
personalities. I really like slowing down
and feeling the essence of each location before
shooting. There is so much to experience
here, so much that can be captured in expressive
photographs, if you just take your time and open
your senses.
A Typical Day and
Itinerary
The adventure starts in Lone Pine in the
shadow of Mt. Whitney at the southern end of the
mountains. There are many exciting photo
opportunities in the Alabama Hills and Whitney
Portal. We begin mid-afternoon on Saturday,
June 1st with an orientation after which we will
shoot sunset nearby.
We spend all of Sunday and Monday morning in
and around the Lone Pine area. The
alpenglow on the Sierra crest at sunrise must be
seen to be believed. With the Alabama
Hills, the Owens River and the towering peaks of
the Sierra there is no shortage of dramatic
photographs
Each day begins with a sunrise shoot.
We will rise early and be on site at least 45
minutes before sunrise to capture the wonderful
pre-dawn light. We will photograph
subjects through sunrise and morning golden hour
while the light is at its absolute best.
In the middle of the day we will fill our
time with photo reviews and instruction or, on
travel days, we will relocate to the next town.
Photo reviews are a key part of our workshops.
I feel it is very important to provide feedback
on everyone's work. I also have formal
presentations on key topics that I will present,
topics like composition, light and more.
However, I also believe that the post
processing workflow is an essential part of any
workshop. Everything you do that leads up
to the instant you press the shutter is not the
whole story but just the beginning. Great
images start when the shutter is pressed but
realize their full potential during the post
processing. So I will spend some time
working on YOUR images in Lightroom to share
with you the workflow I follow and provide some
insight on what I look for that makes a
compelling photograph.
After two evenings we will move north up
US-395 to the town of Bishop. From there
we will venture up into the mountains and visit
one or more of the three beautiful lakes -
North, South and Sabrina. I also want to
show you some of the wonderful shooting
locations along the South Fork of Bishop Creek.
Perhaps the highlight of the workshop is our
journey into the White Mountains to photograph
the ancient bristlecone pines. As I
mentioned above, many of these trees are over
4000 years old. They are a study in
endurance, persistence and struggle.
After two nights we leave Bishop for Lee
Vining. If Tioga Pass is open we will head
up to Olmsted Point for sunset. If not we
will photograph sunset on Mono Lake. The
last morning will also take us to Mono Lake for
sunrise followed by a walk through the finest
ghost town in the country, Bodie.
Equipment
I will send you a more detailed equipment
list when you sign up but here are the
essentials.
- SLR camera (digital or film)
- Lenses: an assortment that range from
wide angle to telephoto
- Sturdy tripod
- Filters: polarizing, graduated
neutral density and variable neutral density
(optional)
- Laptop computer (if you are shooting
digital): with image processing software
such as Lightroom
- Misc. camera gear: batteries, memory,
chargers, backup storage, etc.
Weather
Average highs in Lone Pine in June are in
the mid 90s and average lows around 60.
This contrasts to Lee Vining where the average
highs in June are 76 and the average lows in the
id 40s. As we head to the higher altitudes
in the mountains the temperatures will be much
cooler than the valley below. So you
should be prepared for a full range of
temperatures from near freezing to very hot.
I should add here that the heat is a dry
heat. And while you notice that it's hot,
it's not like mid 90s in, say, Florida which has
stifling humidity.
Lodging
You will be responsible for making your own
lodging arrangements. I recommend you
contact the motels as soon as possible to ensure
you get lodging.
Lone Pine we will be staying in the Best
Western Frontier Motel.
1008 S Main Street, Lone Pine, California,
93545-3010
760/876-5571
You can make reservations by calling the motel
or from
www.bestwestern.com.
Other lodging is available if you so choose.
Bishop we will be staying in the Days
Inn.
724 W Line Dr
Bishop, CA 93514
760-872-1095
Call then direct or make your reservations
through
www.daysinn.com.
Other lodging is available in Bishop.
Lee Vining we are staying at Murphy's Motel
51492 State Highway 395
Lee Vining, CA
760-647-6316
Call them direct or make make your reservations
through
www.murphysyosemite.com.
Other lodging is available in Lee Vining.
Meals and Dining
There are many restaurants in Lone Pine,
Bishop and Lee Vining ranging from fine
California cuisine to funky small town home
cooking. We will choose the ones that look
interesting to the group. When we travel
up to the Bristlecone Pines we will take a sack
dinner with us as we will not get back to our
hotel in Bishop until late.
Traveling to the
Eastern Sierra
Out of State:
I would recommend flying into Reno, NV.
It's a straight shot down US-395 from there.
Travel time is about 5-6 hours to Lone Pine.
The return from Lee Vining is about 3-4 hours.
If you prefer you can fly into Los Angeles.
From LAX to Lone Pine is about 4-5 hours.
However, LA traffic could make that worse.
Returning from Lee Vining is about 6-7 hours but
could also be affected by the infamous LA
traffic.
Comparing the two, the drive from Reno is
very beautiful being mostly in the mountains.
The drive from LA crosses a large area of the
Mohave desert once you get out of Southern
California.
Southern California:
Depending on where you start in Southern
California you will either make your way to
CA-14 north to where it merges with US-395 or,
if you come from Orange County or farther south,
you will take I-15 north to US-395.
In Conclusion
Thank you for your interest in the 2012
Eastern Sierra Spring photography workshop. Please
consider joining us in this popular photography
destination. Spring is a wonderful time of
year to experience the Eastern Sierra and I look
forward so sharing this land I love with you.
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