“Weather does not happen. It is the visible manifestation of
the Spirit moving itself in the void.” Mary Hunter Austin
Cloud shadows on the Cottonwood Mountains, Death Valley National Park
You are visiting the blog of fine art landscape photographer Michael E. Gordon. For additional photos and information, please visit his official website. You can also find Michael on Facebook.
I made this photograph about one week ago while shooting on assignment for The San Gabriel Mountains Forever campaign (more on this later). Late afternoon, stormy skies (I was snowed on earlier at a higher elevation), and beautiful light illuminate “Our Lord’s Candle” (Yucca whipplei; also known as “Spanish Bayonet”) and a large electrical power pylon. One delivers energy necessary to the Metropolis, the other delivers beauty and grace necessary to my well-being and sanity. I couldn’t resist the juxtaposition of the two, but only one of the subjects delivers the positive energy that I seek!
Yucca whipplei has always been one of my favorite plants (it flowers once then dies), and it’s beauty and poise is undeniable. Due to exceptional winter precipitation, Southern California is currently bursting with blooming Candles. Photographers can currently find thousands of them along Highway 138 and Highway 2 near Wrightwood.
The San Gabriel Mountains Forever campaign: this campaign is presently working on twin goals to 1) Expand wilderness and wild and scenic river designations in the San Gabriel Mountains and 2) Establish a new San Gabriel Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA). The spectacular San Gabriel Mountains are the iconic landmark of the Angeles National Forest. It is Southern California’s most accessible and popular “backyard” for millions who visit its clear and cold rivers, and its tranquil and panoramic vistas. The Angeles National Forest is also an irreplaceable natural resource that gives Los Angeles County more than 70% of its open space and provides our region with drinking water and clean air.
Once I complete my shooting for this campaign, I will share images and thoughts here on my blog. Please stay tuned.
Read more about this campaign in a May 16 L.A. Times article.
You are visiting the blog of fine art photographer Michael E. Gordon. For additional photos and information, please visit his official website.
Waiting for the Light
You are visiting the blog of fine art photographer Michael E. Gordon. For additional photos and information, please visit his official website.
Elaterite Butte
Click on the thumbnail for a downloadable 1200 pixel wide version for your desktop. Enjoy!
You are visiting the blog of fine art photographer Michael E. Gordon. For additional photos and information, please visit his official website.
We were running Jasper Ridge (between Jasper Canyon and Shot Canyon) when this beautiful weather started to move in on us. We were a bit of distance from the vehicle and safety from the weather, so it wasn’t unusual for Guy to try to encourage us to evacuate the ridge while we still had a chance 🙂 (I’m a risk-taker, so I wanted to absorb every bit of that wild weather from our high perch!). Steve’s calculations (based on the time it takes for thunder to follow lightning) indicated that the center of the cell was just five miles to our east. We still had time to shoot and be in awe.
As Guy and I kept photographing from our perches, Steve made his way back to my truck parked at Chimney Rock. When we finally caught up to him – hiding from the light rain on the lee side of my truck – he informed us that my truck’s antenna was buzzing. No sh*t, it was buzzing big-time, so I finally got a little nervous (even though nobody’s hair was yet standing and no one had that particular metallic taste in their mouth). We quickly got in the truck and insulated by the tire rubber. What a memory!
This photograph is available as a 1152 pixel wide desktop wall paper. Click on the thumbnail for the enlarged view to download.
You are visiting the blog of fine art photographer Michael E. Gordon. For additional photos and information, please visit his official website.
Joshua Tree, Death Valley National Park
My vintage Wollensak Verito lens, combined with camera movements and shallow aperture (f11) gave me the historomantic effect I desired (historic + romantic; my newly invented word; perhaps you can find a use for it in your vocabulary :)).
Thank you for your thoughts.
You are visiting the blog of fine art photographer Michael E. Gordon. For additional photos and information, please visit his official website.
MICHAEL E. GORDON PHOTOGRAPHY 