Yosemite Firefall Day And More-2016

So, my photography buddy, Jeremy Mester, and I got up early Saturday morning (4 a.m. for me) and headed out to capture the fire-fall.  We pulled into Yosemite about 7 a.m. or so and headed out towards Tunnel View.  Yosemite is always beautiful, the same,  yet different every single time.   It never ceases to amaze me, excite me, and remind me how awesome our God is.  When He made Yosemite and gazed upon it He must have taken great pleasure in what He had created.

Once done with Tunnel View we headed to the valley floor.  We stopped by the Swinging Bridge and saw reflections of the Upper Yosemite Falls in the Merced River.  Then, about the same time, we saw a puddle near the meadow and knew that there would be a reflection there as well.  We were not disappointed in what we saw.  Simply beautiful.

We next went down the road, passing where we would later stop to capture the fire-fall.  We couldn't believe it.  There were already cars there, with people claiming there spot for photo opportunities that would't even happen until after 5:30 p.m. that evening.  Well, we thought, they probably won't be staying there all day.  Well, we were wrong.  Once we headed back that way after having breakfast at the lodge there were even more photographers camped out.  So, we then went to the Village Store and got some goodies to help get us through the long, what would be 7 hour+ wait,  for God's natural fire-fall. (This is when the azimuth of the sun is just right for two weeks out of the year at horsetail falls.  When, and if,  the sun hits it there is a wonderful occurrence that makes the falls look like lava.)  Awesome.

So, we arrived,  claimed our spot (with probably about 1500 of our closest photography friends) and waited for the show to begin.  It was a long, tedious wait, but made much easier as we met new people there that were fun to be around and willing to wait as long as it took.  Round about 3 p.m. the clouds rolled in.  There wasn't a patch of blue sky in sight.  One person looked up the weather and said that there was about a 10% chance the sun would be out around sunset.  It was looking bleak.  I kidded around with Jeremy and a new found friend and took on the posture of praying.  We all laughed, but I truly was praying and believing that our prayers would be answered.  A few people left and some were about to leave, but I pointed out some blue sky off in the West and prayed a little harder :)  And then the opening grew bigger and bigger.  Some clouds remained, but the sun came out and remained shining through from about 4 p.m. until "showtime".  

So grateful.  Thank you Jesus.  Hope you enjoyed our day........

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

Robin and I have had the wonderful opportunity to photograph the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.  I have never seen another building that is so ornate in my life.  We have been able to photograph a great many wonderful buildings in Northern California and so that says a great deal.  The building was completed in 1905, a year before the Great San Francisco Earthquake.  It was one of the few buildings in the area that was still standing afterwards.  In 1989 it received damage from the Loma Prieta earthquake.  It underwent a major restoration and opened again in 1996.  Initially it was the home of the U.S. Court of Appeals, the United States Post office and several other Federal Agencies.  Today the Circuit Court is left.  Three types of marble, a room with nothing but redwood that was hand carved, mosaic tiles, and artisans that took great pride in the work that they completed and called their own.  God given talent that was used to the utmost.

It is an amazing edifice.  Our docent, Kathleen, wants everyone to know that you are free to visit on the days that there are no hearings, as long as you arrange your visit ahead of time with them.  Please enjoy the images of this incredible building.