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Meadows
Exceptional light conditions characterize Yosemite Valley. The unspoiled nature is over. There isn’t a square inch of floor that isn’t full of footprints, mine included.
The large rock faces reflect the light into the valley before the sun has risen, the wide trees and the meandering Merced river do their part. In broad daylight, it makes little sense to trace or search for nuances of light. Nevertheless it is beautiful, wonderfully bright, pleasently warm. As soon as the sun stops sending its warm rays, it becomes unpleasantly cool.
As attendees of the conference Out of Yosemite we gather on the different Meadows of the valley or banks of the Merced river, which can also be called beach. This morning we’ve been to Tahiti Beach.
Reflections El Capitan (Tahiti Beach) © Julian Köpke The afternoon session was with Harold at Cathedral Beach. Some ice on Merced river, few warm reflections of El Capitan. Some inspirations of Charlotte Gibb in mind I took some shots there. The cotton trees were my favorites.
Yosemite Valley Cotton trees at Merced banks © Julian Köpke Like in a forest of a fairy tale you might stumble over monsters:
Tree mimicking an animal. © Julian Köpke -
Fire and Ice
First field session this morning with Charlotte Gibb and Michael Shainblum. Few spots around Sentinel Bridge, starting at 6:45h and ending 9:45h. Well-known views as well as more intimate compositions. Impressive was a rainbow in Upper Yosemite Fall, burning like flames when viewed as time-lapse.
Flaming rainbow at Upper Yosemite Fall © Julian Köpke Warm reflections came over to Merced river from the granite walls. Together with blue ice and a pine cone this was quite appealing.
Cone on ice at Sentinel Bridge © Julian Köpke In the afternoon we ended uo at Cooks Meadow, now far from our lodge. I worked out a structure containing trees in sunlight and some in shadow.
Trees © Julian Köpke -
Yosemite Valley
We are one day earlier in Yosemite Valley, meaning two days extra in this beautiful spot. Yesterday has already been a gorgeous afternoon. Lower Yosemite Fall had been our first walking destination.
Lower Yoemite Fall © Julian Köpke This morning we made a short tour to Valley View, Tunnel View and Bridal veil fall.
Valley View Yosemite Valley © Julian Köpke 
Tunnel view at Yosemite Valley © Julian Köpke After recovering from carrying around lots of gear I expected the Moonrise to be at 4 o’clock. Just a 2 minutes walk down to the banks of Merced river were good to reach a wonderful spot.
Moonrise in Yosemite Valley © Julian Köpke At the end of the day there is usually a total break down of any WiFi connectivity here in Yosemite Valley. Like this evening.
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Ammersee in wintertime
Our last day should be sunny. It started foggy with the rising sun. Landscape photography gets painterly without much processing efforts.
Church St. Martin in Herrsching © Julian Köpke Some kilometers further in Aidenried we explored our well known landing stage. Attracted by an impressive reflection of the Marienmünster in Dießen I made two compositions. The first contains just the central part of the second image.
Marienmünster with fog in winter © Julian Köpke Before leaving this spot the second image contains a more outlined cross composition. Both images remind of colored old engravings.
Winter morning with fog at Ammersee (Marienmünster) © Julian Köpke After a walk along the newly piled up dam it became afternoon and the light more reddish. From the landing stage of Seehaus Riederau we could see the Alps at the horizon.
Alps behind Ammersee © Julian Köpke -
Moonset in Alling
It had become very late last night and my tiredness did not let me think clearly. I also didn’t know what happened after I went to bed. It could easily have been the end of a human being.
With the warm morning sunlight from the left the winter fields of Alling in December were wonderful to look at. With my senses clouded, I thought the moon would rise. It took me a long time to figure out he was going down.
Moonset - Landscape near Alling © Julian Köpke
