Mt. Whitney for Lunch

I took my girlfriend and her daughter to The Alabama Hills for lunch today. They had never seen the world-famous "Mobius Arch", so we stopped there first...


The Girls, The Arch and Mt. Whitney

Countless photographers have taken this photo over the years. Everyone that has visitied the Hills with a camera has come home with a shot of Mt. Whitney through the arch. I couldn't stomache taking the same shot, so I had the girls climb up under the arch to change it up a little bit...


Sage to Summit


Tunnel View


North to Independence

Thanks for taking the time to look, and as always, comments and opinions are very much appreciated!

Awesome photos! So unreal...

I like the last shot. It could be an album cover for a heavy metal band.

wow those photos are beautiful that has to be a site to see

Beautiful photos, as usual! That last one is otherworldly....

Thanks, everyone, for the input!

The last shot is my favorite of the day. The clouds were absolutely incredible, and their softness was such a cool contrast to the sharp, hard rock formations and jagged mountain peaks...

Anyhow...thanks again, for looking!

Chris, I know I say this all the time. But amazing photo's. I am surprised your stuff doesn't find its way into National Geographic, or something like it...

Outcast said:

Chris, I know I say this all the time. But amazing photo's. I am surprised your stuff doesn't find its way into National Geographic, or something like it...

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Oh, I've had my share of local publicity. Certainly nothing as big as Nat Geo, but I've been in several local magazines and newspapers, hung in local galleries, and even had the opportunity to display in the San Jose Museum of art for several months as part of the "Ansel Adams: Early Years" show.

To be honest, if nothing else ever happens with my photography, the fact that the SJMA requested one of my shots to display alongside Ansel Adams makes me an incredibly successful photographer. I didn't get paid for it, and I didn't even get to display my name with my shot...but it was there. And not to sound like I am bragging, but I am the only photographer I have ever met to display in a museum, even though it was a digital display instead of an actual print...

It sucks that they did not display your name with your photo. But, that is awesome that you are getting local recognition. Your photo's deserve something. They are always amazing.

Outcast said:

It sucks that they did not display your name with your photo. But, that is awesome that you are getting local recognition. Your photo's deserve something. They are always amazing.

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It's not so bad. My name is associated with that photo all over the internet, and it's a shot that simply cannot ever be reproduced, so...I'm ok with that. The name of the photo was displayed, and people have found it, and me, by searching the title, so...it works...

Thanks so much for the positive support!

Great set of pics, Chris. I like the ones with the scrub.

North to Independence is definitely my favorite. Great black and whites!

amazing pictures as all ways but I do have 2 questions. Is there a reason you use b&w most of the time? I dont mean that in a bad way it all I think the clouds of some of you b&q pictures are just...I dont know words to describe them. and the other was. Whats the name of the picture you were talking about?

I am still in awe of how everything in the photo, from the shrubs in the foreground to the mountains in the far back is in crisp focus! It is so unreal!

Susan said:

I am still in awe of how everything in the photo, from the shrubs in the foreground to the mountains in the far back is in crisp focus! It is so unreal!

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Care to tell us how that is done??.... Darling :roflmao:

Nitelion94 said:

amazing pictures as all ways but I do have 2 questions. Is there a reason you use b&w most of the time? I dont mean that in a bad way it all I think the clouds of some of you b&q pictures are just...I dont know words to describe them. and the other was. Whats the name of the picture you were talking about?

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Whoops I meant the clouds in the b&w pictures*

Nitelion94 said:

amazing pictures as all ways but I do have 2 questions. Is there a reason you use b&w most of the time? I dont mean that in a bad way it all I think the clouds of some of you b&q pictures are just...I dont know words to describe them. and the other was. Whats the name of the picture you were talking about?

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I use B&W because it forces the viewer to look at the shapes, lines, contrasts, textures and dynamics without the interruption of color. I want to show landscapes that are stark, foreboding, barren, and bold. The easiest way for me, personally, to accomplish this is to remove the distraction of color.

I also find that B&W is much more challenging to convey. What I mean is that color is permanent. Red is always red, blue is always blue, green is always green. In B&W, red, blue, and green are identical tones. Knowing this, it gives me the challenge of creating dynamic contrasts between similar tonalities, and also present me the opportunity to create the landscape I want you to see by removing the grounding aspects of color.

The name of the shot was "Storm Over Wheeler Crest"--

Lennycorn said:

Care to tell us how that is done??.... Darling :roflmao:

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It's called "hyper focal distance". Basically, you focus on an area that is roughly 6-8feet beyond your nearest visual element. Using a narrow enough aperture, this will bring everything from 3' in front of the camera to infinity into crisp focus. There are more complex calculations going on, and of course intricate compositional tools you can use in conjunction, but that's the gist of it...

Thanks for explaining it. It makes a lot more sense now.

I think that "Storm Over Wheeler Crest" has got to be my favorite B&W photo of all time! I LOVE it!