Back by popular demand, I’ve calculated the best dates to shoot Horsetail Falls in Yosemite National Park in 2012. Similar to 2011, I used the same procedure that I originally used in 2010 to calculate the range of acceptable times to view or photograph the falls. For 2012, the best viewing times are between February 15, 2012 and February 28, 2012 with the absolute peak date being February 21, 2012. 

For a more detailed explanation of the procedure used to determine these dates, be sure to check out my blog post Photographing Yosemite’s Horsetail Falls.

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Last year I sat down and came up with a list of what I considered to be my top images of 2010 for inclusion on Jim Goldstein’s best photos of the year blog project. Now that 2011 has come and gone, I present my favorites from last year (I managed to come up with 10 this year):

Descending Winter Alta’s North Ridge – Sequioa National Park

Clouds and Evening Light on El Cap – Yosemite National Park

Frost on Yosemite Falls – Yosemite National Park

Pardington Cove – Big Sur

Liberty Cap, Nevada, and Vernal Falls – Yosemite National Park

Taft Point Sunset – Yosemite National Park

Moonrise over Half Dome – Yosemite National Park

The Tunnels – San Diego

Ice Skating on Tenaya Lake – Yosemite National Park

Late Afternoon – San Francisco

Last year, I did a pretty in-depth analysis of how to shoot Horsetail Fall in Yosemite. Since I’m interested in going back to shoot the falls again in 2011, I re-ran my dates analysis to come up with the best dates for 2011. This year’s optimal dates are pretty much the same as last year’s, with the best viewing times coming between February 15 and February 28, 2011.

2011 Solar Data

First, the Navy’s solar azimuth/altitude calculator moved on the web. It’s now located here. Using the same data I used last year for latitude (37°43’53″N), longitude (119°37’36″W), and time zone (GMT -8), I was able to predict the best time to view Horsetail Falls:

If you’re looking for more information about how I came up with these numbers, check out my original blog post from 2010 (linked above). I hope everyone gets great shots this year, and I’ll post further updates when I (hopefully) get back from shooting in late February!

Now that the holidays are over, I’ve had some time to look back over my body of work from 2010. I had initially planned on doing a top ten list, but had too many favorites to pick just ten. I did have five that really stood out to me though, so I decided to save myself the headache and just present those images as my favorites of 2010. Without further delay, here they are:

The Big Chill - Ann Arbor, MI

Hockey is so much more fun when it’s played outdoors. The NHL now plays at least one game per season outdoors. The NCAA also took notice, and has periodically held outdoor games. In 2001, Michigan State hosted The University of Michigan for the largest outdoor hockey game in history (74,000+), called The Cold War. Nine years later, it was UM’s chance to host MSU at their massive football stadium. Over 110,000 fans showed up to watch Michigan walk all over Michigan State.

Banner Peak – Ansel Adams Wilderness

I grabbed this picture halfway through a 60 mile backpacking trip through Yosemite and the Ansel Adams Wilderness. A heavy and long winter kept snow levels down to about 9500′ and I spent the better part of 3 days in the snow, in July! Afternoon thunderstorms kept me under my tarp tent for about an hour, but the skies cleared in time for sunset, allowing me to capture this image of the last bit of light of the day.

Horsetail Falls – Yosemite National Park

There’s not much to say about this picture that I haven’t already said here. It won me awards, made people “ooh” and “aah”, and is a pretty cool looking picture (despite the fact that this picture is in no way unique – Horsetail shots seem to be almost as popular as Tunnel View pictures these days!)

Silver Lake – Rehoboth Beach, DE

After attending a work conference in the DC area, I met my girlfriend and family at our beach house in Dewey Beach, DE. We had perfect beach weather, with the exception of the day that I took this picture (down the street from our place) – cloudy, cool, and a light drizzle.

Scripps Pier – La Jolla, CA

I bought a 10-stop ND filter because I love how moving water looks in long-exposure photography. I live not far from this pier, and used to surf here all the time. One of the few cold and cloudy days in San Diego!

So there it is – my favorites of 2010. It was a great year, and I’m looking forward to all that 2011 holds!

Was pretty bummed that I couldn’t make it to Yosemite this past weekend – looks like they got pounded with snow! Did manage to grab this shot instead though. Still trying to master the 10-stop neutral density filter, but I think this one turned out pretty well.

Bigger

Updated the look and feel of my website and blog today. Still have a few minor formatting issues to sort out (can’t figure out why the blog is shifted slightly from my main site – must have a rogue div luring somewhere).

Also have plenty of pics from my summer travels to Yosemite and the Ansel Adams wilderness to post.

A reasonably straightforward weekend trip along the north rim of Yosemite Valley (up Snow Creek, across to North Dome, down Yosemite Falls) turned in to a seriously long slog through knee to waist-deep snow above about 7200′. Oh, we brought too much food to fit in the three bear cans we had too. Another great Yosemite trip though, even with the minor (major?) setbacks. Looking forward to my week-long solo trip in July!

Half Dome from Snow Creek

Yosemite Falls

Recipe

Took a quick daytrip out to the Anza Borrego desert last Friday (2 April) to check out the desert wildflower bloom. The park’s website claimed that the bloom was still going strong (a 7/10 on their scale). That being said, I think the only way I’d go back is if it were a 9 or 10/10. Most of what we saw was typical San Diego desert – rocky and boring. The one exception was a couple of acres of wildflowers blooming on the north side of Henderson Canyon Rd. in Borrego Springs. Maybe I was expecting too much? In any event, we saw plenty of Desert Sunflowers, Sand Verbena, Dune and Brown-Eyed Primrose, Desert Pincushion and Desert Dandelion. There was also lots of Purple Lupine on the drive out.

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