The Merced River

Merced ……… at the mercy of, is I think a close Spanish to English translation. In the summer months many tragedies have taken place on the river that has it’s headwaters high in the Sierra. With Nevada and Vernal falls on the route from the high country through the heart of the valley itself, this beautiful and sometimes tranquil river provides both drama and serenity along the way.

Some along the river above the falls take risks and find themselves swept into the current and are killed being hurtled over the falls or drown from being crushed on the rocks. Not a very inviting picture!

In the winter months on our many workshops, the images made have been more to the tranquil and serine. Along the river on the valley floor in February the current has settled to the point where reflections abound and the photo opportunities flourish. The cool mornings, passing storms and continuous optimism provided by simply being in “the best 7 miles on the planet” are inspiring!

In this image the river provides the perfect mirror image of Yosemite Falls. The recent snow tells the story of the season and the first light of day provides the joy of a new day. A polarizer was used to cut back the glare from both the rocks and the water. The benefit of a tilt/shift lens is seen in the uplift of the clouds and the straight lines of the cliff. Notice there is no footprint or color shift from the filters.

Canon 1Ds Mk ll, Canon 45mm 2.8 tilt/shift, Singh-Ray ColorCombo, Singh-Ray 3ss Grad ND, Gitzo tripod.