Bob Kent Bob Kent

Best Images 0f 2021

My best Eastern Sierra images of 2021

It is that time of year where folks publish their best images of the previous year. Here is my list.

Locations include:

  • Owens River

  • June Lake Loop

  • Bishop Canyon

  • Bridgeport

  • Sage Hen

  • Silver Lake

  • Gull Lake

  • Mammoth Lakes

  • Round Valley

While 2021 had its issues it was a great year for photographing the Eastern Sierra.

Would love to know what you think of the images and which one you liked the best.

Wishing you an awesome 2022!

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Bob Kent Bob Kent

Heaven

A few years ago, I experienced a drought of clouds for what seemed like an eternity.  Every time I went on a photo expedition it was nothing but blue skies. It was frustrating as I love clouds in my landscape images.  Well this spring ended the cloud drought in a spectacular way!

Spring or 2019 - Wildflowers, snow, and winter that won’t go away!

Spring or 2019 - Wildflowers, snow, and winter that won’t go away!

A few years ago, I experienced a drought of clouds for what seemed like an eternity.  Every time I went on a photo expedition it was nothing but blue skies. It was frustrating as I love clouds in my landscape images. 

Now the cloud “drought” was not all bad as any day in the Eastern Sierra is a good day; with or without clouds.  The lack of clouds forced me to experiment with new compositions and subjects which made me a better photographer.  In the end I still wanted clouds.

That is were we are heading to!

That is were we are heading to!

I am here to say with the Spring of 2109 my cloud drought is over.  The last couple of meanderings has been off the charts.  There were clouds, and I mean awesome clouds, everywhere you looked.  They weren’t high clouds, so they didn’t go orange and red at sunrise and sunset, but it didn’t matter.  Their size, complexity, brutishness made them totally photogenic.  The main key to getting great images was to just get out there, and stay out there, capturing the clouds as they morphed throughout the day.  All the while I was in heaven. 

The road and clouds inviting us to explore!

The road and clouds inviting us to explore!

I am doing research on a photography class I am going to teach at the Mono Arts Council in the fall.  The class will not focus technology but on using personal vision, style, and composition to create “remarkable” photographs.  During this cloudfest I started to apply some of the things that were newly learned from my research..  It was difficult to do things differently. 

I may be biased but it made a huge positive difference in the impact of the images I was able to create. I will have to wait to see if the peer reviews from my fellow photographers agree with my self-assessment.

In any case sit back and enjoy my vision of heaven on earth, even though it is extremely cloudy.

Storms over the Eastern Sierra. Lots of snow still on Mammoth!

Storms over the Eastern Sierra. Lots of snow still on Mammoth!

Symmetry in Nature

Symmetry in Nature

and on and on and on! Truly Heaven on Earth!

and on and on and on! Truly Heaven on Earth!

FYI, as I mentioned above I will be teaching a Photography Composition class at the Mono Arts Gallery on September 28th. Then on the 29th will facilitate a field trip to put what you learn into practice. You can sign up here. Would love to see you there!

Feel free to comment and share!

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Bob Kent Bob Kent

My 12 Best Images of 2018

The 12 Best of 2018

Why 12?  To be different.  Everyone else has a Top 10.  Besides I like the idea of one for each month.  Even though I did not take as many images last year, it was an awesome year for my photography. Mainly for two reasons.

  1. During most of my trips up to the Eastern Sierra there were luscious clouds in the sky.  Nothing improves a landscape photo like clouds.

  2.   I started concentrating on the improving the composition of my images. Specifically working on improving the foreground area.  To me, it made a huge difference.

So here we go.

The 12 Best of 2018

Why 12?  To be different.  Everyone else has a Top 10.  Besides I like the idea of one for each month.  Even though I did not take as many images last year, it was an awesome year for my photography. Mainly for two reasons.

  1. During most of my trips up to the Eastern Sierra there were luscious clouds in the sky.  Nothing improves a landscape photo like clouds.

  2.   I started concentrating on the improving the composition of my images. Specifically working on improving the foreground area.  To me, it made a huge difference.

So here we go.

# 12 Independence God Rays

The most unexpected spots sometimes consistently provide the most awesome images.  In this case there is a pocket park located on the south side of Independence.  It is a nice spot to stretch the legs and take a health break.  On multiple times I have captured incredible images like this with awesome light and clouds.  Right from within 15 feet of the street next to the park.  Notice how the foreground creates an alter for the God rays.

Independence God Rays -1361 Final Cropped.jpg

# 11 Hot Creek Sunset

The area behind the Hot Creek gorge is one of my favorite places to watch a sunrise or sunset.  The area around a certain white bridge is well magical during a sunrise or sunset.  Add awesome clouds high enough to catch the suns last rays and change colors, well see for yourself.  Think a couple of chairs, a bottle of wine, and some good company.

Hot Creek Sunset I -9363 V1.1-13.jpg

# 10 Clouds Over the Owens Valley

Remember the first reason I said my 2018 images were awesome? Yes clouds.  I have always loved the cumulus clouds that have a flat bottom.  Bit of trivia as here is the explanation of why they have flat bottoms. The flat bottoms of cumulus clouds define the exact height at which a critical combination of temperature and air pressure causes water vapor within the rising current to condense into a visible cloud.

Clouds Over the Owens Valley II --2.jpg

# 9 Minaret Sunset

Sometime bad things produce beautiful scenes.  Forest fires are natural but with the drought and other factors the fires of late have been terrible.  Their smoke at sunset though creates some of the most beautiful sunsets you will see.  This is the case with this sunset over the Minarets and the smoke from the Lions fire. The Minaret vista has a wonderful view but trying to capture it as a still image is difficult. In some places there are tall trees that obstruct the main image. In others there is nothing and the impact of the image gets lost in a mass of complexity.  Even though I only had a few minutes to capture the scene I walked around and found the foreground to anchor the image. I think it paid off. Do you?

Minarete Sunset IV-9456 V1.1-50.jpg

# 8 June Lake with Moon

June Lake is gorgeous.  For years I have tried to get an image of June Lake that captured the feelings I get when I view the lake.  I have always come up empty and this year I focused on getting an image that I liked.  I got several, but I think this one shows the lake off at its best.  Morning alpenglow, still water, clouds, and the moon.

June Lake w Moon -3281 Mid 1.1.jpg

# 7 Heart Lake Viewpoint

The Heart Lake trail out of Coldwater campground, was a hike I did not take for years because I thought it was too short and did not have any special scenery.  Was I ever wrong as it had some spectacular view, wildflower, and if you walked past the lake just a bit this scene?! This scene has three of Mammoth’s most widely recognizable locations in one view: Mammoth Mountain, Lake Mary, and Mammoth Crest.  Another example of using the foreground to make the image more interesting.

Heart Lake Viewpoint II -9361 V1.1-46.jpg

# 6 Heart Lake

Heart Lake is a small lake with only a hint of any interesting geology formations visible  Just a simple little alpine lake.  Sometimes simpler is better.

Heart Lake -9326.jpg

# 5 Grant Lake with White Line

Three things led to this capture.  

One, the willingness just to wander. We had done the June Lake Loop earlier from the other direction but coming home with the clouds and sunset we decided to do it again.

Two, preparedness - five minutes before the clouds were ten times more colorful, five minutes after the light was gone.  Like Goldilocks’ porridge this was just right.  I usually travel with the camera ready to go and already on the tripod.  Being ready allowed me to capture the image.

Three, listen to your photographer’s assistant. My wife has developed a keen eye for scenes worth stopping for.  I was in a keep driving mode and she told me to stop and take the image. She was right, this image got more comments on Facebook than almost all my other posts.


Grant Lake White Line -3431 Mid 1.1-22.jpg

# 4 Parker Lake with Logs

I do most of my shooting very early in the morning or around sunset.  The hike to Parke Lake is one of my favorite hikes; one I have done many times.  When I went with some others on a mid-morning hike, I did not plan on doing much shooting.  I was stunned when we reached the lake, the water was still fairly calm and the light was not too harsh.  I took my time to find the foreground to anchor the image and came away with one of my favorite images of my favorite lake.  Shows that you should never assume and approach the creation of your art with an open mind.

Parker Lake w Logs -8881 V1.1-5.jpg

# 3 Sage Hen Road with Trees

We were taking some friends on a day tour of the cool things around Mammoth in the fall.  Even though this location had passed its fall color peak, I thought the views were worth going there.  Well sometimes it all just works; the light coming through the leaves, the blue sky with clouds, and a nice leading line.

Sagehen Road w Trees 1 -1266 Final.jpg

# 2 Whitney Fish Hatchery

The Whitney Fish Hatchery is a wonderful oasis in the Owens Valley.  The building is picture card perfect but one I had never captured to my liking.  This day all the elements of a great image were working overtime; the clouds, the light, just everything.  While my photographer’s assistant was setting up our picnic, I walked around to see if I could find a new perspective.  Did I hit the jackpot!  This was the FB post and calendar page that got the most comments. I think you can see why.

Whitney Fish Hatchery Palms -1487 Final-1.jpg

# 1 Cloudy Silver Lake

I knew as soon as I took this picture it would be the best image I captured on this trip and probably of the whole year.  It is a rare gift to get still water and storm clouds.  It is even a rare gift to get them late in the day.  This image is taken from one of our favorite places to sit and have a picnic.  We just sit and soak up the beauty around us. Occasionally, we will have deer and ducks join us to make it even more special. it was tough to choose between Whitney Fish Hatchery and this image as the best.  Our personal connection to this spot was the tie breaker.

Cloudy Silver Lake -3481 Mid Cropped-23.jpg

The above is my ranking, which of these images was your favorite?  The bar is set high for 2019 but it will be fun to beat this list. Just pray for a cloudy 2018!


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Bob Kent Bob Kent

FIVE SIMPLE STEPS TO ENJOY YOSEMITE ON A CROWDED WEEKEND

Yosemite can be the most beautiful place on earth or a crowded hell.  Five steps to make your visit a truly pleasant and memorable trip.

Mammoth Peak Trail to Mono Pass

Everyone loves Yosemite!  The reality is we all areloving Yosemite to death.

Yosemite is one of the most beautiful and relaxing places on Earth.  Except when it is Memorial Day, 4th of July, or Labor Day weekend and:

  • a third of all the inhabitants on the planet are in the park (5,217,114 people visited Yosemite in 2016)

  •  at the same time,

  • looking at the exact same things.  

Now you have traveled 3,000 miles to the Sierra on your one and only “Holiday” (doesn’t Holiday sound so much more relaxing than vacation) for the year! 

It is Labor Day Weekend.  Your camping or fishing in the Eastern Sierra and one of the items on your bucket list is to see Yosemite. Unfortunately,  a gazillion other people have the same idea.  You have two ways on how to visit Yosemite:

  1. As a  tourist that wants a picture of every water fall in the valley

  2. As a sane Human Being that actually wants to have a truly pleasant memorable time

Looks Like Fun to Me.....

As a Tourist

You sleep to nine in the morning.  You have breakfast. Then go straight for the valley floor to see the water falls.  You and those gazillion other people are going to spend the day enjoying:

  • an immersion into primitive and wild environments ("not" 2 hours in to go approximately 1.3 miles)

  • a high degree of solitude (trying to find the sole parking spot left on the valley floor)

  • natural sounds (car horns and bus brakes)

  • natural smells (diesel)

  • great views (well this is a given because even when it is packed wall to wall the views are great)

Yea right. Not my cup of tea. 

Your remembrance will be more of traffic, smelling car fumes, and standing in lines than beautiful nature.  By the end of the day, you will come out of Yosemite more stressed than you ever were at work.

Fist Light

A Sane Human Being

It takes a little bit of work and planning but even on a busy weekend like Labor Day you can get a lot out of Yosemite and miss most, if not all, the crowds.  

Here are Five Simple Steps to see Yosemite as it should be seen:

One - Get up early or Start in the Early Evening

 

Nothing Like Aplenglow


When I say early I mean before sunrise.  Get into the park early. Pick a location in advance, preferably up in the high country like Tuolumne Meadows, Glacier Point, etc. Get there before sunrise and then plan to stay there for a while.  For the next two to four hours, ninety five (95) percent of the “Tourists” will be:

  • Still asleep

  • Cooking breakfast in camp or ordering breakfast at a crowded food stand

East Side -Tuolumne Meadows

Seeing a sunrise or sunset in Yosemite is an unforgettable experience; seeing a Yosemite sunrise in quite solitude is “priceless.”

Yosemite Sunset

If you choose to go to a meadow, really early or really late, area there is a good chance that deer will be out and about.  Seeing a deer up close will stop the kids whining about getting up so dang early faster than anything on earth.  For the rest of the morning they will be occupied scouring their surroundings to see if they can find more deer.

More importantly you will get the chance to experience that primitive environment and with a high degree of solitude that makes Yosemite heaven on Earth.

Sunset with Deer in Tuolumne Meadows

Two - Take a Hike

After the sunrise take a short hike on one of the many trails in the park.  You don’t have to hike seven or eight miles to get away from the crowds.  Just a half mile or so will do.  Remember by now the most of the masses are still in their camp just now washing their breakfast dishes!  Walking through Tuolumne Meadows, Lyle Canyon, or the Panorama Trail (Glacier Point) are incredible.  You go for as long a distance as you like then simply turn around and come back.

Three - Stay In One Spot a While

So many people rush through the park get to one of the famous scenic spots, take a picture of themselves in front of it, and then rush to the next spot.  I highly recommend finding a picnic table in a quite area and sit for a while. Bring some snacks, sit back, and soak up the park; the views, the smells.  You will be amazed on how much the look and feel of a single location will change as the sun rises in the sky.
 

Wine and Snacks at Tenaya  Lake

Wine and Snacks at Tenaya  Lake

Even better will be the people you meet.  What was that saying "If you stay in one place long enough the entire world will pass you by.  Well, Yosemite is a "Holiday" destination for everyone on the planet. 

If you stay in the park long enough, bring a bottle of your favorite wine and some plastic wine glasses.  We did this once at Lake Tenaya.  A flustered lady, in the middle of a death march to see every single thing in Yosemite in one day, stopped and looked at us.  She said with a big smile “You must be locals because you know how to do this right!”.  We agreed.  She took her picture and marched on.  We on the other hand  continued to enjoy our wine for a spell.  Really don’t know how long that spell was because we were having such fun we lost track of the time!
 

Act I Tenaya Early Afternoon - Water Ripples

Act III Tenaya Early Evening - Firework Show

Four - Talk to the People You Meet

I think you will find the people you meet in the high country this early in the morning will be:

  • Friendly as hell, as they are not being stressed out by big crowds

  • Interesting, maybe hiking the entire John Muir Trail and have great stories to tell

  • Helpful, they probably know way more than you do about where to go and what to see

  • May be from another country with great stories of foreign lands to tell

We have met the nicest people from all over the world jsut by saying hello.
 

Five - Get the Heck Out of Dodge Before the Hoards Arrive

Over a Hundred Cars Waiting to Get in at 12:30 PM

If you followed Step One you have been in the park for several hours now.  You have

  • seen an incredible sunrise

  • were able to watch deer on a meadow

  • met some friendly interesting new friends.  

Just like a casino if you are ahead - take your winnings, cash out, and leave before you lose it all!


Go back to your campsite or condo and take a nap (you deserve it you were up before the sunrise!) and dream of the laid back and wonderful adventure you just had.  

If you are leaving the Yosemite Park going east I highly recommend stopping at Whoa Nelli Deli, in the Mobil Gas Station. It is near the intersection of Hwy 120 and Hwy 395.  They have incredible food and you can sit out in a grass yard over looking magnificent Mono Lake.  The other restaurant I recommend is the Mono Inn.  It is a bit on the more expensive side but the view of Mono and the food are both top shelf.

In closing, a couple of ground rules about Yosemite:
 

  1. It's not Disneyland, it is nature, and its wild. It is not designed for your safety. Always be prepared and careful.

  2. Never leave food in your car.  Locked cars will not stop a hungry bear.

  3. Be careful around large streams.  It is probably moving faster than it looks and is dangerous.

  4. The falls are stunningly beautiful but they are not the only thing to see in the park.

Have a great time in Yosemite!

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Bob Kent Bob Kent

Another Bucket List Checked Off – Getting to a Sierra Pass

Hiking Mono Pass Yosemite is a great hike full of wonderful views of granite peaks and alpine meadows.  It has a hidden gift in being able to see Mono Lake 4,000 feet below you!

Trail Head

Trail Head

Working to complete my 54 for Dave Quest I have done more hikes this summer than ever before. I came to realize though I had yet to hike to a mountain pass, ever. I had come close.  Once on the McGee Creek trail but was stopped by snow.  Another time on the Crystal Lake hike but was going to Crystal Lake not the pass.  So I had never actually stood on top of a Sierra mountain pass. It became a bucket list item! So I started looking for a day hike that got me to a pass.

Mono Pass in Yosemite seemed to fit the bill. It was in the Yosemite high country in which I love hiking in. It had a reasonable difficulty level at eight miles in length (round trip) and 900 feet of altitude gain it figured it would be pleasant hike.

The description of the hike on the Yosemite Hikes web page seemed to good to be true to get to a pass.  “There are only a few stretches where the incline is steep enough to make you notice you're climbing.” Well it was to good to be true as one of those “stretches” was as over a mile and had a pretty steep grade.

Even with the unexpected climb I really enjoyed this hike. While it did not have a big lake at the end like some hikes do; the high country meadows and the view down Bloody Canyon to Mono Lake more than made up for it.

Mono Pass is the type of hike I like because it starts of flat and saves the climb later on once your warmed up. My start time at 6:30 AM was perfect to catch the first morning light on Mammoth Peak

First Light on Mammoth Peak

First Light on Mammoth Peak

Mammoth Peak Overlooking a Meadow

Mammoth Peak Overlooking a Meadow

eing late in the summer most of the creeks were dry. That is good and bad. Bad, because I imagine the streams were knock down gorgeous. Good, because I did not encounter one mosquito on the entire hike. Dana Fork was the primary exception to this water drought and provided a beautiful log water fall right next to the trail.

Dana Fork Waterfall

Dana Fork Waterfall

Looking Up the Trail in the Morning Light

Looking Up the Trail in the Morning Light

There are a couple of decaying mining cabins along the trail. A bit of background on these cabins. The Homer Mining Index, one of the few papers in the area at the time, states that Fuller and Hayt (or Hoyt) discovered antimonial silver in Mono Pass and called their claim the Golden Crown. The Mammoth City Herald, another newspaper of the day predicted that within a year, thousands of miners would be working in Mono Pass at the Golden Crown. The mines never panned out and Mono Pass will be remembered as a way for miners to cross the Sierra to get to Dogtown and Monoville, mines on the eastern Sierra near Mono Lake. The cabins are a quite reminder of the mining history of the area.

First Cabin

First Cabin

Cabin II

Cabin II

There is  long section that climbs up.  After that ordeal you are rewarded as the trail weaves in and out of a stunningly beautiful alpine meadow. There are also beautiful views of Mt Lewis and the Kuna Crest.

Looking Forward to Mt Lewis

Looking Forward to Mt Lewis

Looking Back to the Kuna Crest

Looking Back to the Kuna Crest

Just before the pass is a lovely unnamed pond. A short distance farther up the trail, at the summit, is a small lake appropriately named Summit Lake. This is the end of the Mono Pass trail and the beginning of the Bloody Canyon trail. It is also the edge of Yosemite Park. Up to this point the Mono Pass trail was beautiful forest and meadows. In contrast, Bloody Canyon is barren rock. An incredible difference and a testimonial to the impact the Sierra has on the weather and the land around it.

Unnamed Pond

Unnamed Pond

Unnamed Pond

Unnamed Pond

Other Places to Go!

Other Places to Go!

Mono Pass and Summit Lake

Mono Pass and Summit Lake

I continued for a for just over a quarter of a mile down the Bloody Canyon trail toward Upper Sardine Lake to get a scenic look of Mono Lake 4,000 feet below. The view is awesome and one of the reasons I did this hike!

Bloody Canyon with Mono Lake Below

Bloody Canyon with Mono Lake Below

This was a wonderful hike with great views of the Yosemite high country, granite peaks like Mammoth and Mt. Lewis, and Mono Lake. I will definitely do it again and maybe finish at Spillway Lake.

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