clip & save - Brief Article

Arts & Activities, May, 2001 by Guy Hubbard

Most people are likely to think of winter landscapes as pictures made up of stark contrasts, of dark tree trunks and branches against white snow. For Galen Rowell, however, winter and high-altitude landscapes offer color opportunities that can be as startling as they are unusual. This photograph, for example, provides viewers with some idea of the satisfaction he finds in capturing vibrant colors. Through the eyes of other photographers, the same colors might well be muted, or a photographer might abandon color altogether for black-and-white images. The important message is that, like all artists, photographers develop their own styles.

This photograph exemplifies qualities that appear regularly in Rowell's work and often make them easy to identify. He enjoys natural scenes where his camera and the film he uses bring out rich colors that may not always be obvious even to the photographer, himself. In this search, however, he regularly chooses scenes which, from experience, he knows offer strong possibilities for success.

The low angle of the sunlight on the face of the 3,000-foot-high cliff of El Capitan--a condition known as "alpenglow"--results in the kind of vivid reflection seen here. Alpenglow is most frequently seen where the light of the setting sun strikes a mountain peak long after the valleys are in shade. Rowell makes considerable use of the alpenglow effect in his photographs, particularly those taken while on climbing expeditions in the Himalaya Mountains and Alaska.

On the occasion when this photograph was taken, the flaming orange reflection from the wall of El Capitan was present for only a moment before the sun dropped below the horizon. Knowing this, Rowell had to decide in advance where he should position himself to capture the best shot and be ready when the moment arrived to trip the shutter. He also had to prepare himself for instant changes of plans if new opportunities showed themselves.

During this particular session, he was satisfied with at least two photographs of this scene: this one with a vertical format and another one with a horizontal format (the latter can be found on Rowell's Web site--see "Things to Do"). Students who view both may want to debate which shot makes the better photograph.

Despite the jarring reflection from E1 Capitan, this is a winter scene. The weather is cold, although not cold enough for the river to freeze over. The snow-covered trees fit the popular idea of a winter landscape, while the snow-piled rocks in the shallow river make them look like irregular stepping stones.

They contrast sharply with the darkness of the smooth, flowing water and also give a feeling of depth to the scene as they appear smaller with distance. Not least, the frosty fog that lies over the valley floor adds a cold, wintery veil.

The coldness of the colors is given an unusual strength in this photograph by the presence of the vibrant alpenglow: The cold and warm colors intensify (complement) each other. The orange intensifies the various violet-blues of the rest of the scene that might otherwise have been thought of as white or gray. And, the reflection of El Capitan in the river carries the intense reflected color deep into the area of frigid coldness.

Rowell knew very well that the camera sees differently from the way human beings see. He anticipated the alpenglow effect, but he also knew how the film he was using would catch not only the intensely warm colors, but also enrich the cool colors. He used this knowledge with great effect here to the point that some people might think that the colors were artificially strong.

However, Rowell expects his photographs to be more powerful on film than to the eye. A glance at other photographs by Rowell will soon confirm this: It is part of his artistic style, just as painters and designers work with different color combinations that identify their work. Rowell, himself, regards photographers and musical composers as very much alike--photographers create with extraordinary light waves, while composers create with extraordinary sound waves.

This scene in the Yosemite Valley was chosen in part because of this artist's life-long association with the valley and partly because the Yosemite Valley is one of our national parks and therefore the property of everyone. In all national parks, remarkable sights are plentiful Vast numbers of people visit the parks every year and many remain for days and sometimes weeks at lodges and campsites. Student photographers who are able to stay for a time in a national park have a great opportunity to discover exceptional views and plan just when they might expect to get the best results--just as Galen Rowell did in this photograph.