Ice on the Falls

This image was made during a cold December day with steady wind moving through Yosemite Valley. What stood out was the contrast between movement and structure. The water continued to fall from Yosemite Falls with force, but ice was beginning to take hold along the rock face—changing the character of the falls moment by moment. The vertical composition was intentional. I wanted to emphasize the full descent and the sense of scale, rather than isolate a detail. Conditions like this are unpredictable. Within a short time, the scene can change completely. This photograph captures that brief period where the falls begin to transform.