In the Shadow of El Capitan

I shot this image while waiting for the sun’s morning rays to slowly make their way down the face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. In order to secure a good spot at a prime location, photographers must arrive early, set up their tripods and wait, wait, wait. On this particular autumn morning, it was particularly cold. And standing still next to my camera was a recipe for feeling even colder. 

As I hopped from one foot to the other, pulling the zipper of my parka up as far as it would go, I became aware of the beauty all around me. Of course, we become entranced by the majesty of the grandest manifestations of beauty in a place like Yosemite, but the reality is it’s everywhere, even beneath our feet. Even though this image doesn’t communicate “YOSEMITE” and it looks as if it could have been taken in so many humbler locations, for me it’s a reminder to look in unexpected places for sources of wonder. And in this world, there are no small things.