More about Bridal Veil Fall, Yosemite Valley
- All
- Info
- Shop
Contributor
Ansel Adams depicts Bridal Veil Fall when it still had its roar
You may not recognize this as Bridal Veil Fall in Yosemite because it’s really more of a trickle these days, but it once roared with the power of the bridezilla for which it was named. Ok, there wasn’t a particular bridezilla who this waterfall was named after buuut at its height the water does resemble a veil.
The Ahwahneechee tribe believed that if you inhaled the mist you were more likely to get married. Get me some of that mist, am I right? But they also believed that the waterfall was home to a vengeful spirit, Pohono who guarded the valley and if you looked directly at it you’d be hexed. So basically you have to decide if being cursed is worth getting married.
But apparently looking at this waterfall didn’t affect photographer Ansel Adams, because he went on to be one of the most famous photographers ever (along with his good friend Alfred Stieglitz). He even had a mountain in Yosemite National Park named after him after his death. If that isn’t success, than I don’t know what is. It makes sense because Yosemite is where his love of photography developed (pun intended, obviously) and where he got his most iconic shots. He wrote about his first view of Yosemite, “the splendor of Yosemite burst upon us and it was glorious…one wonder after another descended upon us…There was light everywhere…A new era began for me.” I think the wife that the Bridal Veil Fall mist brought Ansel Adams was photography itself. It was his first love and though he was married, his wife was no 8×10 Deardorff or Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta B if you know what I mean.
I have never been one to be moved or interested in black and white pictures. They used to seem “plain” to me. However, this one captures a significant amount of depth. Although black and white, the photograph portrays a powerful image of a waterfall in Yosemite. I think that the pine tree on the right that runs top to bottom of the picture adds depth and a nice frame to the picture. By looking at the trees on top of the waterfall, you are given an idea of just how massive the fall was. Furthermore, the picture delivers a sense of being able to hear and feel the picture. This photograph instantly reminded me of the sound of rushing water, as well as the feeling of a cold breeze created by a strong waterfall. Additionally, the pine trees photographed reminded me of the smell of nature, which brought forth different memories I have of being outside. A quote by Ansel Adams that I feel goes well with this photograph is: “a great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.”