Karina Blanco-Johnson
Stuart Palley " Meadow Fire"
2014, Unknown
This photo is about the 2014 wildfires at Yosemite National Park. What you see is it raining at the end of the wildfire in the meadow around Half Dome ( the rock formation on the left side of the frame.) in the morning. At first I selected this picture because it seemed to show a message telling us that nature works in mysterious ways but it will correct itself or the sun will always come again. Not only that but all the contradictory in the photo is what started to pull me in. The fire being put out by rain while the sun is rising. It seems like a made up story. Technique wise, I liked how the details of the sun rays and rain streaks were able to pull through and how the green trees at the bottom center added a little more color to seem less dull. After researching the story behind the picture it made me truly believe the messages that I first thought when seeing the picture. This fire started because of a lighting strike that hit a tree and spread quickly because of high winds. A helicopter flew tourists off of the top of Half Dome while backpackers on hiking trails in some areas were told to leave the area. After 700 acres burned the fire finally died out.
