Ink Torrents Graphics National Park Series Notebook - Yosemite In Winter made by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

Yosemite In Winter

Ink Torrents Graphics National Park Series Notebook - Yosemite In Winter made by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

 

One of my favorite winter outings is to spend a few days at Yosemite Valley.  I would rather go to the Eastern Sierra mountains, but the mountain passes are mostly closed during winter months, which makes for a much longer drive than usual.  For a quick winter outdoor fix, the valley is a great place to visit during the weekend.  That year, I noticed there was snow forecast right on my birthday which happened to fall on a weekend as well.   The closed-in valley is awe-inspiring as is; the snow enhances those jagged rock formations all the more, making the whole area breathtakingly beautiful.  So, there I was, spending my birthday playing in the snow with my camera and my sketchbook.

 

 

Ink Torrents Graphics Yosemite In Winter El Capitan Meadow - El Capitan and Black Oaks photo by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

 

As we left after work, we got there late at night.  I usually try to avoid driving during storms as chances of rockfall go up significantly on those mountain roads.  Thankfully, by the time we got there at night, the storm had passed, leaving behind a beautiful blanket of snow glittering in the moonlight.  This pristine powdered snow would last only for a couple of hours in the morning.  I am a night owl, but luring me out at dawn with snow is an easy task.   My husband I were out and about shortly after the sun came up behind the surrounding mountains.

 

El Capitan Meadow is my favorite meadow in the valley.  The black oaks there look so beautiful against the golden rock face of El Capitan.  I always spend a lot of time there.

 

 

Ink Torrents Graphics Yosemite In Winter El Capitan Meadow Black Oaks photo by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

 

Right across, there is another grove of black oaks.   That day they looked gorgeous wearing fresh white snow, side-lit by the sun.

 

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.

 

 

We walked around the rest of the valley floor with not a care in the world.   As the low winter sun melted the snow, the surrounding trees started pelting us with snowballs.  I always find that to be a lot of fun and I giggle every time that happens.  A snowball fight where the trees always win.

 

 

 

Ink Torrents Graphics Yosemite In Winter El Capitan at Cathedral Beach photo by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

 

It was a clear, bright day with occasional low clouds here and there.  El Capitan is a master of capturing those low clouds.

 

 

Ink Torrents Graphics Yosemite In Winter Yosemite Falls and Black Oaks photo by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

 

As day rolled into late afternoon, the usual mist appeared on the meadows.  I love to spend that time split up between taking photos and working in the sketchbook while sipping on something hot as it is usually very cold outside.

 

 

Ink Torrents Graphics National Park Series Notebook - Yosemite In Winter made by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

 

 

This is where I drew this scene sitting in the car.  Instead of going for the more iconic features, I drew what was in front of me with pencil.  I wanted to leave it as-is, but my husband loves inked drawings. So, later on at home, I used an ink pen for all the lines and a white gel pen for the snow. 

 

 

 

Here you can really see the lines that I had to remove to make a clean copy for printing.  I wasn’t sure at the time, but after quite a bit of work I did manage to remove all the page lines from the drawing and make it into a book.

 

 

Ink Torrents Graphics Handmade Notebooks made by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

 

While playing with different book cover ideas, I fell in love with the French Fold.  The cover board wraps over the edge into the inside of the book making it look stylish and elegant.  This also makes the binding more stable.

 

Please Click on the image thumbnails to see the photos.

 

 

Shop Notebooks

 

I hand made all these books in hardcover with French Fold.   As the paper I use in these books are great for writing and drawing, I have been using them for my Japanese studies, as well as travel notebooks and art study sketchbooks. 

Even without ever mentioning it here, the Yosemite In Winter books have been the bestseller in my shop.  That’s the magic of Yosemite, I think.  You can purchase the notebooks from my shop.

 

Ink Torrents Graphics Yosemite In Winter Yosemite Falls and Black Oaks photo by Soma Acharya @ InkTorrents

 

Season and weather change often, and Yosemite changes with them.  During the winter months, a sudden snowstorm decks the trees and the granite faces with powdered snow and  turns the narrow valley into an enchanting place.  Then the sun peeks out behind the cloud, making for such drama as only mother nature can write.  All I need to do is tap into that energy.   This one is also the start of my National Park sketchbook series.  I am looking forward to drawing the unassuming features of these beautiful parks.

Until next time,
-Soma

 
I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.

 

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Yosemite Tree and Mist in Winter Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

Yosemite Birthday Surprise

Yosemite Tree and Mist in Winter Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

Hello Everyone! Welcome to this month’s Wandering Camera.  Winter is full of birthdays at our home.  Mine was in early January.  I like to spend it quietly hiking with my camera, and eating my favourite meal cooked by my husband.  This year he got me a pair of snowshoes, and, serendipitously, there was a huge snow storm just a few days before my birthday.  Naturally, I had to spend it at Yosemite.

 

 

Yosemite Badger Pass Snowshoe Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

I wanted to snowshoe on my birthday.  However, a change of weather in turn changed our plans.  We ended up going to the Badger Pass snowshoe trail the day after.  It was a crisp, cold and sunny day in the snow with a lot of smiling faces.  We seem to be always the last ones to get off the trail.

 

 

 

Yosemite Badger Pass Snowshoe Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

One of these days I will learn to leave the mountain trails before darkness falls.

 

 

 

Yosemite Hoarfrost Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

The next day, we were at the park before sunrise.   The temperature that morning was -11C.

As we were wandering about,  we noticed that all the trees in a meadow had turned white with Hoarfrost.  It forms at very cold temperatures.  We promptly put our snowshoes on, and went off walking in the knee-deep snow to the grove of trees to see them up close.

 

 

Please click on the image thumbnails to see the pictures –

 

 

The low winter sun was shining behind the tree branches,  reflecting lights from a myriad frosty diamonds.  It was breathtakingly beautiful. 

I wish I had brought some soap water and straw, could have tried making ice bubbles.  Something to look forward to next time!

 

 

 

Yosemite Black Oak Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

The last morning there I wanted to spend in a little more time in the snow before heading out.  “A little more” ended up being close to two hours.  As my husband said, it was hard enough to keep me away from snow before.  Now with the snowshoes, I was unstoppable.  One last look and a last photo, then it was time for the drive home.

 


 

 

The Birthday Surprise

 

Yosemite Tree and Mist in Winter Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

The weather forecast for my birthday was cloudy skies, but no rain.   Then, all of a sudden in the afternoon, it started to rain and then snow began to fall.    I was out of the car faster than a lightning bolt, beelining for the trees.

There was a not a single grown-up in the vicinity, only children playing.  I felt very happy to be part of that group.

 

 

 

Yosemite Tree and Mist in Winter Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

When we left the trees,  the storm clouds started to break on the north side.  If we were there, we would have seen the most amazing post-storm pink and red sky.   However, with the time it would have taken us to get there, we would likely have missed the light completely.  So we decided to drive into the clouds instead.

 

 

 

Yosemite Gateway To the Valley View Winter Mist and Storm Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

I could not have been happier.   Blue hour in winter is my most favourite time for photography.  That day, Mother Nature added storm clouds and mist, and this birthday girl was over the moon. 

After setting up the camera, I watched the clouds and the mist flowing and playing in the meadow and the mountains behind until complete darkness surrounded us.   My surprise birthday present from Mother Nature. 

 

 

 

Painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

Once we got back to the hotel, my husband gave me the other set of birthday gifts.  Then he busied himself with cooking while I played with my newly-acquired inks and pens.

 

 

 

Painting with fountain pen ink @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

The Dragon and the little boy

 

This is a painting I started with the fountain pen inks I got for my birthday.  A story for another day.

 

 

 

Yosemite Gateway To the Valley View Winter Mist and Storm Photography @ InkTorrents.com by Soma

 

 

March marks the end of outdoor time for me due to severe pollen allergies that cause chest constriction.  Until October, fresh air is basically off limits except for a very limited time early in the morning when the air is completely still.

Spending a birthday in cold winter rain and snow and walking in -11C temperatures is probably not most people’s cup of tea, but it was a flask-full of tea for me!   You will have to excuse me for being head over heels in love with the subtle and quiet beauty of winter and all that is considered dark and gloomy weather. 

 

I am linking up with the linky parties on my Events And Links page.  Please pay a visit to some of them.

 

 

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