Wow. Not only am I recommending this site to my readers, I’m actually adding it to my sidebar. The Photoargus has some of the best straight-forward tips on photography EVAR. Add it to your RSS/ATOM newsreader, ASAP.

I’ve been following Scott Bourne’s “Padpundit” since the first post and it’s hard to stay neutral in the face of Scott’s exuberance over this device. Be sure to read all three posts on how the iPad will change photography. Now Jim Goldstein has weighed in and offered his opinion on why the iPad doesn’t matter, and yet it does.

I’ll admit it; I’m a reluctant and resisting Apple fan-grrl. I’m a GUI-grrl, too, because I’m mildly CLU-less. The iPad, however slick, shiny and sex-ay, is a high-tech toy. I know, however, that the first time I have one of these things in my hands, my loins are going to ache. I’m going to *WANT* one. But…did anyone note the very audible wolf-whistle from the audience when Steve Jobs picked up the iPad in the keynote video? I did. I noted that it was just a tad bit early, ringing out just as Steve was turning the iPad on, and before he turned it to face the audience. I’m sure there’s a metaphor in there somewhere. The fan-chidrins are slavering like Pavlov’s dogs over something they haven’t even had in their hands yet.

Conversely, the haters and naysayers all weighing in on how it’s a glorified netbook, or an oversized iPod Touch without the camera, how it will change nothing, or it doesn’t matter. And all before they, too, have had one in their hands. Yes, Jim, I’m looking at *you*. And yes, Scott, I’m looking at you, *too*.

I think Scott has some good points–and the most notable is that the iPad is going to be a remarkable way to present your portfolio. That’s going to be my excuse for plunking down $500+ for one, if I ever get enough money. It won’t be for the eBooks–DRM laden files that will cost as much as a hardback isn’t my idea of how to spend my money; I want to be able to hand a book to a friend, and not worry about the copyright nazis coming to hunt me down. Nor will it be for games; I’d much rather be taking photographs than slaloming down a virtual slope, or driving a pretend car on the Laguna Seca raceway. Videos and email? Yeah, that might be good. What about AIM, or Twitter? Sure there’s a keyboard the good ol’ Steve says is “a joy to use”–I dunno, I’ll have to wait to try it to see. Web-surfing? Mmmm, I dunno; Call me a sucker for the pretty Flash content out there. I don’t want to see blue toy building blocks (don’t sue me, Legos!) when I go to a friend’s Flash-powered photo gallery. I do, however, like the idea of my finger being the point-and-click tool.

Let’s get back to Scott’s comment that the iPad will change photography. That’s a pretty broad statement–but before I go saying that it’s unwarranted, I’d like to know just what Scott means by “photography”. I suppose it could be argued that photography, like any art form, needs an audience. Displaying your art, having it seen, is what being a photographer is all about. Or not. Emily Dickenson was a poet for most of her life, and it wasn’t until after her death that her poems really were exposed to the world at large. I’ve met lots of photographers who will probably die with their work unappreciated by anyone outside of their small circle of friends and family. And that’s a shame. This device could indeed change that.

I would dearly love to walk into the Ansel Adams Gallery with one of these, and hand it to Glen as my portfolio. (Glen, don’t worry, I wouldn’t do that to you. Unless you asked me to.) What are the pros and cons of using an iPad as your portfolio? Well, let’s face it; It’s a slick, shiny, *sex-ay* bit of technology. It *screams* hip, savvy, elegant, technically competent. On the other hand, what if the person is more interested in the iPad than they are your pictures? Will this make me look like a wannabe-photographer with too much money to throw away on pretty, sex-ay, slick tech devices? If you’ve ever experienced a moment of doubt about your artistic ability, you’ll *know* in your gut what I’m talking about. The Eye of Argon printed on linen fiber paper, bound in fine Corinthian leather with 24 kt gold leaf embossing is still The Eye of Argon.

Gah. *shudder*. On the other hand, spending a lot of money to have your photos printed and bound into a professional portfolio is cost prohibitive, and once done, you have to pay *again* to put in your newer and better work. Let’s hope your prospective clients are able to focus on the content rather than the device.

Will the iPad change photography? I don’t think so. Good photographs are good photographs, and bad ones are still bad ones. Light is still light, darkness is still darkness. Will it change accessibility to photography? You *betcha*! Photography has undergone technical advancement; I’m a photographer because of those advancements. If it weren’t for digital cameras, I would never have pursued my talent, put my “good eye” to use. I could never afford the film, the processing. Nor do I have the option of using a dark room. The internet, too has made photography more accessible. I can read tutorials, get and give critiques, learn about the history of photography and the innovations of photographers before me. But through it all, photography remains an art form. It’s people who change photography by presenting new visions. We are the artists, we are the force that changes photography over time. Technology is a tool–it is not the art.

Now, that said, I think Jim and Scott share a damn good point; The iPad, at this point, is an entertainment device, more about consuming content than creating it. What’s really going to make this thing fly or fail is what sort of applications will be available for it. I’d like to be able to write my NaNoWriMo novel on it, use it to IM with friends around the world, compose and read twitter, update my Facebook and post to my web log. I’m sure if I can’t right now, I will be able to in time. Then it won’t merely be a mobile touch screen digital picture frame any more. I may wait until there’s a version of The Photographer’s Ephemeris available for it before I buy one. That would totally rock–especially if TPE takes advantage of GPS in a 3G enabled model.

The iPad isn’t a camera. It doesn’t even have an SD or CF slot. But wouldn’t it be cool if you could wirelessly transfer your photos right from the camera to this thing in the field to view them? Imagine sitting in your tent in the back country, reviewing your images of the day, sipping hot tea as a gentle spring rain rattles the canvas over your head. Bliss. Then opening your bookshelf and reading Jim’s eBook on photographing wildflowers, or Adam’s “The Zone System”. Then use the 3G network to send an email with your gps coordinates to your significant other back home, and a note about the bears you saw in the meadow sharing a meal of cow parsnips. Then consult TPE for locations, sunrise and sunset, moonrise and set. A quick entry in your private journal, or your blog, and then it’s time for bed. Sleeping bag. Whatever. Happy photo-hunting in the morning!

In closing, when I buy one of these babies, because let’s face it, I *LOVE* slick, shiny, sex-ay technology, I’m also going to buy one of these to keep it in:

The iMaxi. Just, you know, because humor is an art form, too.

This has been a test of the fixed-width feature of this wordpress theme.

Half Dome above the fallow apple orchard at Curry Village. In the summer, this historic and neglected orchard is filled with cars.

Fresh snow and patches of a lingering storm add wonderful depth to this long view of Yosemite Falls from the Curry Village Parking lot.

Went out to Cooks Meadow to listen to the frogs, and decided to try a little night photography. I’d forgotten to bring my cable shutter release, and so had to resort to high ISO and holding down the shutter button by hand. Lots of grain, as you can see, but also a lot of stars–even though clouds moved over the falls at one point!

Bears are beginning to wake up here in Yosemite. This shot is of a sow at Crane Flat a few years back. I suspect she was killed last year by a car. Please slow down.

It was surprisingly warm under the full moon last night. A thin layer of clouds prevented any chance of a moonbow on Lower Yosemite Falls, but wasn’t enough to prevent some lovely light around the valley!

National Park Service will be holding a public scoping meeting on March 31st, 2010 to collect input regarding the closed structures within the rockfall zone at Curry Village.

In early October of 2008 two rockfalls within 24 hours above the old Ledge Trail and below Glacier Point released several metric tons of rock resulting in the destruction of or damage to several cabins without baths (aka WOBs) in Curry Village. There were three minor injuries. As a result, an entire section of tent cabins, bath cabins and cabin WOBs were shut down by NPS. A temporary fence was put in place, units were emptied of furniture and some usable fixtures were taken out, such as heaters. It’s been almost a year and a half since the closure as I write this.

I was present in the valley when both rockfalls occurred, and have worked in Curry Village as a rooms inspector since January of 2009. I’ve had several opportunities to view the damage first hand in the closed area, and have marked the gradual decay of the structures. I’ve also had to educate climbers and boulderers that they can no longer access climbing areas behind the bath cabins, that it is now closed, and that NPS does levy fines for people in the closed area.

I’ve seen evidence of squatters using the cabins on occasion, and I can say for a fact that they are infested with mice.

The bath cabins were build of some local materials, and not well constructed. They were meant to be a quick means of generating income for the Curry Family, in addition to the tent cabins. While quaint and historic, they were not built to last, and signs of decay can be seen in the cabins still in use away from the rockfall zone. Pine logs were used in a rustic post and beam manner, with the original bark left on. Foundation walls were built using local river rocks, held together with mortar. They are built on a variety of slopes, and some foundations are beginning to crumble, leaving gaping holes into the crawl space beneath the floors.

For the last year they have been without electricity in many cases, and heavy snows have done damage to the roofs directly and by falling trees too laden with snow to stand upright. Mildew and mold have taken over, and in some cases is so odorous that it is unpleasant at best to enter them.

The cabins without baths are newer, and some may be salvageable. But time is working against us, because they too are vulnerable to the elements, to animal infestation, and to squatters.

A large number of tent cabins in the rockfall zone have been removed. An entire section of employee housing has been removed, as well, leaving only the showerhouse/kitchen standing. Several restrooms have been closed, too, including the newly constructed Nob Hill Shower House. Finally, several historic homes of the Curry and Tressider families are now empty. Mother Curry’s Bungalow is still in use as management housing.

I’ve put together a slide show of images I took today of the closed section. Please note that I do not have authorization to enter the rockfall zone outside of working hours, and so I have no pictures of the worst of the damage. All images were taken from the open parts of Curry Village.

I’ve seen the worst damage; one set of WOBs was utterly smashed by a huge boulder. I was able to enter the building (before safety measures for employees was put in place in early January of 2009) and to see the damage first hand. I will never forget picking up a child’s backpack, wet and moldy, and seeing a Yosemite Institute journal in it.

In closing, I think that architectural experts should survey the buildings to determine which ones can be moved, and which should be demolished. Then NPS should make all haste to move the salvageable structures to Wawona.

Horsetail was wonderful tonight, and even a bit of fogging on my polarizer didn’t really hurt the shot.