Russ,

I hope I can take photos half as nice as the ones you posted online.

I am going out to the Sierra Nevada mountains to attend a photography
workshop of Bodie/ Mono Lake /and the Eastern Sierra.
http://www.pbase.com/davewyman/sierr...east_side_2006

After the seminar I am traveling west with the instructors towards
Yosemite. While their Yosemite was booked, they planned on taking photos
on the way to Yosemite, and they told me I could tag along. So hopefully
after a week, I can take a decent photo or two.

Can you post your link of your SW photobook?

I took a 4,000 mile 16-day photography-based road trip through California
and Southern Oregon this June that includes the areas you mention. Part of
the trip included the run up highway 395 from Southern California to Lake
Tahoe. I'd be interested in learning more about your driving route, and I
could definitely offer some pointers. Some highlights in the area:

1. Just to the east of Bishop, CA are the ancient Bristlecone pines in the
White Mountains. Although it means hiking at elevations from 10,000-11,000
feet, these trees are certainly worth the effort. Google Bristlecone pines
and read about these fascinating ancient sentinels.

2. While in Bishop, be sure and stop at the Mountain Light Gallery. This
is the gallery established by Galen and Barbara Rowell, and it is right on
hwy 395 in the middle of town. It is a wonderful facility with many of
Galen's outstanding photos as well as work by other terrific guest
photographers. Lots of very high quality large prints on display (and all
for sale). http://www.mountainlight.com/

3. Mono Lake, although useless for just about any other purpose is a
must-do photography stop. I shot two sunsets and one sunrise there. One of
the more famous Mono Lake photos was included in the artwork for Pink
Floyd's Wish You Were Here album. Hipgnosis added a body diving into the
lake with the tufa columns in the background, resulting in yet another
classic with the Hipgnosis touch.

If the Yosemite trip is anytime soon, it will be an entire bust as a
photography shoot due to the wildfires in the area. On my way home in June,
I was driving down highway 99 in the San Joaquin Valley and had some extra
time on my hands. I didn't include Yosemite in my itinerary for this trip,
because the crowds this time of year are unbearable. But I figured I would
jog over for a quick drive-through. At this time, most the California
wildfires were hundreds of miles to the north in the Trinity National Forest
west of Redding. I had just come through them the day before. In fact,
they had just re-opened hwy 36 from Fortuna to Red Bluff the day I was
scheduled to drive it. But the haze had covered the entire San Joaquin
Valley, and had drifted into the Yosemite Valley. Visibility was just
awful. Standing at Glacier Point, you could barely see Half-Dome. I can
only imagine how bad it must be now, since there is currently a major fire
just outside the park near the hwy 140 entrance. The big question for you
is whether the smoke has drifted over the Sierras and polluted the Eastern
Slopes and Owens Valley (where Bishop and Mono Lake are). I would be making
some phone calls to the area to find out. I'd start with a phone call to
the Inyo National Forest ranger station in Bishop. If your trip is soon,
and if the smoke has crossed over the Sierras, it might be best to abort.

Let me know more about you itinerary, and I'll zip up some photos from my
recent trip that coincide with your plans and get them posted. I shot just
over 1,800 exposures on this trip, many of which were bracketed exposures,
and have them all culled and edited to around 350 photos. I intend to do
another eBook later this year, after hopefully another outing or two. Once
I learn more about your trip and collect the appropriate photos and post
them, I'll also re-post last year's eBook and send you links. I'll need
your email address. Do you still have mine?