Interview: Michael Frye – Author of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite

In the continuing series of interviews we’ve been doing with Yosemite notables I was lucky enough to get a chance to talk with Michael Frye, photographer and author of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, a must have for every visiting travelers bag whether you’re a photographer or just want to know what’s happening when.

YB: How did you get started in photography?

Michael: In my late teens and early twenties I became more interested in nature, wildlife, and the outdoors. I wanted to use photography to capture the beauty that I saw and show it to others. I don’t have any formal training in photography. I’m self-taught, but have been lucky to learn from a number of great photographers through workshops or personal acquaintance.

YB: What brought you to Yosemite?

Michael: Originally, rock climbing! I started climbing while living in Connecticut; then when I moved to the Bay Area in 1980 I would come up to Yosemite on weekends to climb. My apartment building manager in Cupertino told me that he used to work in Yosemite, and that if I wanted a job in the park he could arrange for me to meet the right people. In 1983, being “between jobs,” as they say, I took him up on it, and got a job as a host in the Ahwahnee Dining Room. I met Claudia Welsh in the park the next year, and we were married in 1986. Before that we both got jobs at the Ansel Adams Gallery. Working at the Gallery really fueled my growing interest in photography. I left the Gallery after our son was born in 1990 to pursue photography full time, but Claudia still works there – she’s the manager and Vice President of Retail. We lived in Yosemite Valley until 2005 when we moved to Mariposa.

YB: What is your favorite spot/subject to shoot in the park?

Michael: I don’t really have one favorite spot. There are so many great locations, and where I choose to go depends on the season and the weather. Of course I have lots of suggestions for making those choices in The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite. But I think the location is less important than what you see when you get there.

YB: If someone has only one day in Yosemite, what do you think they MUST see?

Michael: One day just isn’t enough. Leave yourself more time! And get out of your car and walk. Yosemite has a reputation for being crowded, but it’s easy to escape the hordes with a short walk away from the roads and most popular trails.

YB: What’s in your camera bag? (What do you like to shoot with in Yosemite?)

Michael: I use a Canon 1Ds Mark II with 17-40 mm and 70-200 mm zooms. And of course a tripod.

YB: What classes do you have coming up?

Michael: I have one scheduled workshop left this year: The Digital Landscape: Mono Lake in Fall, done through The Ansel Adams Gallery. But it’s full. We’ll be releasing next year’s schedule of classes within the next month or two, so you can check the Gallery’s web site (www.anseladams.com) or mine (www.michaelfrye.com) for updates. I also do private workshops through the Gallery, where individuals or small groups can sign up for a one, two, or three day class of personalized instruction. Again there’s more information at www.anseladams.com and www.michaelfrye.com.

YB: What advice would you offer budding photographers?

Michael: First, you may have a great eye, but if your photograph is three stops overexposed, or it’s out of focus, no one will care about your vision. So learn to use your camera in manual mode so that you can master exposure, depth of field, and the craft of photography.

Second, keep your compositions simple. Most people include too much in their images. Ask yourself what caught your eye, then fill your frame with just that, and get rid of everything else.

YB: Anything else?

Michael: Can’t think of anything!

Thanks for the great interview Michael!

Photos courtesy of Michael Frye.