  I made this photograph, White Branch, Merced River, almost exactly fifty years ago–the day after Thanksgiving in 1974 during a photography trip to Yosemite with Ray McSavaney–my good friend and workshop partner. Ray and I met when we were both participants at the Ansel Adams Gallery Easter Workshop in 1974. We were randomly assigned as roommates and were surprised to find that we only lived about 10 miles apart in Southern California. We developed a friendship during the workshop and got together frequently after the inspiring experience we shared together in Yosemite Valley. Following my family's Thanksgiving celebration, I drove all night and met Ray in Yosemite shortly after sunrise. The day was bitterly cold; frost covered the grass, and ice had formed on areas of still water and remained throughout the day. As dusk was approaching, we decided to travel down the Merced River Gorge in our separate vehicles. I was leading and if I saw something I liked I would pull off. If Ray saw something he liked, he would flash his headlights at me. While navigating the narrow gorge, I spotted a striking branch covered with heavy white frost in the Merced River. The branch, and its perfect reflection, seemed almost luminescent in the dim light of dusk. I immediately pulled off the road, and as I stepped out, Ray remarked, "I'm glad you stopped—I was just about to flash my lights." We both made photographs within a few feet of one another, but they turned out quite differently. As a photography major, I had learned about making long exposures in the studio and for night architectural photographs. However, I had never attempted an exposure in the landscape longer than a few seconds before I made this image. Working with 4x5 Tri-X film, I used Kodak's reciprocity compensation table, and ended up with a 1-minute exposure with my 4x5" camera with a 210mm lens. After giving the film normal development, I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw the negative in the fixer when turning on the white lights. Despite the successful negative, I didn't print the image immediately. It wasn’t until a couple of years later I rediscovered this image, and found it of great interest. It was as if I was seeing the contact sheet and negative with a 'new' set of eyes. The next day I put it into the enlarger and printed it for the first time. This negative has been retired for traditional silver printing, and will never again be printed in any size as a silver gelatin print. Once the existing small inventory of prints is gone, no further silver gelatin prints will be available for purchase. This silver gelatin, selenium toned, print is approximately 13 x 10-3/8", personally printed by me (as are all my prints), processed to current archival standards, signed, mounted, and matted to 16 x 20" on 100 percent rag museum board. All prints are carefully prepared and packaged in specially designed protective shipping boxes, and shipped fully insured via UPS ground. Normally there is a long waiting period for John's original prints. This is a rare opportunity to obtain a print with a short waiting period. Please note that the Ventana Editions store hosting company is periodically experiencing technical issues. If you have any questions about the print, please feel free to contact Anne at 831-659-3130 or email info@johnsexton.com. Our office hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 1 pm Pacific time.
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