on landscape The online magazine for landscape photographers

Sequoias, Fire and Water

Beth Young

Beth Young

My name is Beth Young and I am a Sacramento, California-based landscape photographer, architect, and cancer survivor passionate about capturing uplifting images of nature that endeavour to communicate the therapeutic effects of photography, both for the photographer and the viewer. I specialise in creating nature images of healing, hope, and renewal for healthcare environments with an emphasis on wellness and the human experience; my work is featured in hospitals, clinics, cancer centres, psychiatric facilities and elder care communities throughout the west coast of the United States.

optimalfocusphotography.com



Giant Forest Reaching for the Sky

Containing five of the ten largest trees in the world, Sequoia National Park is notable for its fantastic display of old-growth sequoia forests, and the survival of these massive trees is dependent on water and fire in equal measure. All throughout the forest, the effects of decades of fire is evident by burn scars, as well as juvenile sequoia seedlings establishing themselves in burn areas, a reminder that fire is an integral part of the ecosystem here, and allows for growth of young trees.

Conversely, the sequoia’s survival also depends on the absorption of moisture and nutrients from the dense fog layer that is common in California's varied climate. Walking the trails among the most massive trees on earth in the ethereal mist and the snow was like being in a dream, and reminds me of humankind’s minuteness, yet powerful influence over the fate of these timeless organisms.



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