YOSEMITE — The Yosemite Conservancy has a beautiful idea for gift-giving this holiday season — a new coffee table book entitled A Sense of Yosemite.
“The remarkable photographs in this book, and the peace and beauty they provide, are a reminder of how extraordinarily lucky we are to have our national parks,” says Sharon Donovan, publicist for Yosemite Conservancy.
“Visitors to Yosemite National Park have been increasing year after year. Clearly, people yearn for the splendor it offers and the opportunity it provides to reconnect with nature, family, friends, our past, and our future.”
Photographer Nancy Robbins landed in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains more than a decade ago. Living near the park allows her to photograph seasons and scenes that we may never see as visitors. Her captions speak to her artistic technique in capturing and framing her subjects—details often overlooked in this fast-paced society.
Organic farmer David Mas Masumoto comes from a different vantage point. As a successful peach farmer in California’s Central Valley, he grew up in the shadow of Yosemite and has spent a lot of time there over the years. His essays offer a journey through the senses—the nature we see, feel, smell, taste, and hear. A sense of Yosemite.
This special book unites the talents of Nancy and Mas, drawing readers deep into the park’s renowned and hidden wonders, revealing well-known icons and hidden gems, sweeping vistas and fleeting moments, thought-provoking essays, and joyful photographs.
Readers will see Yosemite through the twinkling eyes of an intrepid photographer and the personal reflections of a writer who offers insights rooted in a lifetime of living and working on the land. Much more than a collection of photographs, A Sense of Yosemite presents two masters of craft as they celebrate all they love about Yosemite.
About Nancy Robbins
Nancy Robbins calls the mountains home. While growing up in San Diego, California, she knew someday she would move to the high country. Nancy graduated with a degree in industrial arts with an emphasis in photography from San Diego State University. As a freelance photographer, she focused broadly on portraits, commercial and lifestyle images, weddings, and sporting events; one of her rugby shots was presented to Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2004, she moved to Wawona, California, a private enclave inside the boundary of Yosemite National Park. Nancy mentors young photographers; teaches photography for Yosemite Conservancy, groups, and private students; photographs an occasional wedding; and is the official portrait photographer at the Bracebridge Dinner at Yosemite each year.
Today she is best known for photographs of people in the park, which she calls “peoplescapes,” and for her lush landscape images. Her Yosemite photographs have been published in books, calendars, and magazines, and her work can be found in galleries, gift shops, and visitor centers.
About David Mas Masumoto
David Mas Masumoto is an organic peach and grape farmer and the author of nine books, including the acclaimed Epitaph for a Peach, Wisdom of the Last Farmer, and The Perfect Peach. His latest book, Changing Season: A Father, A Daughter, A Family Farm is a companion collection of essays by Mas and his daughter, Nikiko, and also explores the dynamic of another generation on the land.
Mas is currently a columnist for the Fresno Bee and the Sacramento Bee, and serves on the National Council on the Arts, the board for the National Endowment for the Arts, and board for the Public Policy Institute of California. He lives with his family on eighty acres, just south of Fresno, California.
“The invitation remains open: a visit to feel the power of Yosemite to touch people and make a lasting difference in their lives for generations.” — David Mas Masumoto, from the book.
About Yosemite Conservancy
Through the generosity of donors, Yosemite Conservancy provides grants and support to Yosemite National Park to help preserve and protect Yosemite today and for future generations. Work funded by the Conservancy is visible throughout the park, in trail rehabilitation, wildlife protection, and habitat restoration. The Conservancy is also dedicated to enhancing the visitor experience and providing a
deeper connection to the park through outdoor programs, volunteering, art center, theater, wilderness services, and its publishing and bookstores. Thanks to dedicated supporters, the Conservancy has provided more than $100 million in grants to Yosemite National Park.
A Sense of Yosemite
Publisher: Yosemite Conservancy | yosemiteconservancy.org
Publication Date: October 11, 2016
Photography/Nature | 144 pages | ISBN 978-1930238718 | $35.00 hardcover
