“The images in this book are a window, not just to the glory of Yosemite but to a way of seeing.”

~ From the Foreword by JOHN MUIR LAWS, nationally renowned artist, naturalist, and educator

Yosemite is like nowhere else on Earth.

Whether venturing deep into the region’s wilderness or simply taking a few steps off a park road, Robb Hirsch, a photographer and scientist by training, always brings back a captivating photo—and the story behind it.

From his years of exploring, guiding, and studying the Sierra Nevada, Hirsch knows that understanding the natural processes underlying the magic of a place like Yosemite National Park can thoroughly enhance one’s connection to the landscape. Understanding leads to appreciation, and with greater appreciation of the natural world comes the desire—ever more urgent in light of today’s changing climate—to be better stewards of the land.

In his debut book The Nature of Yosemite: A Visual Journey, Hirsch provides this enriching experience by calling on knowledgeable collaborators—all experts in their fields—to contribute essays that share insights into the wonders on view in his photographs. Contributors include:

John Muir Laws, on wonder, beauty, and nature
Karen Amstutz, on Tuolumne Meadows
Pete Devine, on the remarkable properties of the leaves beneath our feet
Brock Dolman, on the water cycle
Rob Grasso, on the Yosemite toad
James McGrew, on the role of art in Yosemite
Kurt Menning, on fire ecology
Tim Palmer, on rivers
Beth Pratt, on pikas
Adonia Ripple, on the importance of Yosemite
Nathan Stephenson, on giant sequoias
Greg Stock, on geology
Sarah Stock, on bird diversity
Dan Webster, on wildflowers

Soft Cover to dazzle and delight, enlighten and entertain, The Nature of Yosemite not only draws readers into a deeper relationship with their favorite national park, but it also encourages a greater curiosity about the outdoors—wherever the reader may be.