Vernal Falls, 350 feet, Yosemite 1870 - 1874

Carleton E. Watkins’s "Vernal Falls, 350 feet, Yosemite" is a stunning example of his landscape photography. This albumen print, created between 1870 and 1874, captures the dramatic beauty of Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park. Watkins, a pioneer of American landscape photography, utilized a large-format camera to create an image that emphasizes the scale and grandeur of nature. The waterfall, rendered in sharp detail, cascades over the sheer rock face, while the surrounding trees and cliffs are depicted with impressive clarity. This image is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection in New York City.