Pompomasos (Leaping Frogs), Three Brothers 1861

Carleton E. Watkins's 1861 photograph "Pompomasos (Leaping Frogs), Three Brothers" showcases the grandeur of Yosemite Valley. This albumen print, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, captures the imposing scale of the Three Brothers granite peaks reflected in the still waters of the Merced River. Watkins's meticulous detail and dramatic composition, typical of his "mammoth plate" photography, convey the awe-inspiring beauty of the American landscape. This photograph is a testament to the photographer's ability to capture the vastness and majesty of nature, influencing the development of landscape photography in the 19th century.