The Grizzly Giant, Mariposa Grove, Yosemite 1861

Carleton E. Watkins's 1861 photograph "The Grizzly Giant, Mariposa Grove, Yosemite" captures the grandeur of the Yosemite's giant sequoia trees. Watkins was a pioneer of landscape photography and his large-format albumen prints, like this one, helped bring the awe-inspiring natural wonders of the American West to a national audience. The image shows the massive trunk and branches of the Grizzly Giant, dwarfed by the towering trees that surround it. This iconic photograph is a testament to the beauty and scale of nature, and it remains a powerful example of the power of photography to document and inspire.