Lightdances

Lightdances opens to haunting sounds of cello and piano over shots of shimmering golden light on the Merced river. We transition to a series of scenes of misty sunlight creating shafts of light through fall trees and clouds over Yosemite Valley. These scenes are followed by a series of shots of fall trees, the Merced River, and Cook Meadow, featuring close-ups of fall texture. The first segment ends with mist and oaks in Liedig Meadow with Half Dome in the background.

The second segment begins with shots of Yosemite Falls and cow parsnip blossoms in Cook Meadow. As the music changes to up tempo, we dissolve to closer shots of Yosemite Falls billowing with clouds of water. We then transition to a series of shots of Hidden Falls in Tenaya Canyon. As the music softens, the camera explores water texture and the cascades below Royal Arches. After a transition shot of El Capitan reflected in a grassy pond, we see misty shots of Ribbon Fall from the base and Bridelveil Fall with swirling mist.
Segment three features a cello solo. As the camera tilts up on a thistle in silhouette, we transition to a frosty winter shot of thistle in El Capitan Meadow. The segment continues with a series of Winter scenes in Yosemite Valley including a spectacular shot of ice falling in Horsetail Fall Following is a foggy shot of Sentinel Rock from Cook Meadow. After scenes of partially frozen Royal Arches Falls, the segment ends with a misty sunset shot of Horsetail Fall, followed by a foggy shot of Yosemite Falls.

The fourth segment begins with a cut to lilac bushes with Cascade Fall in the background. The music is up tempo with guitar, flute, cello and drums. After shots of Cascade Fall, we dissolve to showy milkweed in Cook Meadow, followed by a series of wildflower shots in the High Country. Some of the flowers featured are lupine, ranger buttons, paintbrush, tiger lily, goldenrod and yarrow.

Solo piano begins the fifth segment. The opening scenes are at Emeric Lake in the Yosemite back country, shot at sunrise. After a series of frosty grass and web shots, we dissolve to sun sparkle on Booth Lake and Emeric Lake. The sparkle shots transition to red light reflected in Emeric Lake and sunset shots of the lake and Volglesang Peak.

Segment six begins with piano and cello and a shot of predawn beauty in the Yosemite High Country and the Sierra Range from Glacier Point. The scene transitions to Half Dome at sunset, shot from Sentinel Dome. Then, from pink storm clouds to a moody shot from Wawona tunnel, we reveal Yosemite Valley in winter, with a series of shots of falling snow. After a view of the winter sun through trees, we see snowy Three Brothers in fog.
The sequence ends with various scenes of Yosemite and Bridelveil Falls, shot through snow-covered branches, then a brilliant sunset on Half Dome from Cook Meadow.

In the seventh and final segment, the music again fast tempo, the scene begins with sunrise shots at Benson Lake and fish jumping in Tuolumne Meadows. The scene changes to flooded Liedig Meadow in Yosemite Valley, then cuts to a shot revealing misty back-lit Vernal Fall and the Merced River, followed by the exploding water of Waterwheel and Yosemite Falls. The camera then “discovers” Artist James McGrew reflected in a pond in Cook Meadow. After a shot of Cathedral Rocks and cow parsnip, we cut to Tuolumne Fall and dissolve to a windy Horsetail Fall as it blows across El Capitan. The segment closes with Fall scenes and the closing titles over shots of Cook Meadow.

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