so long steve

I received news today that Steve Medley died in a car accident this morning near Yosemite National Park. He was president of the Yosemite Association and my client for the work I did in the valley over the summer. During that project I gained immense respect for the dedication Steve had to the park. As president of the Yosemite Association, a non-profit organization, he was able to supplement the programs for visitors beyond those the limited federal budget provided to the National Park Service could afford. Even before I had ever met him, I had been influenced by his work, in the form of a book on practical photography in Yosemite Valley that I had bought many years ago. Perhaps his personality came through most tellingly as we walked to the falls during a demo for the project, along the way he stopped to talk with visitors constantly, sharing his intimate knowledge of the place, not as a tour guide but as a soft-spoken enthusiast of the natural wonder that is Yosemite.

Thanks Steve.