A fisherman casting into Purple Lake in morning light while another hiker watches from the shore trees.

Small Ones Swim

Purple Lake, John Muir Wilderness, California

Robert fishing Purple Lake in the morning, Ronda supervising from the trees. His system was fixed law by then: small fish swim, big fish meet the pan — he carried spices and oil the way I carried a tripod, a hundred grams of conviction. Two miles after this frame, at the Duck Pass junction, our group of four became three. Photographs from ordinary mornings appreciate fast on a trail.

Nikon Z 7_2 · 17-35mm f/2.8D · 24mm · f/5 · 1/320 · ISO 180

July 14, 2025

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