With the help of 30 videographers, an ambitious filmmaker has created a stunning video that captures the vast magic of Yosemite National Park.
Uploaded on YouTube last week, the video, entitled "One Day in Yosemite," tells the story of the national park on June 26, 2012 from different perspectives and through different lenses.
Created by Steve Bumgardner and a team of 30 videographers using nine different kinds of cameras, the video not only unveils the California park's breathtaking beauty but also offers heartfelt glimpses into the lives of the people who can be seen enjoying the park's wonder.
"It is a 14-minute human kaleidoscope, told through the lens of the human imprimatur," George Shirk of the Mammoth Times writes.
“I don’t know of another place that can make people cry from the front seat of a car,” Bumgardner told the news outlet of the video. “I wanted it to be portraits of people. The human story might be more important than the nature story in a lot of ways.”
Bumgardner, also known as "Yosemite Steve," is a filmmaker and former park ranger who now works at Yosemite and other national parks. "I spend my time roaming the mountains looking for untold stories about the natural and human world," he explains on his blog.
He produces the YouTube series "Yosemite Nature Notes," and many of his clips have enjoyed viral success.
While he admits he's "shocked" by how popular some of his Yosemite videos have become, Bumgardner told the Atlantic in October that he's thrilled that his clips have reached such a wide audience.
"Even though Yosemite sees nearly 4 million visitors a year, there are many more people who just can't get there easily, especially if you live in the middle of Africa or South America or some other distant land," he said. "By using YouTube, iTunes and social media, Yosemite is connecting with millions of people all over the world, 24 hours a day. We only protect what we know and love, so I hope these viewers will become protectors and stewards of Yosemite and all of our National Parks."
As for his most recent video, Bumgardner says he hopes it will touch those far and wide.
“If this doesn’t get 10,000 views by next week, I’d be disappointed,” Bumgardner told the Mammoth Times last week. (As of Tuesday evening, the video had passed the 22,000 mark.)
Videos of Yosemite often go viral, enchanting viewers with the park's natural allure. Last year, for instance, two time-lapse Vimeo videos of the park were very well-received.
According to the park's website, Yosemite is home to more than 400 species of vertebrates and countless insects, as well as waterfalls, glaciers and towering granite mountains. Though said to be "healthy in many ways," experts worry that the park's well being will be affected by poor air quality, climate change and other global environmental changes.
For more information, read about "Do Your Part! for Climate-Friendly Parks," an online program about protecting America's national parks.
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