I stepped out of my tent into the quiet darkness of Yosemite Valley. The beam of my headlamp guided me to the nearby trailhead. As I started my hike, light snow began to fall. Three and a half miles later, I found myself standing in several inches of snow at the top of Yosemite Falls, 3,254 feet above my camp. As snowflakes swirled around me, I looked out over the scenery that inspired the renowned landscape architect, Lawrence Halprin. I was reminded of his quote:

“When you get up on the high country and you see a piece of landscape falling down, for example, then you start to learn what nature is really about.”

View from the trail as I approached the summit of Yosemite Falls.

As I made my decent towards Yosemite Valley, I caught glimpses of Yosemite Falls Corridor far below.

For the first time, I truly understood what he meant. Standing there, I felt the landscape in a new way. It was not just scenery – it was motion, story, and music. Halprin’s design of the Yosemite Falls Corridor captures that feeling with remarkable sensitivity. He didn’t merely decorate the landscape; he orchestrated an experience, that subtlety guides visitors to the base of Yosemite Falls. My project, Natural Energies, seeks to document that experience through film – not simply as a record of place, but as a channel through which viewers can feel the impact of Halprin’s design.

The project began long before I set foot in Yosemite, with research. A central part of that research was studying Lawrence Halprin’s sketches. These drawings were not just design tools, they were expressive visual narratives that revealed his thought process and sensitivity to place. Through them, I began to understand what makes his Yosemite Falls Corridor so impactful. One sketch captured the trailhead, marking the moment visitors first glimpse of Yosemite Falls through the trees. Another, labeled “pounding stone,” illustrated how Halprin integrated existing boulders into the design – using the natural terrain to shape the path rather than impose upon it. These moments were not incidental, rather they were carefully designed to seem as though they had always been there. To tell the story of Halprin’s design, I had to capture these subtle details in my own design.

Halprin’s sketch of Yosemite Falls Corridor, highlighting the view of the falls from the Pounding Stone. Source: *The Cultural Landscape Foundation*

However, documenting the design alone would leave the film incomplete. What gives the Yosemite Falls Corridor its profound impact isn’t just the design, it’s how the design lives within Yosemite. Capturing the spirit of the place – the water, the trees, the light, the rhythm of people moving through the space – was equally as important as documenting the design elements themselves.

Once my research was complete, I traveled to Yosemite and pitched my tent at Camp 4, just a short hike from the Yosemite Falls Corridor. With a sense of anticipation, I set out to experience Halprin’s design firsthand. I left my camera behind. Instead, I focused on immersing myself in the landscape, observing through notes and sketches without the filter of a lens. After a few hours of quiet observation, I returned to camp feeling attuned to the landscape.

The next morning, I began the filming process. I started by revisiting the main trails and the key locations I had identified during my research. Over the course of several days, I returned to the trailhead, the “pounding stone,” and the base of the falls, capturing each at different times of day.

A map of my route through Yosemite Falls Corridor and several key shots that were inspired by Halprin’s sketches.

Once I felt I had documented the essential elements of Halprin’s design, I allowed myself to stray from my original route, focusing on the transitional spaces between the natural and the designed. This intuitive, unscripted approach led to some of the most meaningful footage in the film. A young girl, for example, running freely down the trail toward the falls, or a puddle in a dry creek bed, mirroring the towering cascade above. These quiet, unplanned encounters begin to portray the spirit of Yosemite as Halprin saw it.

A map of my exploration in the landscape around the Corridor and several moment shots that were inspired by Halprin’s sketches.

I left Yosemite with a story to tell.

Natural Energies unfolds in three chapters: The Essence of Design, The Heart of Yosemite, and A Symphony Trail.

The Essence of Design opens the film at the top of Yosemite Falls, highlighting the sheer scale of the natural environment that shaped Halprin’s vision and giving context for the design itself.

The Heart of Yosemite focuses on Yosemite Falls itself – the natural centerpiece of Halprin’s design. The sound of falling water takes over the soundtrack, building from the delicate drip of snow melting off tree leaves to the thunderous crash of water pounding against boulders at the base of the falls.

Finally, A Symphony Trail follows the visitor’s journey through Halprin’s design, capturing the harmony between design and environment.

The final film is a layered visual essay that documents the Yosemite Falls Corridor through both an analytical and emotional lens. Drawing inspiration from Halprin’s sketches and design philosophy, it strives to convey the essence of Yosemite – not just as a place, but as an experience.