A while back, we discussed the importance of the Yosemite Valley as a Mecca for American photographers.  Specifically, I focused on the journey of an intrepid reader of this blog. Now for those of us who are more “arm chair” than real travelers.  Google Earth has sent one of its 360 degree camera up Yosemite’s El Capitan, so that all of us can enjoy the climb without having to suffer the vertigo and high altitude. I guess that I should admit that Google’s imagery is so vivid that I do, in fact, get a bit queasy.

What can it all mean, these cyber journeys? Do they connect us in new ways? Is the planet smaller? Are we better for it?  I guess that as a lover of things robotic, of what we have called robotic eyes, I answer in the affirmative. We are better for the experience. And I hasten to add that it is one thing to see a climbers view of Yosemite, but when we begin to experience in real time robotic images from say a moon of Jupiter it will be something awesome.

Photography continues to stretch us to give us new vision and new ways of interpreting old sites.  It seems totally remarkable that one hundred and seventy-seven years after its invention photography retains that magical sense. And it accomplishes this by forever pushing the envelope of human experience.