Verna Johnston
Verna Johnston was largely focused on the natural areas around her, so she took many photographs not just of California, but later of Alaska too. Many images also concern animals especially, as she had a particular focus on multiple different species. She was originally from Illinois, but moved to Stockton in 1945 to teach at the San Joaquin Delta Community College as a science instructor. She remained in Stockton until her retirement in 1982, taking photographs in the 1960s and 1970s of Yosemite's many wonders (Verna Johnston Collection).
Johnston took photos of a variety of new subject matters compared to other earlier photographers. Weed and Watkins focused on rocks or water as their main subjects. Johnston included trees in her considerations of Yosemite, capturing the forest during different seasons like those earlier photographers.
Yosemite Falls is still one of the most photographed areas in Yosemite. Their popularity began with Charles Weed and continued even 100 years later with Johnston's focus on them. She was able to follow in his footsteps to show new color images of the falls with greater definition of the rocks around them and the water itself. Like Weed, Johnston also photographed the falls during the winter and other seasons.
El Capitan was photographed by both Johnston and Watkins as it continued to be a popular spot in Yosemite. The juxtaposition of the rocks with the blue sky behind them is especially represented well in Johnston's works since she was able to photograph her images in color. She shows the advancement of photography through her new images of similar subject matters.
Yosemite was a popular spot to photograph in both the winter and the summer. Johnston particularly captured the change in seasons well, focusing on the snow, trees, and water. She did well to include more than just the rocks or lakes, and even took images of animals in some of her Yosemite based photographs as well.