El Capitan reflected in the Merced River, Yosemite National Park

 While visiting Yosemite National Park to photograph the "firefall effect", we stood on a bridge over the Merced River and noticed El Capitan's reflection in the still water. The sun was setting and the shadow of El Capitan's "nose" was already moving across the eastern wall towards Horsetail Fall. Unfortunately, Horsetail Fall was dry this year, 2022, so the firefall didn't have the drama that we were hoping for, but this image helped make up for it.

The image was actually two images captured with a Samsung 152 smartphone and merged together to create a larger image. ISO 100, f 2.2, 1/100 sec, 13 mm equivalent focal length

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

El Capitan just after sunset, Yosemite National Park, California

El Capitan reflected in the Merced River in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park. This picture was taken just after sunset with calm winds. We spent the afternoon cross-country skiing out of Badger Pass and went through part of the valley on our way out of the park. Right now, everyone has to leave the park by 5PM.

Settings were f1.7, 1/33 sec, ISO 244, 4.74mm, in a Motorola z4 smartphone.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

 

Half Dome from the Merced River After Passing Under Sentinel Bridge

I, Rick, used to have an inflatable kayak. In January 1997, Yosemite experienced record flooding. People were trapped inside the valley due to the floodwater. A few months later, in May, I took my inflatable kayak on the shuttle bus and traveled as far upstream as the bus would take me, Happy Isles. Then I carried my kayak to the shore of the Merced River and inflated it. I shoved off and traveled downstream to view some of the damage caused by the flooding, including picnic tables in the middle of the river. Along the way, I passed under Sentinel Bridge and looked back at Half Dome. A lot of people like to get a picture of Half Dome from the bridge, but here I had the opportunity to include the bridge in the picture. That was the first and so far only time I've paddled on the Merced River. Must do that again soon.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Nevada Falls and rainbow in Yosemite National Park, California

We were on a hike in Yosemite National Park and were between Vernal and Nevada Falls when we saw this view of Nevada Falls from next to the Merced River.

Nevada Falls is 594 feet tall and was gushing with water during our visit after a good snowfall year.  This flow of water kicked up a huge mist in front of the falls and produced this brilliant spectrum.

Vernal and Nevada Falls are both in Little Yosemite Valley, which, like many of Yosemite's features, was carved out by glaciers.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story.

Half Dome reflected in the Merced River in September

This picture of Half Dome was taken in September of 2012 after the summer heat subsides and the weather cools leading into autumn. It was actually taken after the autumnal equinox of September 22nd. This is a very popular spot for taking a picture of Half Dome such that it is reflected in the Merced River. You can park next to Cook Meadow, then walk over to the Sentinel Bridge that crosses the river in order to look eastward at Half Dome. We tend to avoid Yosemite during the summer because of the crowds, but in more recent years we've decided to go ahead and visit during the summer anyway.

Drive over the bridge in the evening and you might find it packed with photographers hoping to get the reddish glow of the setting sun reflected from the face of Half Dome. The best time to get pictures of Half Dome is in the afternoon and evening since the face is in shadow throughout the morning. The face has a slight northeast to southwest angle, so it isn't lighted by the sun until afternoon.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Yosemite Falls and the Lost Arrow, Yosemite National Park

From this view along the Four Mile Trail, you can see almost all of Yosemite Falls, the Lost Arrow (to the right of the falls), the Merced River below, and parts of the trail that leads to the top of the falls. You can see that trail by basically starting at the middle of the left edge of the frame, following the line of trees that leads from the ledge up to the rounded top of granite to the left of the falls on the granite ridge.

ISO 100, f8, 1/180, 37mm focal length, taken during February, 2014.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Cascade Creek Falls, lower end of Yosemite Valley, below the junction with Tamarack Creek

The waters of Cascade Creek and Tamarack Creek, in Yosemite, meet after flowing down the mountainside then falling over the brink at Cascade Creek Falls before ending up in the Merced River. You can drive into Yosemite Valley, from the Merced direction, and park near the base of these falls and hike over to them. This view, however, is from an area above the Tunnel View and involves hiking down a long slope of granite to a drop-off where you can see these falls from above. A little closer to the edge and you can see the road, as well, but we didn't want to include it in this image. Above the falls are 2 bridges that pass over Cascade Creek and Tamarack Creek. This road leads over to Highway 120, which is the most direct drive westward to San Francisco. Or, you can drive eastward on Highway 120 over the Sierra crest at Tioga Pass to Mono Lake.

This image was taken during the spring of 2004 when the water was running high.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Nearly full moon rising next to Half Dome, viewed from North Dome, July 11, 2014

After hiking about 4 and a half miles from Porcupine Flat to North Dome, I waited for the sun to set and the moon to rise. July 11th was the day before the full moon, so the scenery would still be lit by the sun, or at least still be bright, as the moon was rising. I had to reposition myself around North Dome until I saw the moon lined up the way I wanted it. I hoped to see the moon between Half Dome and the smaller high point to its left, called Sub Dome. Fortunately, that worked out. Then I hiked back out from 9PM to 11PM.

Getting the exposure on the moon and the landscape in the same image is very difficult. The moon at this phase is very bright, so a setting that properly exposes the landscape results in a washed-out moon. Properly exposing the moon results in a dark landscape with no detail. To solve this problem, you can take two images, one exposed for the landscape and the other exposed for the moon, then combine the moon from the one image into the washed-out moon in the other.

While atop North Dome, I decided to take a selfie with my smart phone as proof that I was there.

Richard Robinson standing on the highest point of North Dome with Half Dome over his shoulder.

The picture shown below is the bench mark for the highest point of North Dome, at 7531 feet elevation. On topographic maps, you'll see these labeled as BM and a plus sign or crosshair on the map, so that when you see this marker on the land and find that mark on the map, you know exactly where you are.

Remember it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Yosemite's "Gateway" from the west to east from Tunnel View area

Yosemite Valley's "Gateway" is the Cathedral Rocks to the south and El Capitan to the north. This view was taken from the Tunnel View looking eastward from above the valley floor. Below the Cathedral Rocks is Bridalveil Falls. Beyond them is Sentinel Dome, in this photo it is covered in snow and showing above the lowest of the Cathedral Rocks. Beyond Sentinel Dome, is Half Dome, Yosemite's most famous land mark. Then, beyond Half Dome, in the center of the photo, is Clouds Rest. It's covered in snow and has a long north-facing slope. Clouds Rest is actually 1000 feet higher in elevation than Half Dome.

We drove to Yosemite from Fresno, California and parked at the popular Tunnel View turnout. However, Rick knows some locations around there that the typical tourist doesn't go to, allowing for a view that's not so common. This image is the combination of 4 images combined in the computer to get much more resolution, as well. The day was sunny despite being in February.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Yosemite Valley's upper end from Glacier Point, with Tenaya Canyon and the Merced River

This panoramic image is made up of 6 combined images. The view is from Glacier Point looking basically eastward into Tenaya Canyon, but also including scenes to the north and south. On the left side of the image is North Dome and Basket Dome. Below those features is a feature called the Royal Arches. Tenaya Creek flows through Tenaya Canyon, in some places you can tell where that stream is located. In the lower part of the image, you can see the Merced River flowing through Yosemite Valley. To the right of Tenaya Canyon is Half Dome and Clouds Rest. The canyon to the right, or south, of Half Dome is Little Yosemite Valley, within which you can see Nevada Falls, the upper one, and Vernal Falls, the lower one. We've been to Glacier Point in all seasons, including skiing out to it during the winter, but these images were captured in September of 2011. This image is best printed at a 2 to 1 ratio, such as 8x16 or 10x20, and so on.

Remember, it's not just a photo, it's a story!

Vernal Falls and rainbow

A view of an imposing granite wall that the Merced River tumbles over to form Vernal Falls.  A rainbow crosses in front of the waterfall, nearly every afternoon since this wall faces west.  This view is from the Mist Trail, a popular hike for visitors to Yosemite Valley.  Hikers on this trail often wear ponchos or other rain gear to keep from getting thoroughly soaked by the mist, especially in the spring and early summer.  It always amazes us how trees can seem to cling and grow in seemingly hostile places. Just down from the brink, you can see a conifer growing on a ledge, just above the upper end of the rainbow.

The trail eventually reaches the top of the falls via stone steps with railings. The railing extends from the trail to the brink of the falls and slightly upstream along the Merced River.  It's important to keep behind the railing.  Some people who have chosen not to have been swept over the edge to their death.  Although we refer to Yosemite as a park, it is still a wild place with inherent dangers that need to be respected.

Remember, it's not just a photo, it's a story!

Half Dome reflected in the Merced River from Sentinel Bridge.

Rick has been to this bridge many times to look at Half Dome and see if it reflects in the Mered River. In the late summer and autumn, when the river's flow is low is usually the best time. Many people visit Yosemite in the spring and early summer when the waterfalls have much more water, but that can also make for a lot more ripples in the river's surface. This image was taken at the end of September, 2012, around 5 PM. The face of Half Dome is usually in shadow in the morning, so waiting until the afternoon to photograph will ensure that it is well-lit. Using the trees to frame both Half Dome and its reflection worked out well in this shot. Sometimes landscape features don't reflect in water the way you might expect. In this photo, due to the trees and the angle, there's actually less of Half Dome showing in the reflection than in the straight view, but it's still plenty for the viewer to know what it is.

This view is from Sentinel Bridge, which is near the cliff that leads up to Sentinel Point, which leads further along the high ground to Sentinel Dome. Though less famous than Half Dome, those other features can be photogenic, too. The view from the top of Sentinel Dome might be the best place to see all of Yosemite Falls.

Remember, it's not just a photo, it's a story.