Are you camping this time of year, or sleeping in a bed. I find it much easier to get up early if I'm tenting.... but a nice warm bed... that would be tough to get out of in the chill.
-Rob Skeoch
Are you camping this time of year, or sleeping in a bed. I find it much easier to get up early if I'm tenting.... but a nice warm bed... that would be tough to get out of in the chill.
-Rob Skeoch
Mist over the (now quite shallow) Merced River, with mule deer
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
If it's wildlife at sunrise he's looking for there are BASE jumpers screaming down the face of The Capitan at dawn. (I believe they launch at this time because 1) they need the light and 2) Mr. Ranger is still sleeping.
The view of El Capitan from halfway up the 4 Mile trail is great - the early light was quite nice in that direction on a trip up the Sentinel years back, but I don't recall the time of year. I believe that El Cap remains in view well passed the Sentinel's base but eventually the view is lost to the woods - the high the better for morning light.
If you head out of the valley just at the crack of dawn you can view a small opening on the left side about a mile or two from the center of suburbia exposing the Merced river and a sheer wall of granite. The morning light will illuminate the entire wall orange red and the river will have streaks of light running through it. When the river is low there is an untouched sand bar there with the occasional log. It's stunning. The only problem is that the rangers don't want you to go to the edge because thousands have and the vegetation gets chewed.Originally Posted by QT Luong
I imagine that there might occasionally be some very nice misty scenes up toward glacier point in the morning; perhaps a bit cliche but who knows, you might find something special. If I'd managed to get there really early, I think I might have tried some pre-sunrise long exposures, e.g. two hours before sunrise or so.
Also I saw some directional shafts of light in the forested areas around Yosemite in the midmorning that were quite unique, I really fell in love with the lichen tucked away in the bark of the trees and around the rocky crevices. If/when I go back will spend more time on that.
Main reason for getting up early... less humanity around!
I wish you dynamic light.
November 2005, early morning, just after sunrise. On the 4x5 slide you can count the ice "droplets" on each blade of the tall grass in front...Very standard composition I know, but no-one that sees the 20x30 print can pass by without staring at the water....
Think it was Provia, Arca, 90mm, f/32 4secs or so.
If nothing else, the early morning hours in Yosemite are peaceful and serene, and the best photographic motivation I've ever had. I went out that morning before breakfast or a shower, just for a "quick pic" - but came back well after sunset. I learned from that - I still start before breakfast or a shower, but now I carry energy bars and water ! :-)
nlv
Beautiful image of the tree and shadow, Bruce. As I sit here well before sunrise, it was worth getting up for too.
Yep. You keep looking and you never know what you'll find. I found this tree and shadow at 6:00am or thereabouts. I got about a 10 minute window on that with the sun moving very quickly that early. An hour or two later I made this photograph of snow melt waters overflowing Yosemite creek.
I'm just saying, you never know what you'll find. And why would you make the effort to visit Yosemite and then waste daylight? You can sleep when you get home.
For me the early morning soft light and afternoon light is great. I always find something to photograph there.
I agree with the others. Definitely get out first thing in the morning after you've done breakfast at the Lodge cafeteria. If it has rained plenty the night before you'll get fog and falls the next morning. If not El Cap is always a good bet, and you'll probably see the bears heading to the parking lot in search of a morning snack.
Otherwise if you sleep in with the rest of humanity, everyone's going to be gawking at your view camera, and tourists will be asking you to take their photo in front of a Yosemite landmark.
I second early morning vistas along the Merced.
Although the dawn colors tend not to be as dramatic as at dusk, a sense of calm (and haze-free!) serenity prevades landscape images shot at that time that is simply not obtainable at any other time of the day.
Thomas
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