Sunrise in Yosemite

[QT Luong]

Is there any reason to get out of bed early in Yosemite ? I can think only of the Tunnel View if there is fog in the Valley, Cook's Meadow with the (relatively high) sun diffracted , maybe first light on the Yosemite Falls wall, and shooting in open shade forest scenes before the sun comes. Any other ideas ?

[Vaughn]

Well, I believe Yosemite Falls receives mid-day/afternoon light...not much point in getting up early for that!

I took a particularly nice image with the rising sun bouncing off granite and into my scene...this was just in from the Arch Rock Entrance. (This was not too early as it takes the sun awhile to rise over the mountains.) Sort of open-shade forest with a fill light!

Photographing along the Merced before the sun comes over the mountains is also nice.

Then there is always the joy of getting up before most of the other visitors do -- less car noise, et al.

Vaughn

[Brian Vuillemenot]

I decided to sleep in one morning on my trip to Yosemite last month, since it had been cloudy the day before and rained for most of the night. My photo buddy proded me to get out of my sleeping bag about an hour before sunrise, but I ignored him, and slept until about 9:30. Turns out, the storm was moving out of the valley, and there was awesome fog and some great light breaking through. Man, did I kick myself (and still am) for missing that! Even without fog, there's always detail/macro/intimate landscape shots to be found in the early morning, when the light is good and there aren't tourists everywhere to distract you. And, as Vaughn pointed out, even if there are no good photos, it's always nice to get up before everyone else and enjoy the solitude of early morning.

[Walter Calahan]

Yes, sunrises are always beautiful. Good time to drink a coffee and enjoy the sky show. You never know what you'll see until you see it. I've enjoyed the sunrise over Half Dome, and would recommend it to everyone.

[Deane Johnson]

There is never a good reason not to get up at sunrise when one is in "photographic" mode.

[QT Luong]

Deane, you are of course right. However, unless there are special conditions, most of the time I end up freezing myself before the sun comes while shooting what is essentially open shade intimate landscapes that are done as well or better later in the day. The question should have been worded more precisely: "what are your favorite sunrise-specific locations in Yosemite ?".

[Deane Johnson]

Deane, you are of course right. However, unless there are special conditions, most of the time I end up freezing myself before the sun comes while shooting what is essentially open shade intimate landscapes that are done as well or better later in the day. The question should have been worded more precisely: "what are your favorite sunrise-specific locations in Yosemite ?".

You don't know how much I envy your being in Yosemite. I live on the flatlands of the Mid-West. Not much inspiration. You do realize, I hope, that I was just having fun with my post, and of course, showing some envy that I'm not out there also.

[Bruce Watson]

Is there any reason to get out of bed early in Yosemite ? I can think only of the Tunnel View if there is fog in the Valley, Cook's Meadow with the (relatively high) sun diffracted , maybe first light on the Yosemite Falls wall, and shooting in open shade forest scenes before the sun comes. Any other ideas ?

Yep. You keep looking and you never know what you'll find. I found this tree and shadow (http://www.achromaticarts.com/big_image.php?path=yosemite&img_num=2) 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 (http://www.achromaticarts.com/big_image.php?path=yosemite&img_num=4) 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. ;)

[Hugh Sakols]

I like the early AM because if I'm lucky I won't have any wind. My best dogwood image was made at sunrise for this very reason - and I was able to sell it at the Ansel Adams Gallery. Earlier this fall, got some amazing AM light near the trail head to the 4 mile trail. As the bight sun hit the north rim it acted as a reflector creating some beautiful light to the golden oaks and reddish pine needles. Of course in the spring if one gets up early enough you may be lucky enough to find frazzle (spelling??) ice on one of the many creeks. I have to get back to work now and stop thinking about this - thanks for the distraction.

[Harley Goldman]

There is often fog in the meadows in the early morning. It burns off pretty quick. Well worth getting up early.

[Robert 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

[John Kasaian]

Mist over the (now quite shallow) Merced River, with mule deer :)

[Eric James]

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.

[jetcode]

Is there any reason to get out of bed early in Yosemite ? I can think only of the Tunnel View if there is fog in the Valley, Cook's Meadow with the (relatively high) sun diffracted , maybe first light on the Yosemite Falls wall, and shooting in open shade forest scenes before the sun comes. Any other ideas ?

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.

[keithwms]

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.

[nicol_verheem]

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

[Dan V]

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 (http://www.achromaticarts.com/big_image.php?path=yosemite&img_num=2) 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 (http://www.achromaticarts.com/big_image.php?path=yosemite&img_num=4) 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. ;)

[David Karp]

For me the early morning soft light and afternoon light is great. I always find something to photograph there.

[SamReeves]

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. :D

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. :rolleyes:

[tgtaylor]

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

[Jack Flesher]

I like Valley View before/at sunrise. Took this one about two weeks ago (click on the thumb for a full view):

http://forum.getdpi.com/gallery/files/2/mercedblend_thumb.jpg (http://forum.getdpi.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=28&c=14)

Here's another taken from almost the spot but 5 or 6 years ago. This one was taken around Thanksgiving just after a light snow, at about 1/2 hour after official sunrise as the sun is just hitting the face of El Cap:

http://forum.getdpi.com/gallery/files/2/ElCapSunriseAdj_web_thumb.jpg (http://forum.getdpi.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=121&c=)

So yeah, I think it's worth dragging your butt out of bed to be there for sunrise :D.

Cheers,

[Eric James]

...
So yeah, I think it's worth dragging your butt out of bed to be there for sunrise :D.

I'll say!

Did you dup. the first shot with the Chamonix, or is there only the M8 capture? HDR or GND?

[SamReeves]

Here's another taken from almost the spot but 5 or 6 years ago. This one was taken around Thanksgiving just after a light snow, at about 1/2 hour after official sunrise as the sun is just hitting the face of El Cap:

http://forum.getdpi.com/gallery/files/2/ElCapSunriseAdj_web_thumb.jpg (http://forum.getdpi.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=121&c=)

So yeah, I think it's worth dragging your butt out of bed to be there for sunrise :D.

Cheers,

Sweetness on the snowy El Cap Jack. I'm a former Los Altan myself. :)


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. " SamReeves

Hmm, seems like there is a connection. We get up early, so do the bears. We arrive at the parking lot, and the bears are heading to the parking lot....I'll take my chances and stay in bed. LOL.

Oh c'mon where's the adventure? You can get yourself a bear photo on 4x5. :D

[Ben Chase]

Damn you guys who live so close to Yosemite! :)

[Jack Flesher]

Thanks Sam, thanks Eric!

The shot of El Cap with snow was done in 98 I think, and back then I was shooting a Technikardan 4x5. The one from a few weeks ago was done on my Yosemite workshop. Since I was teaching, I was shooting my "little camera," the Leica M8. (Which BTW, has OUTSTANDING image quality!)

Cheers,

[Jack Flesher]

Damn you guys who live so close to Yosemite! :)

3 hours and 40 minutes from my driveway to that view if I stop for gas and a soda on the way. But as much as that sounds like an advantage, it can also be a curse.

:D,

[Atul Mohidekar]

You might be able to get some good early morning reflections of El Capitan in the river. I was there few weeks back and the water level was very low and water was quite still at many places. Unfortunately there was very little, if any, water in the waterfalls. For the first time I saw Yosemite falls completely dry.

Although not located in Yosemite NP, Mono Lake, not far from Yosemite east entrance, is quite beautiful at sunrise.

Speaking of visiting Yosemite...
Few years back, when I first got my view camera, my family was visiting India and I took full advantage of my bachelor days :) I made day trips (long 18 hour days) to Yosemite on five consecutive weekends! I would leave home at 6 AM and reach the west entrance at 9:15 AM with a gas stop. The valley is another 30-40 minutes from there. Sometimes I went to valley and sometimes I took the Tioga Pass road. I would leave Yosemite after sunset around 8:30 PM and return home by midnight with a sandwich stop. That was a great learning experience.


// Atul

[SamReeves]

3 hours and 40 minutes from my driveway to that view if I stop for gas and a soda on the way. But as much as that sounds like an advantage, it can also be a curse.

:D,

Yea, about the same from PG (4 hours). Always fill up in Mariposa unless you want to pay $4.50 a gallon in El Portal! :eek:

[Ben Chase]

3 hours and 40 minutes from my driveway to that view if I stop for gas and a soda on the way. But as much as that sounds like an advantage, it can also be a curse.

:D,

Well at 5 hours from Banff NP, and 3 hours from Glacier, I don't have much to complain about I suppose...

[David_Senesac]

I have never gotten up at dawn in Yosemite Valley with an intention of taking some landscapes at sunrise. Bascially there are a lot of tall cliffs and mountains eastward so the possibilities are limited and not likely to be productive at least for more serious shooters. In the early spring during flooding, one might find a quiet water spot in say El Cap Meadows for a reflection silhouette westward but that is not likely to result in anything that would interest someone like me that is going for the highest quality stuff. These days there is an army of young D-SLR and GND filter users that can't wait to play with their toys in such light but I've rarely seen any YV results that would interest me to join them. The only thing that would otherwise spur me to actually expose film right at sunrise would be if I woke up at early dawn and noticed a solid blanket of high cirrus clouds above that could take early warm light and bathe snowy landscapes below. I'm still waiting for that haha.

If in the valley I am always at Camp 4 in a tent. I tend to visit the valley in late fall or the winter when storms are ending. A time of year when tent nights are so long that by dawn, I can't wait to get going despite freezing temps outside. Thus I regularly do rise before sunrise, pack up gear back into my car, grab a donut, prepared my photo gear, then driven around the valley to check weather conditions and where I might start working after the sun rises up some. If sunrise is 6:30am and an intended subject might work at 7:30am, being there well beforehand is wise as the sluggishness of getting our large format gear into place and ready has a way of disappointing us. ...David

[Deane Johnson]

David, you have a terrific site, not to mention some outstanding images. I am especially fascinated by your presentation arranged by shooting format. Same scenery, same photographers eye, but the 4x5 has a look beyond just resolution that is very different than even 6x7. I can't really explain it, but it must have to do with the focal length of the lens native to each format. Interesting study.

[Vaughn]

3 hours and 40 minutes from my driveway to that view if I stop for gas and a soda on the way. But as much as that sounds like an advantage, it can also be a curse.:D,

About 10 hours of driving for me to Yosemite Valley...well worth it, and far enough to be a special event. But even my 45 minute drive to the redwoods is still special after 30 years of doing so.

The road over the pass is usually closed when I go to Yosemite, but it would be nice to be up around the big meadows and domes at sunrise.

Vaughn

[Keith S. Walklet]

It was definitely worth getting up these last four days. :-)

Just finished up a workhop and conditions were terrific all day long, which is usually the case this time of year. The mornings were exceptional and I'm looking forward to doing my own exploring tomorrow before heading home.

If you check out the webcam movies for today (Sunday) (visible Monday?) it was a wonderful day with constantly changing conditions capped off by a heck of a sunset.

QT, you can work the south side of the river the entire length of Yosemite Valley looking at the north wall to take advantage of reflections of the sunlit cliffs. When the light reaches the river, you can move to the north side and look into the shadows with the monster reflector of the northside cliffs at your back to bounce light into the backlit foliage.

The sections between Sentinel Bridge and Swinging Bridge are particulary productive, as is the area west of El Cap cutover to Pohono Bridge.

Fog makes it better, of course. Morning cloud color doesn't seem to occur as often as it does at sunset.

Vaughn, I was surprised to see that it takes you just as long to get to the park as it does me. It's only nine hours from Boise when the pass is open, and eleven when I have to go around.

[Vaughn]

It was definitely worth getting up these last four days. :-)

Vaughn, I was surprised to see that it takes you just as long to get to the park as it does me. It's only nine hours from Boise when the pass is open, and eleven when I have to go around.

Hey there Keith!

Well, maybe it is closer to 8 hours of driving and 10 hours on the road -- twelve if I have the boys with me. I don't know...I just drive until I get there! But besides the distance south, I have to travel 240 or so miles east also...and there ain't any fast roads out of Humboldt County!

Good to hear that your workshop/weather all went well! Happy exploring!

I printed all night Friday until the sun came up...trying to get something for the Yosemite Renaissance Show. Hopefully I can get something into the show so I will have an excuse to head into the Park in February for the opening! Used up a bunch of platinum and palladium salts...think I have something, but haven't seen the prints dry yet.

Vaughn

PS...just checked with MapQuest...they claim about 8hrs 45mins and 475 miles

[Keith S. Walklet]

Well, it will be eleven hours for me this trip home unless Tioga opens by noon today. Of course, if it does, it will likely take me longer. :-)

As for Renaissance, I actually may have time to send something this year now that the entry date was pushed back to December instead of October, which always snuck up on me.

I just saw your image of the base of Vernal (at Glenn's?) and it reminded me of one I have of a swimmer in the pool below the falls. That was September of 01 and it was so dry the falls were less than a garden hose, and this guy was down there swimming in the pool. In all my years in the park, I'd never seen before. What struck me most was that he was tiny, just a speck. I always knew that the boulders were big and the falls tall, but he looked like a pine needle floating in a pond. The boulders and pool are immense.

Caught the Glen Denny exhibit at the museum and the Yosemite Climbing Association auction this week. Some neat stuff!

But, dawn is just now arriving. I'm headed out to see what's happening.

[Vaughn]

Have a great trip home! It is a wet and blustery day here in NW California. (Yesterday was as nice of a day as we ever can get in November!)

I have an 8x10 taken from the same vantage point as my other image of the base of Bridalveil (are you sure it was Vernal and not Bridalveil that you saw?). It has my three Boys in it -- haven't printed it yet, but I think it will be part ot the continueing series of the boys in the environmment. They are but specks down on the rocks -- I had to communicate thru hand signals!

Its no wonder Muybridge use to put someone in his Yosemite landscapes -- otherwise the veiwer has no sense of scale!

Vaughn

[Keith S. Walklet]

A quieter morning than the previous four.

The chill in the air took away most of the dampness, instead coating things with a very light layer of frost. Tioga opened and I headed up at half past noon and there was about an inch of snow up by the pass. I stopped for a few snaps, but mainly kept a steady northeastern progress and arrived home twelve hours later.

As for your image, I guess it was Bridalveil. I'd like to see the version with the boys.

Stu Levy has an image of some monster fall with all these twigs in it that are actually full size trees. I forget the name, but it really helps communicate the scale.

I just checked the webcams from Sunday. The one from my old house on the Ahwahnee meadow is wild, and really gives a sense of how turbulent the clouds were, though it didn't seem to catch the color at sunset.

http://www.halfdome.net/cams/ahw_movie_02.php

[QT Luong]

OK, so far I gather scenes in the shade, some mist if lucky, and the Valley View, which I didn't expect.

[Harley Goldman]

You can also head up to Tunnel View and with a cooperative sky, get a nice colorful silhouette of Half Dome. Just another excuse to get up early.

[Keith S. Walklet]

OK, so far I gather scenes in the shade, some mist if lucky, and the Valley View, which I didn't expect.

While conditions change throughout the year as the arc of the sun shifts, the off-season (autumn, winter, spring) seem to have the best morning opportunities in Yosemite Valley, not only because of the position of the sun in relation to the valley features, but because the foliage is not as dense.

Both Valley View (river level) and Tunnel View feature raking light on the southwestern face of El Capitan in autumn/winter/early spring which would not be there in the summer months. Similarly oriented features, such as Royal Arches and the Three Brothers, etc. get that same light and offer similar opportunities if one maintains the viewing angle (viewed from the west) observed for El Cap.

I am guessing you have a copy of Michael Frye's book, which features a map of spots in the valley with iconic views and seasonal changes noted, but even it barely scratches the surface if you are looking to work on a deeper level of abstraction and intimate detail when the walls of the valley are reduced to backdrops, shades and reflectors.