OT - A quick shot from my Yosemite trip this weekend

[beerguy]

It'll be weeks before I get my images sorted out from the trip but this is horsetail falls shot last Saturday night. The composition isn't original as it was originally made famous by Galen Rowell (think Ansel Adams in color) but it's very elusive. It only appears this way for a few minutes near sunset a couple of weeks per year and then only if it has melt water flowing and only then if the weather is just right. We were very lucky to see it.


http://images.hopdog.com/horsetail_cloud.jpg

[StCraft]

The orange sun lighting is very cool, but the composition/angle is a bit medium.
Can't wait for my first SLR !

[beerguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9339662#post9339662 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by StCraft
but the composition/angle is a bit medium.

If Galen Rowell wasn't dead he'd probably disagree with that assessment. :lol:

[Ebn]

Haha. Very nice shot, Doug! I went there last time in an attempt to shoot the same thing, but the water wasn't flowing like it is in your shot.

Here's a link to the four shots that I took within half an hour of each other.
http://www.pbase.com/ebn/image/56067240

[beerguy]

We got very lucky in that regard. We got a lot of snow while we were there and had sun most of Saturday. Friday it wasn't running at all but by Saturday it was very nice. The weather almost got us. It started to light up and then a cloud covered it up briefly. A few folks actually packed up and started hiking back to the parking area! When one of them walked past where myself and 3 other were we said the to guy "you might want to put that tripod back down....."

He looked up and just about crapped himself. :lol:

[beerguy]

BTW - you've got some really nice shots in there Eric. ;)

[beerguy]

What a difference a day makes. This was a shot from Sunday:

http://images.hopdog.com/bridge_snow.jpg

[jwedehase]

I see two flakes that look the same.

[edwing206]

wow that waterfall is sweeeet. and that snow pic is nice.

[Ebn]

Thanks, Doug.

Looking at those shots makes me want to head out there soon. :lol:

[Blazer88]

Great looking pics Doug. My wife and I are planning a trip through California in June, Yosemite is one our list. We are planning to give Half Dome a go. Any "can't miss" spots that we should check out?

[MarksReef]

Very kewl, Doug.

[beerguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9347230#post9347230 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blazer88
Great looking pics Doug. My wife and I are planning a trip through California in June, Yosemite is one our list. We are planning to give Half Dome a go. Any "can't miss" spots that we should check out?

In June it's going to be very crowded in the valley. My advice is go to the high country. Glacier point, Twenty Lakes Basis, Tuolumne Meadows, Tuolumne Grove, etc. Go mid-week if you can.

I'd also get a copy of Michael Frye's "The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite." It's compact, inexpensive and is a very concise reference. For each location it lists how to get there, what to look for and the time of year that it's at its best. After you take the "classic shots" turn around and you'll find subject matter everywhere.

[Frisco]

Very nice, I was almost there too with my regular photo crew (plus another dozen or so tag alongs) but had to cancel. It looks like you caught the light right at the right moment. It was interesting to see the range of pics that the group I was going with took - only two of them actually took their pics at the right time and captured the colors on the falls.

[beerguy]

Memory cards are cheap. I shot 70 shots of basically the same composition over the course of 30 minutes. As fast and as often as the weather had been changing all weekend I wanted to make sure that I captured what ever was there.

Here's a few more:

http://images.hopdog.com/elcap.jpg

http://images.hopdog.com/tunnelview_snow.jpg

http://images.hopdog.com/pondleaves.jpg

http://images.hopdog.com/cooksmeadow.jpg

[jwedehase]

Amazing work with the clouds, Doug! They can be so hard to meter and capture. Great stuff.

Blazer, look me up when you sweep through! Two different forum communities with the same reef photography interests, it would be cool to put a face with a name! I'll show you the best Mexican food this side of the Rio Grande!

[quy_nquyen]

those shots are simply amazing!

[Sk8r]

Wow. Celestial Light and Magic certainly cooperated with you; great shots!

[StCraft]

Geez the second one is amazing !
Its a great inspiration for artisite who make matte painting !

[Blazer88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9352854#post9352854 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jwedehase
Blazer, look me up when you sweep through! Two different forum communities with the same reef photography interests, it would be cool to put a face with a name! I'll show you the best Mexican food this side of the Rio Grande!

Mmm....good Mexican food. I haven't had that since I live in Arizona :) Do you live near Yosemite? Back on topic; I really like the shots you just posted! The shot of the valley and the last one with the tree. Good job on getting great exposure on the snow.

[kactusficus]

wow the last batch is gorgeous, Beerguy! I especially love the first image, so mysterious... it makes me think about the movie The Shining!

I only have summer versions of these images, as I traveled West US 2 years ago in August. Very happy to see the winter side! beautiful beautiful!

[beerguy]

Still processing, here's a few more:

http://images.hopdog.com/tunnel_refract.jpg


http://images.hopdog.com/elcap_face.jpg


http://images.hopdog.com/mountain_tree.jpg

[jeffbrig]

Wow, you guys are really making me want to go back to Yosemite. I was there a few years ago during peak snowmelt. The waterfalls were insane, yet the park was almost empty. I'd love to see it again in person during the winter. Beerguy, your shot of the snow-covered valley is great! I have almost the same shot hanging on a wall at home, but no snow. :(

[Ebn]

Whoa. That second set is awesome and the first one with the rainbow of colors in your latest set is very interesting.

Is there still snow in the valley?

[beerguy]

There was when I left Sunday (in fact it chains were required if you didn't have 4wd). They were supposed to be getting more during the week but who knows what's left right now. Since the valley is only ~4000' it doesn't take much sunlight or rain to wash it away. That being said, we got over a foot while I was there.

That "rainbow" shot was taken within the hour of the picture below it, from the same location. The sunrise light coming over the ridge to the south was refracting in the mist. The light was very hot so I had to use a polarizer and meter way down to keep from blowing it out. I like the contrast against the silhouette of the hillside.

Thanks for the kind words folks. I had a blast taking them.

[GSMguy]

i had a blast looking great shots.
makes me miss the West so badly

[Rosseau]

Great shots beerguy. I was out in the Canadian Rockies last week and only managed a few good shots. I was there for the skiing, which was so good that it was hard to stop and take out the camera. Whenever I managed to get it out of my bag the clouds seemed to roll in. This was closer to the coast, so the weather is much more variable.


I can see how sitting in one spot with a handful of memory cards could develop totally different feels over the span of a 20 minutes due to the mountain weather.


Back on flat Ontario land I tried to make up for the lack of photography out west....



http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r265/rosseau52/Feb281.jpg

[beerguy]

When you're shooting sunsets, clouds are good; not bad. :)

I'd probably compose that shot with less foreground but nice job on picking up the full range of color there.

Cheers

[Rosseau]

Yeah I know it doesn't necessarily need all the foreground, I tend to like the simple colours. It's an easy crop away.

If I could make clouds I would have! When you figure that out, let me know. :)

[beerguy]

According to my wife I do that all the time. I don't think that it's the same thing that you're talking about however.

[ahuxman58]

Yosemite is a magical and majestic place, very well shown with your shots WELL DONE!!!!!!!