Cathedral Rock

The sun was up, at least enough to light the peak of Cathedral Rock.  Nothing stirring this early in the morning, no cars, no bikers or hikers, not even a breath of wind to rustle the trees.  So quiet and peaceful, I was afraid the sound of my shutter would upset the entire balance of …

Half Dome at Sunset

Standing above the clouds is weird, I mean standing on solid ground, not in an airplane, and looking down to the clouds below.  It is surreal! Thick clouds came in about an hour before sunset, and I was peeved, as that was the whole reason I spent 12 hours on Glacier Point; i.e. to photograph …

Fern Spring

Along Southside Drive that carries 90% of vehicle traffic through Yosemite Valley is a turnout for about four cars.  The sign for Fern Spring is small, like it was meant for hikers more than car/bus passengers, but it provides a quiet respite from the crowds. Nothing special about it compared to the giant waterfalls cascading …

Half Dome from Glacier Point

Glacier Point, elevation 7,214', overlooks the Yosemite Valley providing a 180 degree panoramic view of the Valley floor over 3000' below. In this one-shot image, the Nevada Falls flowing into Vernal Falls below are on the far right, Half Dome dominates the center, and Yosemite Falls and El Capitan are out of the frame at …

Half Dome from Sentinel Bridge

Late afternoon and early evening is prime time for photographers in Yosemite Valley, so many iconic subjects bathed in soft, warm, ever-changing light. This shot of Half Dome was taken from Sentinel Bridge, which is a short walk from the Visitor Center.  Easy to find, just follow the people with tripods.  For the three hours, …

Yosemite Valley

The most popular part of Yosemite National Park is Yosemite Valley, where a 7-mile long road follows the Merced River and all the iconic sites can be viewed. Looking east, this shot was taken from the far western end of the Valley near the Pohono Bridge.  Six shots were "stitched" together to make this panorama. …