During my photography workshops, I often refer to the work of one of the masters of landscape photography Ansel Adams to showcase how the power of great composition, being patient and understanding the fundamentals of light are crucial in creating great photographs. Much of his work was shot in Yosemite National Park in California.
I just spent Memorial Day weekend in the park photographing where there has been a recent spell of wetter than normal weather. This meant that the waterfalls were flowing stronger than normal, the Merced river was full of fast flowing water and the trees were lush, verdant and green - great conditions for photography. Unusually, for late May there was even a freak snow storm which blanketed much of the park, clearing out most of the crowds and leaving me to explore many new areas without having to deal with traffic or people in my shots (which can often be the case at this time of year).
Below are some of my favorite shots as I channeled my inner Ansel. Do you prefer the color or black and whites?
After visiting this spot so many times, this was one the best times I’ve seen the light falling so perfectly on El Capitan on the left and Bridal Falls on the right. I also love the big booming clouds and how you can see Half Dome in the background with a little covering of snow. There is a reason this spot is known as Inspiration Point!! This photo is going to look awesome printed out huge.
Color version of the above…which do you prefer?
Another view from Tunnel Point/Inspiration Point taken late at night as low fog settled over the valley creating a perfect leading line to Bridal Falls.
Color Version of the above
My neutral density filters always come in useful on trips to National Parks. This was taken with a 6f stop ND filter to give the fast flowing water (pretty unusual for this time of year) a soft, silky appearance. I got some wet feet but it was definitely worth it for this shot!