My Yosemite - Big Post Warning

CWSkopec

Well, I took this trip back in September and didn't get around to posting any of it until now. The trip ended with Lassen Volcanic Park, which I posted here, but the trip started at Yosemite. Everyone's been showing off their Yosemite shots lately, so to deal with my jealousy, I'll post some of my favorites from the trip! :wink

1| Mariposa Grove


2| On the trail between the upper and lower groves of Giant Sequoias - this one is really rather "off" for lack of a better word, but there's just something about it that I really like... :dunno


3| A minimalist cascade - this small, nearly dry cascade became a study in using an ND filter and slower shutter speed... It didn't turn out the way I imagined it while I was there, but I liked the high contrast minimal image that resulted.


4| Evening reflections in the South Fork of the Merced River near the Wawona Campgrounds


5| Slight reflections in the Merced River in the heart of the valley


6| Bridalviel Falls was barely a trickle, which was a little disappointing, but allowed me to get right down there at the base of the falls... let me tell you, these rocks a SLIPPERY!! Even when dry, they're so polished there is nearly no traction (I witnessed a fellow tourist smash his P&S trying to catch his balance!! :cry )


7| Despite the trickle, I was there at just the right time to catch a rainbow forming in Bridalviel's mist!!


8| Nevada Falls (Nevada's the top one, right? I'm having brain issues at the moment...) wasn't fairing much better than Bridalveil (the high contrast B&W on this and the Vernal Falls images I got was due to the summer haze still hanging in the air. This was the only way I could figure out to process the images so that they were savable.


9| Last up, a vertical pano from the base of Lower Yosemite Falls. I wish I knew more about "good light" at the time I took this trip, but at least I'll have a better idea what to do when I'm there next!


As always, comments and suggestions are happily welcomed, but keep in mind this trip ended up being more learning experience than anything else... There's a huge number of things I would have done differently if I knew then what I know now... primarily, I wouldn't have slept, I would have spent the night doing star trails!! :rofl

Thanks for looking! :thumb

Oh, and assorted other shots from the trip can be seen HERE.

Hikin' Mike

Nice series Chris. Yes, Nevada Falls is the top fall. Did you spend the night at the Wawona Campground? I prefer that CG more than the valley CGs.

thapamd

Very cool series, Chris. I haven't been to Yosemite in a long time...looks like it's high time I made plans to visit.

shniks

Great series Chris- I am shocked to see how these waterfalls look off-season. Last week when I was at Yosemite, these falls were in full force and to see them like this- beaten, defeated, sad, depressed....:cry

I am NEVER going to Yosemite at that time. Never! You heard me- NEVER!!! (Oh ok, I might just go to see it for myself! What the hey!)


Great series again...


Cheers,

CWSkopec

Hikin' Mike wrote:

Nice series Chris. Yes, Nevada Falls is the top fall. Did you spend the night at the Wawona Campground? I prefer that CG more than the valley CGs.

Thanks, Mike!

I spent 3 nights at Wawona! It was the last spot available to reserve in the park and driving up from San Diego, I figured I would be on the outside looking in if I tried to get one of the first come/first serve spots. Initally I was a little disappointed that I didn't get a spot in the valley, but after the time spent there and seeing the spots in the valley, I think I'll be back to Wawona next time around!

CWSkopec

thapamd wrote:

Very cool series, Chris. I haven't been to Yosemite in a long time...looks like it's high time I made plans to visit.

Thanks Mahesh!!
After seeing all the incredible shots from Yosemite that are popping up this spring, I'm starting to feel like it's time to go back myself!!

CWSkopec

shniks wrote:

Great series Chris- I am shocked to see how these waterfalls look off-season. Last week when I was at Yosemite, these falls were in full force and to see them like this- beaten, defeated, sad, depressed....:cry

I am NEVER going to Yosemite at that time. Never! You heard me- NEVER!!! (Oh ok, I might just go to see it for myself! What the hey!)


Great series again...


Cheers,

Thanks, Nihkil!
I was really quite surprise at the condition of the waterfalls... I knew the volume would be down after the long dry summer, but NEVER did I expect them to be so dry!! Lower Yosemite was barely a trickle, I can't even see it in the shot I posted...

BUT it was pretty cool to be able to get right up to the base of the falls, and see first hand just how polished smooth the rocks underneath are... I'd be lying if I said I'd never go that time of year again, because really any time there is a good time!

dlplumer

Looks like a fabulous trip Chris. Very nice series.

CWSkopec

dlplumer wrote:

Looks like a fabulous trip Chris. Very nice series.

Thanks Dan!

BeaKeR

Really good stuff! I particularly like #2 and #3, although I think maybe making them a little brighter and less contrasty might be good.

You're making me wish I could go again. If you get the chance, definitely go in the spring when the falls are running better. They're amazing. Climbing past Vertnal Falls is like going through a heavy rainstorm - I thought it was great.

CWSkopec

BeaKeR wrote:

Really good stuff! I particularly like #2 and #3, although I think maybe making them a little brighter and less contrasty might be good.

You're making me wish I could go again. If you get the chance, definitely go in the spring when the falls are running better. They're amazing. Climbing past Vertnal Falls is like going through a heavy rainstorm - I thought it was great.

Thanks BeaKeR!!
I can't tell how happy I am that someone else likes #2!! I was starting to think I was rather "off"

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll give those edits a try when I get to my calibrated monitor.

BeaKeR

CWSkopec wrote:

Thanks BeaKeR!!
I can't tell how happy I am that someone else likes #2!! I was starting to think I was rather "off"

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll give those edits a try when I get to my calibrated monitor.

Oh my. I actually meant #3 and #4. That's what I get for posting in a hurry. :uhoh

I do like #2, though the angle of the trees is kind of off-putting. It looks like they're all on a slope, but the bottom of the frame is aligned to the slope rather than the true vertical. It does seem to have some potential, though I'm not sure what I would do with it.

Anyway, keep up the good work!

CWSkopec

BeaKeR wrote:

Oh my. I actually meant #3 and #4. That's what I get for posting in a hurry. :uhoh

I do like #2, though the angle of the trees is kind of off-putting. It looks like they're all on a slope, but the bottom of the frame is aligned to the slope rather than the true vertical. It does seem to have some potential, though I'm not sure what I would do with it.

Anyway, keep up the good work!

Ah... so I am the oddball!!

You nailed the conditions for #2... it was taken on a small hillside from the trail connecting the upper and lower groves. I remember looking only at the small plants in the foreground and was surprised to see how slanted the trees were when I got home...

I'm not sure what to do with it either, so I haven't done a thing!

dustin32

Nice shots! Loving #5, the colors and composition, but would have love to see it even wider.

CWSkopec

dustin32 wrote:

Nice shots! Loving #5, the colors and composition, but would have love to see it even wider.

Thanks Dustin!

A quick look at my little archive hard drive here at work says that I don't have any landscape oriented shots from that location (and I'm pretty sure that one was out as wide as my lens would go) but I may have some on the larger hard drive at home! I'll check tonight.

dustin32

CWSkopec wrote:

Thanks Dustin!

A quick look at my little archive hard drive here at work says that I don't have any landscape oriented shots from that location (and I'm pretty sure that one was out as wide as my lens would go) but I may have some on the larger hard drive at home! I'll check tonight.

Sorry, I wasn't too clear, I did mean in portrait orientation (I think that's the correct term?) just wider zoom... Still looks very neat though.