Hiking Half Dome in Yosemite

bloomphotog

I've lived in the area for like 20 years, but have never made this brutal hike. I now know why.

The photos are light on scenery, and I focused more on the hiking group. Here are a few of my favorites and you can see the complete gallery here.

The lighting was super harsh in a lot of these shots, but a combination of High-ADR and 1-2/3 stop overexposure worked very well. On the other hand, some of the hiking trail was very dark and shaded, so some of these shots were taken at 6400-12800 ISO; I am still so impressed by the noise handling of this camera! Everything was shot with my all time favorite, the 80-200mm 2.8 Nikon(and of course my D700).



























































And a 7 shot pano:

schmoo

Re: the first photo and the sign, what is it that's 340 miles away?

Great photos and portraits of your family, and what a great view! This one is my favorite:

bloomphotog

schmoo wrote:

Re: the first photo and the sign, what is it that's 340 miles away?

Great photos and portraits of your family, and what a great view! This one is my favorite:

It's actually 340km/211mi. It's the trail to Mt. Whitney.

I really like your fav pick as well! I can't wait to do this hike again and bring some speedlights and pocket wizards. Especially for the cave/cliff shot.

thapamd

Awesome job! I love documentary picts like these, especially since the quality is just so fantastic!

boblu262

What a fantastic series and a fantastic documentary! These shots really draw you in – you feel like you are part of the hike. Nice job!

kdog

Beautiful shots. I like your shallow DOF treatment in many of them as well. I need to remember to do more of that myself. I'm also very impressed you hauled your DSLR up to the top of half-dome.

Cheers,
-joel

scottV

the lighting amazes me, you made it look like it was a perfect overcast day.

bloomphotog

Thanks guys!

I have always liked using to DOF to add some drama to a scene. Lugging the lenses that allow me to do that is a different story. The D700 is a godsend for those stark, bright sunny days on the trail. Up there Auto/High ADR is a must between the hours of 9AM-4PM.

Next time I will rent/buy one of those new 14-24mm Nikons. I think some wide angle shots, coupled with some wireless speedlights will really add some drama to my storytelling. I would love to get a near fisheye closeup of my hike team inside the devils chair ledge....hide some speedlights behind the rocks and bounce one off the caves ceiling....I can't wait!

Hikin' Mike

Just posted this on your other thread....

Great "trip report"! Did 'The Dome' 3 times, once as a backpacking trip and twice as a day hike. Thanks for the memories!

IanJ

Some nice pictures! I'm not scared of heights but those cliffs would worry me.

Image quality is superb, almost makes me consider a D700 for myself!

Ian

BBiggs

These is a great set!!!! Very interesting pictures!!!

Sam

Great shots...................................

How long did the hike take you?

Sam

ian408

bloomphotog wrote:

Thanks guys!


Next time I will rent/buy one of those new 14-24mm Nikons. I think some wide angle shots, coupled with some wireless speedlights will really add some drama to my storytelling. I would love to get a near fisheye closeup of my hike team inside the devils chair ledge....hide some speedlights behind the rocks and bounce one off the caves ceiling....I can't wait!

The 14-24 is pretty heavy but well worth it

The park is in fine shape too...I just got home and it's easily as green as I've ever seen it in July--and it sort of seems as if there are fewer people too--that could have been the late week arrival for us.

Gorgeous pics. I will add my favorite is also the shot schmoo chose.

bloomphotog

Sam wrote:

Great shots...................................

How long did the hike take you?

Sam

Roughly 12 hours...including breaks, stops, and pep talks.

bloomphotog

ian408 wrote:

The 14-24 is pretty heavy but well worth it

The park is in fine shape too...I just got home and it's easily as green as I've ever seen it in July--and it sort of seems as if there are fewer people too--that could have been the late week arrival for us.

Gorgeous pics. I will add my favorite is also the shot schmoo chose.

I need to get one of those frontpack/holsters for my camera. The weight was definitely after about mile 5. Next time, with both my 80-200, and the 14-24 I will be in dire need of some good support.

I used to work for DNC(they run the park), and I must agree with you. The park was so beautiful on the way in, and during the hike. Better than I've seen it in awhile. I really wanted to grab some shots on the way out, but my hiking crew wouldn't hear of it...Burger King was calling.

Andy

So very very good.

eMOJO

Simply stunning shots... thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed this set

shniks

These are REALLY good images. I understand when you say that the lighting was harsh, but boy, you totally got some awesome images- perhaps the best I have seen of this hike. Really gives a feel of being there in person. I have been to Yosemite twice and have been meaning to hike up to half dome- both times my friends chickened out (can we say 'chicken'?)!

Seriously nice documentary work and great images. I will def go next summer (sans my delicate friends)....


Cheers,

annnna8888

These are spectacular. Some of them make me dizzy just looking at them. No, seriously, I would love to hike this trail once and look over the edge of the precipice and climb that peculiar track up a rocky slope. You did a very good job by including people in the photos as they add interest and give scale to the whole thing.

Ana

ian408

bloomphotog wrote:

I need to get one of those frontpack/holsters for my camera. The weight was definitely after about mile 5. Next time, with both my 80-200, and the 14-24 I will be in dire need of some good support.

You forgot to mention that first mile or so is kind of tough on the way back...

Have you been over to the Mirror Lake rockfall? Ended up there on Friday. Wow. I knew about those above Happy Isles but not ML. Amazing. Smells like a lumberyard--fresh cut wood there.

I think if I were going to take a lens, It'd have to be the 24-70 and maybe the 80-200.

bloomphotog

Everyone...thanks so much for great comments! I really appreciate it! For those of you that are considering hiking HD anytime soon, feel free to PM me and maybe I can join you! A little photographers expedition would be fun!

With regard the the first mile being difficult, I must agree; although, I think it's more of a mental challenge than a physical one. In the middle of my descent down th cables, my camera strap actually got caught on someones trekking pole that was sticking way out of their backpack. Scared the heck out of me to start getting pulled down the side a mountain by the strap of my $4500 camera.... ....but, a quick and firm "STOP" to the kind foreigner solved things in a jiffy.

I have not been over to Mirror Lake, I will have to put that on my to-do list.

ian408

bloomphotog wrote:

I have not been over to Mirror Lake, I will have to put that on my to-do list.

Pssst....

Hikin' Mike

bloomphotog wrote:

I need to get one of those frontpack/holsters for my camera. The weight was definitely after about mile 5. Next time, with both my 80-200, and the 14-24 I will be in dire need of some good support.

I used to work for DNC(they run the park), and I must agree with you. The park was so beautiful on the way in, and during the hike. Better than I've seen it in awhile. I really wanted to grab some shots on the way out, but my hiking crew wouldn't hear of it...Burger King was calling.

The Burger King in Mariposa? That's were I stop on my way home.

ront

WOW, those are, without a doubt, some of the coolest pictures I have ever seen from Yosemite!!!! Really great!!

Ron

Howe Creative Photography

Wow, those are some AWESOME pictures! The colors are amazing and the scenery is breath-taking! Great job!

bloomphotog

Actually, it was the burger king in Oakhurst. It'd probably be Happy Burger(biggest menu ANYWHERE) if we were going through Mariposa.

Thanks ront & Howe.

So...I think I will have to try for Mirror Lake next time, when I get the 14-24...see what kind of shot's I can come up with.

dlplumer

Fabulous series of photos. What an amazing trip.

Doug Solis

OMG! I was getting nervous just looking at some of your shots. especially on the climb when you are shooting back down the face. Really nice photos all the way.

ian408

bloomphotog wrote:

So...I think I will have to try for Mirror Lake next time, when I get the 14-24...see what kind of shot's I can come up with.

Hurry--it's almost empty (and there are tons of mosquitoes).

bloomphotog

Doug Solis wrote:

OMG! I was getting nervous just looking at some of your shots. especially on the climb when you are shooting back down the face. Really nice photos all the way.

You think YOU were nervous....

bloomphotog

ian408 wrote:

Hurry--it's almost empty (and there are tons of mosquitoes).

Maybe next year then...or maybe this winter...that's gotta be scenic.