First trip to Mono Lake

coscorrosa

I was in Yosemite photographing moonbows and stuck around an extra day once I heard Tioga Pass was going to open (much later than normal), as that would shorten my drive to Death Valley considerably. Before going there I wanted to visit Mono Lake for sunset-sunrise, and was treated to an excellent sunset. There were actually lenticular clouds a few hours before, they didn't stick around but the color made up for it.

#1 - Sunset:



#2 - Sunset again - this time a little later - the colors lasted for ever and were really intense:



#3 - After sleeping in the car, I got up early to shoot under some moonlight before dawn:



#4 - Another moon shot



#5 - Then finally - sunrise



I may return to here sometime in autumn (this year or next), the profile of the eastern Sierra reminds me a lot of the Tetons, and they get some excellent light at sunrise.

redleash

Beautiful shots, Ron. I really like #3.

Doug Solis

Really nice series Ron, I especially like #4, thanks for waking up early for us. Beautiful colors in #1 & #2. not sure if it was possible or not but I would have loved to see a shot further into the scene in #2(meaning getting wet) where the stacks would have been contrasted against the sky rather than the mountain. Maybe you tried and it didn't make sense.

TreyHoff

Very nice series....all well done!

FlyNavy

Wow!

coscorrosa

redleash wrote: »

Beautiful shots, Ron. I really like #3.

Thanks! I had to put my boots in the water for that perspective. Kind of reminds me of those hoodoos from the southwest (that I've seen only in photos)

Doug Solis wrote: »

Really nice series Ron, I especially like #4, thanks for waking up early for us. Beautiful colors in #1 & #2. not sure if it was possible or not but I would have loved to see a shot further into the scene in #2(meaning getting wet) where the stacks would have been contrasted against the sky rather than the mountain. Maybe you tried and it didn't make sense.

I did try that actually (having the same thoughts you did), but I didn't like the way the rocks looked from that perspective quite as much.

TreyHoff wrote: »

Very nice series....all well done!

Thanks!

FlyNavy wrote: »

Wow!

Thanks - I was very fortunate with the clouds at sunset.

schmoo

That sunset is insane!!! The one time I was at Mono Lake it was snowing like a blizzard and I didn't really get a chance to see the beautiful serene wilderness that shots typically portray.

The light follows you, dude.

jamesl

Beautiful work as usual Ron! Mono Lake is on my short list of places to visit soon.

coscorrosa

schmoo wrote: »

That sunset is insane!!! The one time I was at Mono Lake it was snowing like a blizzard and I didn't really get a chance to see the beautiful serene wilderness that shots typically portray.

The light follows you, dude.

Stop spreading rumors schmoo!

The aftermath of the blizzard might be interesting to photograph. There were about a half dozen photographers out there, I'm sure if it was snowing you could be by yourself.

jamesl wrote: »

Beautiful work as usual Ron! Mono Lake is on my short list of places to visit soon.

It's very cool. These were taken from the South Tufa area, also the eastern Sierra is right there too, I didn't have time to scout it but it looked very promising and I know there's some good fall color around that area too.

bryanj87

These are really great Ron, I especially like the first 2. I wonder how #2 would look as a silhouette?

Wicked_Dark

excellent! I was there for the first time at the end of May. Staggering place. I wish we had time to go back for sunset, but alas.

Hikin' Mike

Great series Ron!

When were you there? I was there Tuesday morning. I'm still processing my photos from Tuolumne and Mono Lake.

squirl033

always enjoy your stuff, Ron, and these are no exception. especially like the moonlight shots... they have an other-worldly look to them that's very appealing!

Cornflake

Wonderful shots, particularly the first and fourth.

Don

dlplumer

Love all of these, Ron. clap

Tioga was closed for me a few weeks ago; disappointing. Next time.

coscorrosa

bryanj87 wrote: »

These are really great Ron, I especially like the first 2. I wonder how #2 would look as a silhouette?

I bracketed that shot and even at -1 stops it's not silhouetted - the tops of the tufas are but the bottoms are still bright because of the intensity of the reflection on the lake! Crazy amount of colors. I tried increasing the blacks but I think I like it the original way better. Good idea though.

Wicked_Dark wrote: »

excellent! I was there for the first time at the end of May. Staggering place. I wish we had time to go back for sunset, but alas.

Yep, lots of different comp possibilities there. Generally from what I heard sunrise is a more popular time to shoot (as the sierras and more tufas will be lit), but there were enough clouds in the right spots to make sunset better for me.

Hikin' Mike wrote: »

Great series Ron!

When were you there? I was there Tuesday morning. I'm still processing my photos from Tuolumne and Mono Lake.

I was there the Saturday before (the Saturday that Tioga pass opened).

squirl033 wrote: »

always enjoy your stuff, Ron, and these are no exception. especially like the moonlight shots... they have an other-worldly look to them that's very appealing!

Thanks - I always like to shoot under moonlight (with the moon in the frame or the moon illuminating the frame). I left a lot of compositions there so I hope to return someday.

Cornflake wrote: »

Wonderful shots, particularly the first and fourth.

Don

Thanks!

dlplumer wrote: »

Love all of these, Ron. clap

Tioga was closed for me a few weeks ago; disappointing. Next time.

Definitely. It was almost closed for me too but I got word it was opening up so I could stay an extra day and wait (otherwise I would have taken the long way to Death Valley and missed Mono Lake - and this sunset - altogether).

Mathieu05

Very nice series! well done.