Winter in Yosemite

coscorrosa · February 1, 2010

I made my first trip in Yosemite last week, I arrived just after a snow storm (in fact all roads into the park were closed when I got there around midnight on Friday and didn't open until later Friday morning).

Here's a sampling of some of my favorite photos.

#1:

#2:

#3:

#4:

#5:

#6:

#7:

#8:

#9:

#10:

Sam · February 1, 2010

Very nice..............

clap

Sam

dlplumer · February 1, 2010

Fabulous set Ron.

Those first two are my favs, and #2 almost looks like a fire at first glance. How difficult was the hiking and cold? Did your snow shoes prove to be invaluable?

Secluded Valley · February 1, 2010

Beautiful beautiful set, Ron.

Kristine

acowan · February 1, 2010

Excellent and diverse set! The clouds really convey the mood well in both the color and B&W photos. The three star trail photos are nice, especially #7. One small nit...#3 might benefit from a slight bump in contrast. With that said, photo #1 or #2 is the best IMO...

CWSkopec · February 1, 2010

Great stuff, Ron!! The valley looks absolutely incredible with the low hanging clouds!

#7 might be my favorite with the star trails over the falls (Upper Yosemite?), but it's really tough to pick the best of the set.

ian408 · February 2, 2010

#2 is a classic Yosemite view. The storm left nothing but goodness for you

Marc Muench · February 2, 2010

Go Ron, go

thumb

Swartzy · February 2, 2010

Wonderful series....love the light..the moods...great star trails! Sweet work!

Thwack · February 2, 2010

Very nice set! Thanks for sharing them. I was 25 miles from Yosemite when I heard all roads in the Park were closed and made other plans for that weekend. Looks like I missed some amazing opportunities.

I was in the Park this past weekend and was surprised to see how many trees had been knocked over (or at least had major limbs broken off) by the storm the prior weekend.

The sunspots on #2 look like Jack O'lantern eyes glaring out of El Capitan's stony face.

How did you manage to not have a single car's taillight at the base of the trees in #6? Every time I've done long exposure shots at that pullout, I end up with cars driving through the shot. Is the trick to wait until it's so late that nobody else is awake?

Snowgirl · February 2, 2010

Excellent set. #2 and #8 do it for me - different moods; great light!

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

dlplumer wrote:

Fabulous set Ron. Those first two are my favs, and #2 almost looks like a fire at first glance. How difficult was the hiking and cold? Did your snow shoes prove to be invaluable?

I only truly needed the snowshoes for the hike up to the Mariposa Grove (I went about 6 miles round trip). I also used them for getting to Cathederal Beach (on the south side of the Merced River across from El Capitan) as there was about 2-2.5 feet of snow there.

Just about everywhere though I had waterproof pants, gaiters, waterproof hiking boots, and YakTrax (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CZJIOQ/). The other critical piece of equipment are toe warmers (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EPHGO8), especially when waiting around for 1-2 hours in the snow for the light to get good.

The cold was fine as I was dressed for it and had the toe warmers. I had four (!) batteries, but I only ever needed two at any given time. A two hour exposure in 25 degree temperatures only used about 75% of a single battery on my 5D MII.

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

acowan wrote:

Excellent and diverse set! The clouds really convey the mood well in both the color and B&W photos. The three star trail photos are nice, especially #7. One small nit...#3 might benefit from a slight bump in contrast. With that said, photo #1 or #2 is the best IMO...

Thanks, I agree, I replaced #3 with a version that has a little more contrast. #1 was probably my favorite shot from the trip, it didn't look like it was going to pan out and then everything turned pink for about 5 minutes.

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

CWSkopec wrote:

Great stuff, Ron!! The valley looks absolutely incredible with the low hanging clouds!

#7 might be my favorite with the star trails over the falls (Upper Yosemite?), but it's really tough to pick the best of the set.

Thanks Chris, yes #7 is Upper Yosemite falls viewed from what I guess is called Sentinel Meadow (just before Sentinel Bridge, near where the (snow covered) boardwalk meets the road). I noticed that Upper Yosemite faced almost directly north so I was curious to try some star trails shots with Polaris. I want to repeat this shot when the temperature and dew point aren't identical (my lens got fogged after about an hour of 5 minute exposures), and when there is a moonbow (star trails + moonbow would be pretty cool I think).

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

ian408 wrote:

#2 is a classic Yosemite view. The storm left nothing but goodness for you

Thanks! I was going to go a week earlier but the conditions were even more crazy, I was lucky I was there for at least two days when there was some snow in the trees, and one day when there was a clearing storm. Like I mentioned to other people there if I lived near the bay area I'd be making at least 6 trips a year to Yosemite.

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

Marc Muench wrote:

Go Ron, gothumb

I went!

Yosemite was at the very top of my list for places to visit, and I'm glad I had the opportunity. Now I just need to photograph it in spring with the waterfalls and some wildflowers and dogwoods, and in summer outside the valley in the higher elevations, and in the fall when the leaves turn, and... basically every month of the year. I would have to say it was the most photogenic place I have ever been in my life, you can definitely see how it inspires people.

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

Thwack wrote:

Very nice set! Thanks for sharing them. I was 25 miles from Yosemite when I heard all roads in the Park were closed and made other plans for that weekend. Looks like I missed some amazing opportunities.

I was in the Park this past weekend and was surprised to see how many trees had been knocked over (or at least had major limbs broken off) by the storm the prior weekend.

The sunspots on #2 look like Jack O'lantern eyes glaring out of El Capitan's stony face.

How did you manage to not have a single car's taillight at the base of the trees in #6? Every time I've done long exposure shots at that pullout, I end up with cars driving through the shot. Is the trick to wait until it's so late that nobody else is awake?

It was a lot of fun, I actually drove down from Seattle (it's about a 15 hour drive) so I had my 4WD car and chains, snowshoes, trekking poles, boots, sleeping bag, all that crap. Definitely worth it. The falling trees are what closed 140, the other entrances (120 and 41) were closed due to snow and ice. Even after I arrived on 140 the other roads were still closed until later that afternoon. The parking lot at Tunnel View was an ice rink then

As for #6, that shot was taken at 9 PM. I took three separate exposures, one of them had no car lights on the left, one of them had no car lights on the right, and the other one had no moon shadows on the rocks in the foreground. I blended them together to get an image with no car lights and no shadows on the rocks.

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

Everyone else - thanks for all the comments and feedback. Yosemite is a magical place, especially in winter.

anwmn1 · February 2, 2010

Great stuff Ron.

Going to have to pick up a pair of those snow tracks for boots.

kdog · February 2, 2010

Great stuff, Ron. I think I like #2 the best. I give you a lot of credit for making this trip. Your preparation and effort really paid off.

Cheers,
-joel

dlplumer · February 2, 2010

kdog wrote:

Great stuff, Ron. I think I like #2 the best. I give you a lot of credit for making this trip. Your preparation and effort really paid off.

Cheers,
-joel

Yeah, the two of you are "extreme landscape shooters" which is, in my opinion, a tough sport

schmoo · February 2, 2010

coscorrosa wrote:

Like I mentioned to other people there if I lived near the bay area I'd be making at least 6 trips a year to Yosemite.

Uhh yeah I think I need to get a move on this, especially as I've never been to Yosemite (except passing through)... :uhoh

These shots are so gorgeous and I can only imagine it was even more breathtaking in real life. The clouds and mist you captured there in particular are poifect.

Your persistence is really inspiring! I'm so glad I can live vicariously though at least one photographer who is perfectly willing to take a 15 hour road trip for a weekend. (My husband thinks I'm nuts if I want to drive 2 hours for a photo.

)

LaurieH · February 2, 2010

I love them all, but #2 is the one that made me go "WOW!"

GovMule · February 2, 2010

Beautiful shots Ron. Really like 1 & 2,particularly #2.

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

anwmn1 wrote:

Great stuff Ron.

Going to have to pick up a pair of those snow tracks for boots.

Very useful for packed snow and ice, not so useful for deep snow, I need to order another pair as near the end of the trip I broke one of them.

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

kdog wrote:

Great stuff, Ron. I think I like #2 the best. I give you a lot of credit for making this trip. Your preparation and effort really paid off.

Cheers,
-joel

Thanks Joel, I got #2 on the first night, it spoiled me for the rest of the trip!

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

dlplumer wrote:

Yeah, the two of you are "extreme landscape shooters" which is, in my opinion, a tough sport

Except unlike golf you end up with something after you throw your clubs in the water.

coscorrosa · February 2, 2010

schmoo wrote:

Uhh yeah I think I need to get a move on this, especially as I've never been to Yosemite (except passing through)... :uhoh

WHAT!? Where's the smack button? Are you telling me you moved to SF for something besides being closer to Yosemite?

I might make a return trip in spring to get the waterfalls at their peak.

schmoo wrote:

These shots are so gorgeous and I can only imagine it was even more breathtaking in real life. The clouds and mist you captured there in particular are poifect.

Your persistence is really inspiring! I'm so glad I can live vicariously though at least one photographer who is perfectly willing to take a 15 hour road trip for a weekend. (My husband thinks I'm nuts if I want to drive 2 hours for a photo. )

To be fair, it was for a full week and not just the weekend (although I did 12 hours to Yellowstone/Grand Teton for a weekend...). The photographs are just an (often futile) attempt to capture the experience, which is the real reason to go to begin with. And what's wrong with being nuts?