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Document Links > > February
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April Moonbow (Yosemite Valley at Night)
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The fantastic part of visiting Yosemite is that at any time of the year, you can expect the unexpected. Take this April for instance. I was all set to shoot the Moonbow during the limited window of time and conditions that create this phenomenon and skirted off to the park after a quick weekend at Kennedy Meadows for the trout season opening (someone forgot to remind the fish!). One of the keys to getting this shot is good weather on the night of the full moon, and as seems to have become a pattern, Yosemite lulls you into wonderful weather the days before and then hits you with one of her many twists. Like a full blown rain and snow storm. As I was in the park early to scope out the conditions, the waterfalls were pounding as hard as I have seen at that time of the year, so hard that just standing at the observation platform at lower Yosemite Falls was difficult given the hurricane force of wind and water! The first night I did not even bother to shoot since the lens would mist up within a few seconds. One door closes and the other opens. Night time on the valley floor was 4 hours of absolute fun.
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| Valley Floor |
El Cap |
Ribbon Falls |
Yosemite Blue |
Yosemite Falls |
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To prove that the weather was gorgeous, here are some shots from a day hike along the Mist Trail.
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| Half Dome Hat |
Mist Trail |
Vernal Falls |
Nevada Falls |
Liberty Cap |
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Finally some parting shots, and yes the Moonbow, a day before the full moon. It sometimes pays to go back and double check conditions.
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| Ahwahnee Trees |
Cascade Creek |
Pacman |
Valley Pine |
Moonbow! |
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February Firefall (Lemonade)
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February is a fickle time of year in the mountains and this year lived up to that reputation. Just a few weeks earlier there was so much snow that trees were toppling over from the weight of the white stuff. However, when Betsey and I arrived for this weekend, the valley floor was devoid of any significant snow depth but at least the peaks that surrounded us were trying their best. This time of the year brings a perfect storm of natural alignments that can produce a spectacular display of light, refraction and illusion. Aptly named, a "firefall explodes" from the outflow of Horsetail Falls as the setting sun shines through the canyon on it. The conditions have to be just right, and for the time I was there it was not to be!
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"A bad day at Yosemite is better than a good day anywhere else" -or-" There are no bad days at Yosemite!" Pick your poison, both apply. The weather was marginal, moving between rain, milky skies and less-than-optimum conditions for photography. However, it also creates the impulse to look away from the classic granite scenery and see parts of the park and scenes you miss when Yosemite is gleaming in all her glory. So, no firefall to add to my Collections but some hard fought for pictures using multiple exposures, looking down instead of up, and some flips to black-n- white.
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| Pacman |
Merced River |
Pine Needle Water |
Horsetail Falls |
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| Bridalveil with Leaning Tower and Gunsight |
Bridalveil with Leaning Tower and Gunsight (BW) |
Half Dome |
Half Dome (BW) |
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| Bridalveil Falls |
El Cap |
Yosemite Falls Sno-Cone |
Yosemite Falls Sno-Cone |
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Hope you have enjoyed this photo trip and as always, May our paths and errands meet...
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