Sunset over Yosemite Valley with Cathedral Rocks, El Capitan, and Horsetail Fall, Yosemite NP, CA, USA
When I posted this photograph of Horsetail Fall and the sunset over Yosemite Valley a couple of weeks ago, many people asked about purchasing prints. Well I’m happy to announce that The Ansel Adams Gallery has decided to offer this image at a discounted price as part of their “Unique Offer” series. For a limited time you can get signed, numbered, matted, limited-edition prints of this photograph at 25% off the normal price, in three different sizes: 13×20, 16×24, and 20×30. My 13×20 prints normally sell for $325, but during this sale they are only $244. The retail price for my 16×24 prints is usually $475, but for a limited time they’re only $356. And while my 20×30 prints are normally priced at $750, during this sale they’re $562.
The sale lasts one week, ending at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 19th. Visit the Ansel Adams Gallery website to purchase a print or get more details.
Here’s a condensed version of the story behind this photograph. You can read the full story in this post.
Sunset over Yosemite Valley (shown above)
I had been to this spot perhaps a dozen times over the years during Horsetail Fall season (that week or so in February when this slim waterfall is backlit by the setting sun), hoping for some interesting clouds and a moment when the sun would break through and light the waterfall. But each time the hoped-for combination of light and clouds failed to materialize. The odds seemed low on this afternoon as well, as there were thick clouds to the west, but there was a small chance the sun could break through and create the kind of light I was looking for.
When I reached my location I saw plenty of clouds, but also spotted a thin strip of clear sky near the horizon, so there was some hope. At one point the underside of the clouds started to glow, and it looked like sunlight might crawl under those clouds and break through. But then the clouds thickened, and the glow dimmed.
About five minutes later, however, the strip of blue sky near the horizon grew larger. Then a beam of sunlight broke underneath the clouds and lit the very bottom of Horsetail Fall – only to fade, blocked by more clouds. After a few more minutes the beam returned, reached a little higher… and faded again.
But the clouds seemed to be breaking up a bit. A little while later sunbeams began fanning up from behind a cloud. Then, for the third time, a beam of light broke underneath the clouds and hit the bottom of Horsetail. This time the light kept moving upward until the whole waterfall was lit.
At this point it became difficult to believe what I was seeing. Was this really happening? Seriously? It looked like a scene from a dream. I’ve always thought Albert Bierstadt’s Yosemite paintings were unrealistic, but maybe not – maybe he really did see those things. After all, here was a Bierstadt painting before my eyes.
It was perhaps the most amazing light show I’ve ever seen. Our planet is always beautiful – always. But sometimes nature outdoes itself.
Related Posts: A Surreal Sunset
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.
Thanks for making my wish come true! I’m on it.
Beautiful image and location Michael, I was there on the southside dr spot at the time you took this shot from your off the beaten trail. I hope this spot makes it to your yosemite guide iOS app soon. I would love to shoot at this spot next year. There were so many people talking about similar spots like this one, and wish they knew how to get their. Since it was my first time capturing horsetail fall, i didn’t want to take the risk of getting lost and miss the chance of capturing horsetail falls trying to hunt for this valley scene. Congratulations, and Good luck on your sales 🙂
This is my second of my prized photos from you and I will treasure this even more. I have been to shoot Firefall before so this really means something to me. It is so different from all the other “same” shots because of the valley view and of course the sunset beams. I beg you not to reveal the spot because it will destroy the value of your masterpiece and people will trample a beeline to the spot and some might even get hurt trying. Somethings are best left unknown for the imagination. Thanks for enriching my collection Michael.
Thanks very much Karl. Don’t worry, I don’t plan to reveal the location.
Thanks, Michael for not posting the location. If you posted it, photographers from all four corners of the globe would make that the destination for next year’s Firefall. Nothing is kept a secret with the internet these days. The world needs secret spots to make us go out and search, and perhaps find our own special places…otherwise we’d stay at home, thinking all has been discovered and seen!
Well I bet there will be lots of photographers trying to find that location next year anyway, whether I post it or not. But I agree that it’s much more fun, and more satisfying, to discover these things on your own, rather than being told exactly where to go by someone else.
Fabulous stunning shot Michael! It already has my “hands-down” # 1 vote for “best picture of 2017! and perhaps eternity! Congratulations.
p.s. I agree with Karl – keep the spot hidden for all of us to dream and continue searching….
Thank you so much Paul!
I am interested in the dogwood status this year. My plan is to be there the first week in May for a week.
It’s way too early to know anything about dogwoods. At least they’ll be well watered, but beyond that everything depends on the weather. First week of May is a good bet, but the peak bloom can be earlier or later than that, and we won’t know whether it will be a good year or not until the bloom has started.