Fog and Negit Island, sunrise, Mono Lake, California

On our way home from Montana last month, Claudia and I stopped for the night in Lee Vining (near Mono Lake, just east of Yosemite). We met our friends Charlotte and Gary Gibb there, and had dinner with them at the Whoa Nellie Deli.

It was raining – the first significant weather we’d encountered on our whole trip. Then, just before sunset, the rain stopped, and we saw signs of clearing, so we rushed out to the shore of Mono Lake to catch the sunset. While we didn’t see the sun breaking through, we caught a nice sunset glow over the lake:

Mono Lake at sunset, California

We met Charlotte and Gary early the next morning, and drove to a spot where we could see out over the lake. In the dim, predawn light it appeared that there were low clouds in places – or maybe even fog! So we drove to another lakeside overlook with a view of Negit Island.

I’ve spent a lot of time around Mono Lake, but rarely seen extensive, low-level fog over the water. In February of 2023 we photographed Poconip fog there, but that was a thicker, persistent fog, where the sun struggled to break through, and then only late in the morning. This was different. We saw a large bank of low, broken clouds over much of the lake, but also tendrils of fog lifting off the surface.

For the next hour or so we watched a beautiful sunrise unfold, with an early pink glow on the mist and clouds, then sunlight breaking through. Then, at a point when the light seemed less interesting (at least temporarily), we decided to drive up higher to get an overview. More fun ensued as we looked out over the fog and low clouds covering the lake.

The whole morning was an unexpected treat. We had stopped in Lee Vining mostly to see friends, and ended up catching a special sunrise at one of my favorite, familiar places. You just never know.

— Michael Frye

Negit Island with fog at sunrise, Mono Lake, California

Sunlight breaking through fog, Mono Lake, California

Clouds and fog breaking up at sunrise, Mono Lake, California

Fog and clouds, Mono Basin, California

Fog, clouds, and rock formations, Mono Basin, California

Related Posts: Poconip Fog; The Light and Colors of Mono Lake; Moods of Mono Lake

Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He lives near Yosemite National Park in California, but travels extensively to photograph natural landscapes in the American West and throughout the world.

Michael uses light, weather, and design to make photographs that capture the mood of the landscape, and convey the beauty, power, and mystery of nature. His work has received numerous awards, including the North American Nature Photography Association’s 2023 award for Fine Art in Nature Photography. Michael’s photographs have appeared in publications around the world, and he’s the author and/or principal photographer of several books, including Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters, and The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite.

Michael loves to share his knowledge of photography through articles, books, workshops, online courses, and his blog. He’s taught over 200 workshops focused on landscape photography, night photography, digital image processing, and printing.