Yosemite Valley at dusk with stars and Jupiter, Yosemite NP, California. This storm cleared just after sunset. It was dark enough for stars to appear, but with a post-sunset glow still lingering on El Capitan. 25mm, 10 seconds at f/4, ISO 2000.
We’ve stayed close to home this month, but I’ve been making lots of photographs. I previously posted photos of fog in the foothills, and ice in Yosemite. But I’ve also been able to photograph Yosemite with clearing storms, and mist, and a moonrise, and with just ordinary, beautiful winter light.
Yosemite Valley is small – only seven square miles. This tiny area is renowned for its grand scenery, but it also contains a wonderful variety of beautiful details and intimate landscapes. No matter how many times I go back, I always find new things to photograph – or find that the same spots look new, and different, under different conditions. There’s always something to photograph there, if I look.
Here’s a sampling of photos I’ve made in Yosemite this month. I might include some of these with my end-of-the-year nominees. And there are a few more that I haven’t included here, but might make that list. We’ll see! I’ll be posting the nominees on New Year’s Eve.
— Michael Frye
Moon, Half Dome, and cottonwood trees, Yosemite NP, California. During our December workshop we photographed the moon rising above Half Dome, with some late-day sunlight on the cottonwood trees in the foreground. The light on Half Dome and position of the moon were very reminiscent of Ansel Adams’s photograph Moon and Half Dome. (Though Ansel was closer, on the other side of the meadow, and further left; trees have grown since then and partially blocked that view.) 70mm, 1/90 sec. at f/11, ISO 100.
Misty morning, Half Dome and El Capitan, Yosemite NP, California. From a late-morning clearing storm two days ago. 100mm, 1/250 sec. at f/11, ISO 100.
Reflections in the Merced River, Yosemite NP, California. I made this in early December, just prior to our workshop, in the early afternoon. The gold color in the water is a reflection of sunlit cliffs across the valley. 34mm, 4 seconds at f/16, ISO 100, ND filter.
Backlit oak, Yosemite NP, California. During the workshop we made it a point to visit this area while the sun passed through a gap in the cliffs and backlit a grove of oaks. 73mm, three bracketed exposures, two stops apart (1/200, 1/45, and 1/10 sec.) at f/16, ISO 100, blended with Lightroom’s HDR Merge.
Sugar pine in snow, Yosemite NP, California. Most of the December storms have been too warm for snow in Yosemite Valley, but on this day we drove up higher along Highway 41 to find snow, and fog lingering in valleys below. 324mm, 1/4 sec. at f/16, ISO 100.
Mist and El Capitan, Yosemite NP, California. We had some beautiful clearing-storm conditions on the second-to-last day of our workshop. I used a telephoto lens to isolate this section of the Nose of El Capitan. 187mm, 1/90 sec. at f/11, ISO 100.
Clearing storm, El Capitan, Yosemite NP, California. A wider view of El Cap on the same afternoon, with beautiful light and mist. 24mm, 1/125 sec. at f/11, ISO 100.
Related Posts: Yosemite Ice; Foothill Fog
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.
I love all the photos, you always capture the magic mix of stern beauty and poetic lights, textures, and lines of this place.
The Moon, Half-Dome and cottonwood trees look like a Japanese stamp carved with silver lines- absolutely beautiful!
Thanks so much!
Hi Michael,
I just love that stand of cottonwoods. Wonderful series of photos! You are so fortunate to live so close to Yosemite.
Thanks so much Vivienne!
Another fantastic and inspirational portfolio, sir! Very nice lighting, atmosphere and comps, as always. This portfolio had me wanting to go back and take a look at your Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite and I noticed the App was down so I tried looking for my personal hard copy of the book and couldn’t find that as well. So I bought another used copy off amazon. I feel like a lost desperate religious person who can’t find a copy of the Bible.. ha! cheers and happy holidays to you and the Mrs.
Thanks very much for all the kind words Joseph, and LOL about the “Bible!” 🙂
What a beauty! As I was studying your photos, I see you mostly shoot at f/16 or f/11. Happy New Year!