Yosemite Valley lit by the setting moon, with Jupiter above, Yosemite NP, California
I’ve been working on my presentation The Magic of Moonlight for the Night Photo Summit next weekend. While going through some of my moonlit images from the past I found this set, all from the night of December 19th and 20th, 2015.
Thinking about that night brings back some great memories. A winter storm started clearing around 9:00 p.m., so I headed up to Yosemite Valley, knowing that the two-thirds full moon was due to set at 1:45 a.m., and as it sank I might find some beautiful, low-angle moonlight to go along with that clearing storm.
As the storm cleared I saw more and more stars, with clouds and mist still wrapped around the cliffs. And the light got better and better as the moon sank to the west, casting a warm glow onto the cliffs – just like sunset, but at night, with stars in the sky. I moved to several locations around the valley, ending up at Tunnel View as the last light lingered on the cliffs and finally faded.
I love moonlight – under the right conditions. In my presentation next weekend I hope to open people’s eyes to some of the wonderful creative possibilities that moonlight offers, and add some practical advice about how to plan, expose, and process moonlit images. That will be just one of the many presentations at the Night Photo Summit, and I’m looking forward to seeing as many as I can from the other instructors. If you’d like to join us, follow this link:
Night Photo Summit, February 2-4, 2024
I hope to see some of you there!
— Michael Frye
Half Dome, North Dome, and the Merced River by moonlight, Yosemite NP, California
Gates of the Valley by moonlight, Yosemite NP, California
Star trails over Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View, Yosemite NP, California. I made this after the moon had set, but there was still a lingering, post-moonset glow.
Related Posts: Join Me Again at the Night Photo Summit!; Gates of the Valley by Moonlight
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, and appeared in publications around the world. 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.
These are wonderful. I especially like the B&W one. If it had been in your yearly vote, I would have picked it :-).
Looking forward to your talk at the conference.
Thanks Doug! Glad you like that image, and I’ll “see” you at the conference.
Wow, these are magical! It’s amazing how well Jupiter can be seen through the clouds, really cool.
Thank you Gina!
Wow these are gorgeous
Thanks Anil!
Beautiful images. And from view of the road in the last one, it looks like you were not alone in the park that night,
Thanks Roland! It would be impossible to have Yosemite completely to yourself, but car lights were few and far between that night.
I am amazed Michael! The ‘Yosemite Valley’ could I ask how long the exposure? Great shot!
Thanks Randy! I assume you mean the first photo. That was 20 seconds at f/2.8 or f/2.4, ISO 6400. I’m not positive about the aperture since that was made with my old Rokinon 24mm lens, which doesn’t have an electronic connection with the camera, and doesn’t record EXIF data.
Yes I was referring to the first photo. Interesting setting by the moon lit with ISO 6400.
With the moon so low to the horizon it was very dim, so it’s essentially the same settings as you’d use for dark, moonless skies.
Great talk at Night Photo Summit! It’s a talk, I’ll be listening multiple times. Thanks for the insight and inspiration.