Cathedral Range, Yosemite 10328 ft. Before Dawn
Before First Light near Evelyn Lake in The Cathedral Range, Yosemite National Park.
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This is why they invented tripods. Even though technology has evolved exponentially in recent times it still hasn’t come close to what our eyes see. I lugged my trusty Gitzo up to almost 11,000ft so long exposures like this could be easily created. What’s even more fun is how each batch of film, or sensor, sees low level light. Playing with reciprocity has always fascinated me. It’s a gas to learn one’s craft well enough to be able to cut loose and “jam” with the light.
Enough technical talk. This amazing vista is from the same high plateau near Lake Evelyn and is almost facing dead west. The peak in the right background is Rafferty Peak. Upper Fletcher Lake, Vogelsang and Boothe Lakes are just below, and a tad over a mile past the ridge line in the foreground.
Here’s a view from the evening before except looking south over Lake Evelyn
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This particular morning was spectacular and unusually comfortable. A storm was coming in from the east and the air was warm for this place, perhaps in the low 40s. There was no breeze or sound at all. Even the marmots were still underground. The ground is rocky so the only sound I heard was my own footsteps as I crunched from one awesome spot to another. If there’s a Heaven someplace this has got to be about as close as you can get. My daily routine includes a massive dose of espresso as soon as i get out of bed. It’s my morning Puja. Just waking up here is enough though, it’s so over the top gorgeous I simply got up and didn’t think about caffeine for hours, no need. Yes!
I still intend to post a gallery of images from this recent trip; but, I got sidetracked working on this and a few other images. It’s easy (for me). There’s more to come.
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