A Different View of Horsetail Falls

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Archive 2008 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

David Leask
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p.2 #1 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Great angle Jim - I like the wider view - well done

David

Mar 06, 2008 at 08:48 PM

marschp
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p.2 #2 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Jim, Great shot and worth the effort. Paul.

Mar 06, 2008 at 10:13 PM

ajkessler
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p.2 #3 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Jim, I'd try and fix those highlights just a bit, but otherwise this is spectacular. Definitely one of the coolest Horsetail shots I've ever seen. I was tired of the closeups

Mar 06, 2008 at 11:49 PM

stanj
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p.2 #4 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

It's a view that I haven't seen before, and I like it very much. Seeing it in the whole context is a good thing, I like it better than the "common" close-ups. In general I do agree with the highlights comments, but overall it's very nicely executed.

Mar 07, 2008 at 12:34 AM

Randy Walton
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p.2 #5 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Hey Jim, sure I have a little accident and then you go and find this shot to get!

You got it all, Horsetail in the light and the reflection in the merced. Is this the little surprise? Great work my friend!
Randy

Mar 07, 2008 at 12:37 AM

Doug Otto
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p.2 #6 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

This is a nice image Jim. I'd be tempted to play with the cropping a smidge but it might be optimal right where it is.

Cheers,
Doug

Mar 07, 2008 at 01:29 AM

Chip Payet
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p.2 #7 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Never been to Horsetail Falls, but it seems to be an extremely popular place, and the pics are always beautiful. What makes the falls glow as if they're on fire like that?

Mar 07, 2008 at 02:24 AM

Chaz
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p.2 #8 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Chip Payet wrote:
What makes the falls glow as if they're on fire like that?

For approximately two weeks during February, the orbit of
the Earth around the Sun makes for a stunning display on El Capitan and
Horsetail Fall as the setting sun illuminates the thin, wispy ephemera of the
water while the remaining granite face of El Capitan remains in shade. Sort of
our own "Solstice at Stonehenge." For the wonderful "firefall" effect to be
seen two elements must be present - proper light and sufficient water.

Some years there is sufficient water from snow melt and/or warm rain but poor light (low clouds at the horizon) or no water but good light at sunset such that the thrill of the chase makes or breaks the year.

Galen Rowell's iconic 1973 photo was made after he and a Yosemite ranger came down from a technical climb and were near the picnic area at sunset when the stunning firefall appeared. Rowell pulled out his camera and scurried for position during the few minutes the effect was visible.

The rest is history and Rowell's photo has put us all on the chase for this annual ritual.

Mar 07, 2008 at 03:43 AM

Pazzaz
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p.2 #9 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

NICE shot, Jim. The AmerIndians must have thought of this as a sacred place.

Thanks for the explanation, and Rowell history lesson, Chaz. It must really be something to see this in person.

Mar 07, 2008 at 05:42 AM

Mark Metternich
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p.2 #10 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mar 07, 2008 at 06:13 AM

JimFox
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p.2 #11 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

dswiger wrote:
Jim,
Very nice shot.
I will have to wait til next year to try this view, but it was worth it for you.
I have a different kind of suggestion.
In addition to the toning down of the bright sky (one of my weaknesses),
I would suggest trying an abstract by doing a double-flip of the lower half.

Dan

Hey Dan,

Interesting idea on the double-flip... I will play with that later. The sky I will play with too, but the problem is when it is just that bright and burning through some tree's. You can underexpose it, but then that doesn't always end up looking real either... I did pull back on that area when I processed it. But I am glad to get the feedback, I will definately work on that area of the shot some more.

Make sure you give yourself enough time next year to shoot this. I usually plan 5 to 7 days here, because with the snow storms, etc... you just don't know when it will show. There were about a half dozen people I know last year and this that missed it by a day, just because it was snowing or it got overcast when they were here.

Jim

Mar 07, 2008 at 07:40 AM

JimFox
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p.2 #12 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

ajkessler wrote:
Jim, I'd try and fix those highlights just a bit, but otherwise this is spectacular. Definitely one of the coolest Horsetail shots I've ever seen. I was tired of the closeups

Thanks AJ, me too!

Mar 07, 2008 at 07:41 AM

Monito
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p.2 #13 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Great shot, Jim! I was there 11 days ago, and felt I was lucky to get the iconic shot from that location, but you went the extra step to the river and got a shot that puts mine to shame (lazy me)!

Welcome to FM NorCal, too!

Mar 07, 2008 at 11:44 AM

JimFox
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p.2 #14 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Chip Payet wrote:
Never been to Horsetail Falls, but it seems to be an extremely popular place, and the pics are always beautiful. What makes the falls glow as if they're on fire like that?

Hey Chip,

Chaz sure answered that good. I will add my 2 cents though.

The position of the sunset constantly moves, and there is a time, twice a year where when the sun is setting it skims across that face of El Capitan where the waterfall is. And in the end of Feb as the angle of the sun moves each day, it skims less and less of the face, until there is a point where it ends up missing the face of the rock basically when it is setting and only hits the waterfall, causing it to light up.

Course, that's what Chaz said, but I like the less technical description.

Jim

Mar 07, 2008 at 04:49 PM

JimFox
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p.2 #15 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

beerguy wrote:
This is a nice image Jim. I'd be tempted to play with the cropping a smidge but it might be optimal right where it is.

Cheers,
Doug

Thanks Doug. I will look at the cropping as I rework this shot a bit. I appreciate your thoughts!

Jim

Mar 07, 2008 at 04:51 PM

Doug Otto
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p.2 #16 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Don't read too much into that Jim. You did a Yeoman's job getting a shot that good through those trees. Just tossing out ideas.

Cheers,
Doug

Mar 07, 2008 at 05:06 PM

sunnyvalejohn
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p.2 #17 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Very nice shot Jim! Hope to run into you sometime up there!
Enjoy
John

Mar 07, 2008 at 05:23 PM

Fotos Del Rio
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p.2 #18 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

I've seen this view a dozen or more times. This shot really is super.

Mar 08, 2008 at 04:20 AM

pearlstreet
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p.2 #19 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

Gorgeous shot, Jim. I like the wide view of this scene. Great work!

Sharon

Mar 08, 2008 at 04:26 AM

pappy
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p.2 #20 · A Different View of Horsetail Falls

This is beautiful, Jim. I like your composition and that reflection is wonderful.

peter

Mar 08, 2008 at 05:21 PM

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