Have a chance to go out to Yosemite in late April ... any advice\suggestions greatly appreciated. Like best time of day, best things to see and photograph. I'll have one full day ... sunrise to sunset. I'm thinking I'll drive around, see as much as I can from easily accessed lookout areas, a few short hikes, etc.

Get Michael Frye's book. It's a pretty handy guide and it's small enough to fit in your camera bag.

If you have never been to The Valley before...

... do get Michael Frye's book.

... go ahead and shoot "icons" - they are icons for a reason, and you have to start somewhere.

... waterfalls won't be anywhere near their peak but they should be quite photogenic nonetheless.

... early morning is tough in The Valley. Some possibilities include the El Capitan Meadow area, other Valley meadows, or even areas outside of the Valley itself.

... depending upon conditions, shooting inside some of the forested areas and/or along steep cliff walls in the shade can be decent in the middle hours of the day.

... although it is a photographic cliche, if you have never done it before DO watch the sunset from Wawona Tunnel View. (If you are a hiker and don't mind a bit of a climb, the trail to Inspiration Point begins right across the road from here, and Inspiration Point provides an equally stupendous view but with solitude.)

Dan

Thanks for the suggestions! I can not seem to find Michael Frye's book anywhere ... al least on line. I'll check local bookstores.

Sounds like sunset is a better than sunrise for what's open this time of year, unless I get lucky and more areas are open. This is my first time there ... always wanted to see it, but could never justify the extra time away from home to do it. This time it works out so I have day ...

I was just up there about 3 weeks ago and the local bookstores are sold out of the book so you will need to find a used copy of Michael Frye's book they are in the process of releasing a new one shortly.

patriot wrote:
Sounds like sunset is a better than sunrise for what's open this time of year, unless I get lucky and more areas are open.



Correct, however, don't let that stop you from trying. Because of the shape and orientation of the valley you are much more likely to see a dramatic sunset than sunrise but that doesn't mean that it's not possible to see a good one. It all depends on the atmospheric conditions that you're dealt.

If this is your first time, this is what I'd do (assuming a typical sunny day):

Tunnel view and Valley view are both good places to start pre-dawn. Shortly after the sun starts to hit the top of El Capitan, I'd head to El Cap meadows for a little while and then to Cook's meadow.

By the time you shoot in Cook's meadow for a while the sun should be starting to light up the base of Yosemite falls; a likely rainbow opportunity.

By mid-morning, the light will be getting pretty hot so it's a good time to stop for breakfast. The Degnan's deli in the Village or the food court at the Lodge are decent. Take some time to walk around the village and go visit the Ansel Adams Gallery.

What you'll be looking for after breakfast is shade mostly. Ferm Spring, Bridal Veil falls and the streams below it are good bets for mid-day and early afternoon. During the day take some time to just soak in the park. Unless you've got really special conditions the shooting won't be great. Hike up to Vernal falls, Happy isles or Mirror Lake. There's always stuff there to shoot.

Towards the later afternoon you need to start deciding what the weather is going to give you. Tunnel View is the classic grand vista but unless you have clouds it's not very dramatic. Consider Valley View or Sentinel Bridge as options.

If you were able to move your trip to the first weekend in May you'd have a full moon. The white granite walls of the valley light up wonderfully in moonlight. Cathedral Beach and El Cap Meadows are great places to try out moonlight photography. It'd also be a nice chance to catch the lunar rainbow on Yosemite falls.

Don't consider this an itinerary. There's a ton of shooting to be had. This is just what I'd do if I were taking someone there for the first time.

Cheers,
Doug

Thanks Doug!

Does anyone have an opinion on these: I saw a photography tour from the Ansel Adams gallery ... says the photographer is a pro, plus a former Yosemite park ranger. On waterfalls.

I've never taken the photo walk. If you have time during the day it might not be bad. It's really geared more toward tourists. I think you might have better luck on your own but it'd be informative.

Water falls should be pretty decent. Whether they'll be at their peak depends on weather leading up to your visit.

Late April is good only for waterfalls. Not that that is a small consideration, but the rest of the park is still not open, and the valley is not green yet. Sunsets can be good depending on the cloud conditions, but I have found sunrises are not that spectacular in the valley. You can get good sunrise shots on specific locations, like Vernal Fall, Yosemite Falls and El Capitan, but the Yosemite sunset is a far better thing to pursue than sunrises. (If you disagree, I'm open to be corrected. State your case)

But make no mistake; the end of April will present you with literally endless opportunities to shoot waterfalls, large and small. And you don't need a guide to show you. Just open your eyes.

Phil I don't disagree that sunsets are generally better. That said, if you're going to be in the park, it's stupid to not be in position for sunrise should you get a good one. If you're still in bed it's a 100% percent certainty that you won't get the shot.

I was there with a workshop a couple years ago during a big snow storm. One morning we went out, in the dark, in the snow and dutifully stood in place and waited. Shortly before sunrise the storm started to clear and we had an amazing morning. Snow in the trees, classic clearing storm, everything that you could've hoped for. There was another workshop group staying at our hotel. They decided to skip sunrise because the leader thought that it "wasn't going to happen."

Moral to the story. You've always wanted to go. You're finally getting the chance. You can grab those extra couple hours of sleep when you get home.

Cheers,
Doug

Yosemite Valley is certainly more challenging at sunrise than sunset. However there are always opportunities available. As someone who has published a book on Yosemite & The Eastern Sierra, my advice would be (especially for a Valley sunrise) to not get caught up or stuck on the idea of photographing any particular subject or location. Instead, concentrate on photographing anything you see in interesting or appropriate light. That could be first light on the North American Wall, sunrise behind Half Dome, trees in morning mist, or deer in a meadow - whatever "light" catches your eye, then find the right subject to go with the light. Get an early start, and take a drive around the valley floor. Some of the best default spots would be the south-side drive across from El Cap, or North side drive near Cathedral Rock.

You can see a few Valley sunrise shots in my recently updated
Yosemite Print Collection

Cheers, Good Luck, & Have Fun.

I just finished conducting a workshop in Yosemite with Brian Rueb and we used the early morning light to capture reflections of El Cap and other scenes. The falls were flowing a fair amount...I'd have to guess with current conditions that the falls, by late April, will be flowing well.

here's a recap of the workshop if anyone is interested:

http://stephenoachs.com/photography-workshop-yosemite-march-2009.php

beerguy wrote:
The Degnan's deli in the Village or the food court at the Lodge are decent.


Kinda' depends on your definition of "decent." ;-) I'm still recalling the breakfast "turkey/egg croissant" from Degnans that featured what might be described as "pre-cooked egg product" with a couple slices of cheap sandwich meat... with the separating sheet of paper still between them... Gack!

But, like you, I do tend to start shooting very early and continue until at least the midmorning, at which point I go looking for coffee.

I like your description of more or less "following the sun" in the morning - that is a strategy that I often use when I start very early in the day. I actually also make a plan of shooting in some areas where there is NO direct sun just yet - certain subjects can be quite interesting when shot in this very soft light.

Take care,

Dan

patriot wrote:
Thanks Doug!

Does anyone have an opinion on these: I saw a photography tour from the Ansel Adams gallery ... says the photographer is a pro, plus a former Yosemite park ranger. On waterfalls.

I you already know what you are doing as a photographer, and if you are only there for one day, I think it would be more rewarding to get right down to the business of making photographs.

I'm sure that the folks doing these tours are well-qualified and do a fine job, but with limited time you might discover that you finished the "tour" introduction and then had virtually no time left to shoot.

Plus, with only one day, you will definitely not exhaust obvious photographic opportunities in the Valley.

Dan

danmitchell wrote:
Kinda' depends on your definition of "decent." ;-)



It'll keep you alive and you probably won't throw up.

Cheers,
Doug

patriot wrote:

Does anyone have an opinion on these: I saw a photography tour from the Ansel Adams gallery ... says the photographer is a pro, plus a former Yosemite park ranger. On waterfalls.

Yeah, I signed up and went on one with my wife & kids. It was kind of a "just for giggles" and see what it was like. It was only a few hours, and it was very much targeted to the basic tourist - the type that owns a lower end dslr and a tripod, but the tripod as almost never touched dirt. Simple concepts like framing and composition, sun over the shoulder, etc..

Dan's correct, if you have a solid grasp of shooting, skip it, and just start taking pics on your own.

Submitted IMHO

Cheers,

Gary

Thanks for all the great feedback! I think I'll save the $185 and take notes from the suggestions here plus what other research provides, and make my own plan. Hope to find Michael Freye's book ... maybe I'll get lucky and find one in a local bookstore out here on the East Coast.

I'm an amatuer ... not very good at landscapes, but I've been working on that. I think I do better with people and theater. My sister is an artist, however, and has a good eye for landscape. She's given me a few pointers, so maybe I'll get some advice from her. I've been looking at the great work on this site, as well as the links provided in this thread ... very impressive work!

Here are a few of my better examples

beerguy wrote:
danmitchell wrote:
Kinda' depends on your definition of "decent." ;-)



It'll keep you alive and you probably won't throw up.

Cheers,
Doug

OK, can't argue with that. But there was a PIECE OF PAPER in my breakfast croissant! ;-)

But speaking of Degnans'... Has anyone else been going to The Valley long enough to remember buying a bucket of fries at Degnan's? Good starving student food as I recall. Hey, anything qualifies as food at a certain age.

Dan

Morning shots: Leidig meadow, looking west towards Cathedral Rocks. Or on the southside Drive, East of the El Cap crossover, park at the turnout with two trees in it, and walk down to the river's edge for a spectacular view of El Capitan, with reflections in the Merced River.

El Cap meadow is good, too.

Alternately, with this warm weather we've been having, I'd say that there's a good chance the Western Sierra Dogwoods may be blooming by then.

Washington Column from Stoneman Meadow at the east end of the valley, adjacent to Curry Village also makes for good morning photography, to the right of the Royal Arches just east of the Ahwahnee Hotel.

Stoneman Meadow is also a great place to shoot Half Dome at sunset if the crowds are too much at Tunnel View or Sentinel Bridge.

Best value for your money to eat is the buffet at Curry Village. And Dan, quit complaining about the paper on your croissant. The real issue is that the croissant probably tasted like leather!

As for the photography tour, my best friend Christine runs the Tues and Thursday walks. She is a pro, and she is a part time interpretive ranger. Definitely it looks like you have a handle on landscape photography, so unless you'd like to hear about some rather basic stuff and be shown a couple of places that Ansel Adams shot from, you can skip it.

BTW, second shot in your line up--Beavertail Lighthouse in Jamestown RI? Well, not the lighthouse, but those rocks remind me of the ones along the shore around the lighthouse.

Holy crap! You've got an infestation of purple loose strife, BIG TIME. Not a good thing, that stuff is invasive as hell and will choke waterways.

All your shots look like Rhode Island, dude. Makes me a wee bit homesick, it does.

Send me an email with your arrival time, and I'll try to drop off my copy of Michael Frye's book at the front desk of the Yosemite Lodge for you to use. I've pretty much memorized it, anyway. I'll book mark my suggestions for you if I have to work that day, if not, I'll be happy to show you around the best spots.

In closing, John Muir once was asked what he'd do in Yosemite if he only had one day to visit. His reply: "Madam, if I only had one day in Yosemite, I'd sit by the river and cry."

Edie Howe wrote:
Best value for your money to eat is the buffet at Curry Village. And Dan, quit complaining about the paper on your croissant. The real issue is that the croissant probably tasted like leather!

Hah! I wasn't going to mention that. I was so hungry that I finally managed to choke the thing down. No, I did not eat the paper.

Good point on the buffet. When I was there in November I was not at all hopeful about the little dinners they were selling at the pizza place at Curry, but it actually wasn't bad.

Of course, if you are wealthy and have a few hours to kill you could do brunch at the Ahwahnee. Someone took there once. Two hours later I emerged, very well fed.

For those who don't know, Edie knows her Valley locations. Lucky gal - she lives there. :-)

Dan

Yikes, I'm headed to Yosemite around the 2nd week of April. From this thread it sounds like much of the park will still be closed? I'm assuming due to unplowed roads or First timer here, will it be possible without chains?
We are going to Death Valley the 1st week of April and then up to Mono Lake before heading into Yosemite. Probably the long way around as I know Tioga Rd will be closed. Am I living in a fantasy world or can Yosemite be done this early in the Spring?

Wesdot:

The valley itself is OPEN. Very little snow on the ground now, and chances are any more snow we get won't stick around. What's closed are the roads at higher elevations; Glacier Point is accessible by X-country skiing, but it's 10 miles from the "trailhead", i.e. the parking lot at Badger Pass, out to the point. If you're up for a longish walk, the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees is two miles from the south entrance parking lot, but by then there's a chance that the road will be open and you can drive right in.

Yes, Tioga Pass is closed. You'll prolly have to travel up to 88 to traverse the Sierra Nevada, a lovely ride with some great photo ops along the way.

Time your trip if possible to hit Mono Lake at sunrise, leave Death Valley at night, and arrive at the South shore Tufa area at dawn. Sunrise is spectacular there. Then you can hit Lee Vining for some breakfast, possibly catch a nap, then head up to one of the northern passes.

I'd recommend taking CA highway 49 down from Jackson; Lots of privately run caverns/caves in that area if you're into such things--a bit commercial, but still an incredible sight. If you're at the very first tour in the morning on a weekday, sometimes they'll let you bring a tripod if there are no other visitors. Chaw Se Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park has campsites that are open for $15 a night. That's just east of Jackson off Highway 88 near Volcano.

LOTS of things to photograph in Yosemite in April. Things will be starting to bloom.

As for chains, by state law you MUST carry chains if you are going over any of the passes. You probably won't need to put them on that late in the season, but you still have to have them.

Hope this helps,
Edie

You'll be able to get to the Valley without problems in all likelihood. (You could get a snow shower over the higher routes from the north or south if a front comes through.) The Valley is open all year round, with only occasional road closures for extreme situations.

Tioga Pass Road will very definitely still be closed so there is no way you will get there through the park from the east side unless you want to ski in from Mammoth or Lee Vining... ;-) E.g - if you want to get to the Valley from Mono Lake you will have a very long drive ahead of you. You'll likely need to go north on 395 to eventually find your way over highway 88 (Carson Pass) and then south to Yosemite.

The road to Glacier Point will still be closed.

Dan

I think it's totally wrong to infer that sunrise in Yosemite is some ugly step sister compared to sunset. Think about it, yes there are the classic sunset locations at Tunnel View and Half Dome from Stonemans Bridge, but already mentioned there are cool meadow shots, cool shots of El Capitan, and as Doug mentioned we still always shoot sunrise from up at Tunnel View. Why would we do it if it produces such inferior shots? In fact I have seen Phil up there shooting, so why do it, if it's so lousy?

Now maybe that's not everyone's intention by saying that sunset is better then sunrise, but what does better mean? I will say, and stand up here loud and clear and shout to the world in my best Edie imitation and state that sunrise in Yosemite Valley is every bit as good as sunset!

Jim

Thanks for all the great info! Man, you know RI! Yes that's Beavertail ... one of my favorite spots. Born and raised in RI ... sounds like you too? Here's one of the lighthouse: