El Capitan and the Merced River during a clearing storm, Friday morning, Yosemite
A clearing storm in Yosemite Valley can be a memorable event, but not all clearing storms are equally photogenic. Some clear gradually, while others finish abruptly and spectacularly. Some storms clear at night, some in the middle of the day, but for photography you’d like the storm to clear just before sunrise or sunset.
Last Thursday, Yosemite Valley got two inches of rain, the first real precipitation in almost two months. Higher elevations got snow, and the temperature dropped enough to give the Valley a slight dusting at the tail end of the storm. The main part of the storm cleared around midday on Thursday – not the best time for photography, though still beautiful. But then showers resumed Thursday night, with the last of them moving through just before sunrise. Perfect timing.
My two brothers were visiting from Washington State, and the three of us rose early, drove up to Yosemite Valley, and headed for one of my favorite spots along the Merced River. The sun broke through the clouds and illuminated El Capitan briefly before the fog thickened and all the cliffs disappeared. But after about ten minutes El Cap re-emerged, the sun broke through, and we were treated to a classic Yosemite clearing storm. The first photograph here is probably my favorite from the morning, but I’ve posted a couple more images below, including a later image from Tunnel View – still a photogenic spot at 10:00 a.m.
We’ve seen a few showers since then, and the forecast calls for more precipitation this week – nothing major, but we’ll take it. There’s probably a foot of snow on top of El Capitan now, so prospects for Horsetail Fall later this month look better, though another foot or two of snow would be very helpful. The window for the best light on Horsetail Fall is around February 16-23, so there’s still some time. (For more about the light and conditions for photographing Horsetail Fall, go here and here.)
Did any of you photograph the clearing storm Friday morning in Yosemite? Or the midday break last Thursday? If so, I’d love to see some photos, so please post a link in the comments!
— Michael Frye
Midsection of El Capitan, Friday morning
El Capitan and Half Dome from Tunnel View, Friday morning, 10:03 a.m.
Related Posts: Could We Finally Get Some Rain?; The Best Time to Photograph Horsetail Fall, Revised; Horsetail Fall Questions
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Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom 5: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.
That first one is especially gorgeous. The glassy quality of the reflection really sets off well the beautiful light on clouds, behind the lower trees, making them seem to glow, and on El Capitan above. Very striking image.
Thanks very much Andrys!
Michael,
Beautiful photographs. I’m always inspired by how balanced and peaceful your photographs are. They are a big inspiration for my own work moving forward.
Thank you David!
Your blog and photography is so beautiful…I am learning from you and am grateful for your expertise and professional appearance website. Prayerfully, I would like to be as good as you, one day!
Thanks John — very kind of you.
Great shots. So peaceful and beautiful. I am glad that you are finally getting some moisture, even if right now it is just a drop in the bucket you need. Hope much more comes California’s way.
And there you go again, teasing me about Horsetail falls. I drove from Washington state last year to see it and was skunked for 5 days. My wife asked me about it this year and I said it will have to be a more sure thing than it appears to be now. Long drive to camp out in the cold for minimal chance of success. But it is always fun camping with my wife in Yosemite, her childhood playground.
So, who knows….
Thanks Aram. And not to tease you further or anything, but there’s more precipitation in the forecast for the next seven days:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=37.72836644908416&lon=-119.6136474609375&site=hnx&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text#.UvG1XTlfVBY
🙂
Michael,
I was at Yosemite at exactly the same time as you were. In fact, I think you were the three people just to the north of us when we took El Cap with the Merced River. We then moved on to Tunnel View around 10am. Missed you there, but there was a large group when we arrived. My shots can be viewed on my web site, not as perfect as yours, of course, but I keep trying. My one-day private workshop with you in December really helped me a lot to move forward in my photography. Thanks again for that opportunity. I’ve also signed up for a fall Sierra workshop.
Connie
http://www.cassinettophotos.com
Well it does look like we were at the same places at around the same time Connie. Sorry I missed you! When we drove up to Tunnel View I remember seeing someone photographing from the upper parking area (on the south side of the road), and I think that must have been you! I look forward to seeing you again in the fall, though it seems like I might run into you sooner. 🙂
“Nice” photos Michael – the B&W seems to have a bit more “drama” than the colors. It’s always a challange of mine to create “drama” in my landscapes. They seem to be the”keepers” as well. Joseph :o)
Thanks Joseph — glad you like the black and white.
Very nice Michael. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks John!
Gorgeous. I like the way Half Dome and El Cap both come through the clouds in the black and white. It’s just enough to identify them. We didn’t get to the Valley till Saturday, but there were some nice clouds around El Cap at sunset.
Thank you Kevin, and I’m glad to hear you made it up to the Valley this weekend.
Hi Michael,
I like all three…El Cap is certainly extra special with those swirling clouds around it! I think my favorite it the close up of the face. It could be anywhere, and yet I bet it’s still recognizable as El Cap.
Thanks Vivienne, and it’s nice that you appreciate that more abstract photo. 🙂
Hi Michael,
Ah, the crisp, cold air.
I love the middle one – a poetic evocation. Wonder about it in black and white?
Thanks Sharon! I tried it in black and white, preferred it in color.
Good Morning Michael,
Fog/clouds are a bit of a challenge for me – its the focusing bit. What technique do you use to insure tack sharp cloud images? I just “trial and error” it and then hope for the best. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Joseph
Joseph, there’s no such thing as a sharp cloud, as clouds don’t have well-defined edges. They’re soft, which is how people expect them to look in photographs. If other elements in the landscape look sharp, then the photograph will look sharp.
My friend Tom Horton and I read your blog last week and it encouraged us to spend time in Yosemite Friday with our cameras. Great day for us and I wanted to thank you. It is always amazing to me how you can stand next to someone and see such different things. What a wonderful day with rich opportunities. Really like your work.
Thanks Stephen, and I’m glad you made it up to Yosemite on such a beautiful day. Care to share a link with some of your photos?
Very nice captures! Wish I were there again! Love the low clouds and reflections. I have heard good things about Photo mechanic as a better viewer than LR. Do you have any experience with this program?
Thanks Karl. I’ve never used Photo Mechanic.
Beautiful shot, Michael! I was in the park last Thursday specifically aiming for a clearing storm shot after reading your last blog update about potentially getting some rain. After checking out the satellite view Thursday morning, it looked like the storm would break up a bit between 3 and 5 PM so I jumped in the car and drove SIX HOURS to get to the tunnel, shot for 90 minutes, and then drove six hours back home. It was a bit crazy, but I’ve been wanting to get a shot of the valley with some of those misty clouds on the valley floor ever since seeing some of your amazing shots a couple of years ago. For a while, there was only one other photographer while I was shooting and the storm broke just as we set up out tripods. By the time I left, it was already pouring again, but I took this final shot through the rain:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtsacprof/12287196163/
William, I’m glad you made it up to the park — looks like it was worth it!
Michael,
Here are a couple of mine from Friday morning. Thanks for the heads up on this. Had a great time and got some shots I like.
Kirby
http://www.flanaganfotos.com/Nature/Yosemite-2009-1/i-jBscDhj/0/M/El%20Capitan%20in%20the%20Clouds-Edit-M.jpg
http://www.flanaganfotos.com/Nature/Yosemite-2009-1/i-GtnZr2p/0/M/Clearing%20Storm%20Tunnel%20View-Edit-Edit-M.jpg
Hope the above links work. Haven’t tried to do this before.
Thanks for sharing those Kirby — I like the first one a lot. Glad you got to be there!
Yes, Michael you are right. but when you have broken clouds, how do you get the camera to focus on a hard object in the landscape, some distance away when the clouds are so close to that hard object. Its kinda like focusing in very low lighting – guess?
Thanks Michael – Joseph
Joseph, I’m having a hard time visualizing the scenario you’re talking about. As long as there’s something in the scene with an edge or texture, you should be able to autofocus on it. You may have to move your autofocus point. Or use manual focus.
Michael, can you report on the snow in the higher country? Enough to get around on skinny skis?
Thanks, -eric
Haven’t been up there Eric. Try calling the Badger Pass snow report: 209-372-1000, and then press 5.
Thank you, sir. I guess Badger is finally open 🙂