Cloud formation reflected in a pond, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite NP, CA, USA
Claudia and I did head up to the high country yesterday afternoon, and found some great clouds. We drove through a nice downpour near Crane Flat, then continued up to Tuolumne Meadows, where I photographed a beautifully-shaped cloud reflected in one of the ponds (above). Later a storm cell formed over the peaks to the east, creating another dramatic cloud formation (below). That cell gradually dissipated, but some clouds still lingered until sunset (the last photo below). It was a really fun afternoon – I’m glad I finally made it up there!
— Michael Frye
Clouds and peaks reflected in a pond in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite NP, CA, USA
Clouds and reflections at sunset, Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite NP, CA, USA
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to this blog and get every new post delivered right to your inbox!
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, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, 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 has 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.
Dramatic clouds and still water — how lucky can you get!
Lucky indeed – thanks Monika!
Such beautiful images, Michael.
My initial reaction, too, was “how lucky”, but a moment’s though made me realise that you often make your own luck. It was your knowledge of the area that put you there when conditions were right, and your skill and experience that brought the shots home.
A couple of questions, if I may.
Did you immediately realise that the first image would be dynamite in B/W, or did you tinker around with it first?
The middle image has a bit of an HDR look about it (to me). Is it HDR, or did you do it all in one shot with LR?
Thanks for keeping the inspiration coming.
Thanks Geoff. I don’t know if I immediately thought of making the first image black and white, but it didn’t have much color, so it wasn’t a big leap to think of converting it. No, I didn’t use HDR on the middle image. Everything in that photo is in the sun, so the contrast was actually quite low. I used a slight s-curve on it, that’s all. The other two photographs are actually much more contrasty, though I didn’t use HDR on either of those either – just Lightroom with the Highlights and Shadows sliders.
Thanks Michael. I’m working my way through your LR5 tutorials, and it’s great to be able to pick your brain!