patrickprager
FollowBeautiful Yosemite at sunset, with winter mist rising.
Beautiful Yosemite at sunset, with winter mist rising.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the famous "Gates of the Valley" view in Yosemite.Time
I have been visiting Yosemite for years, but have never been able to find time to see the amazing national park in winter. With this in mind, I packed up early on a January morning and knew I wanted to take a sunset photo of the valley with snow. During this time of year, the sun casts a fiery glow on the side of El Capitan as it gets lower in the sky.Lighting
As with all sunset photos, the light was changing by the minute. At around an hour before sunset, El Capitan was a golden yellow and the valley before me was a shade of blue. However I knew I wanted to fiery red, so I waited until about twenty minutes before the sun finally set to take my final photo. This produced the fiery red light on the mountainside and the purple colors in the misty valley.Equipment
This shot was taken with a Nikon D7100, the modest NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED lens, and an aluminum tripod.Inspiration
Being a California native, Yosemite is my inspiration when it comes to landscapes. I've had some photographic success during Yosemite's summer, but have never been able to make a trip during the winter months. I've always been awestruck at some of the photos I've seen of the snow covered park, and knew I had to find some time to see it. The "Tunnel View" is the natural choice for most photographers to capture the sweeping valley, but just down the road is the "Gates of the Valley" viewpoint which allows you to capture the beautiful flowing river and snow covered rocks, as well as the grand valley view we all love.Editing
I had used a neutral density filter during the shot, which allowed me to avoid a lot of work in post processing. I did adjust the highlight and shadow detail even with the filter, and boosted the vibrancy a bit to really bring out the amazing colors I was able to witness live. A final touch of dodge and burn, and that was it.In my camera bag
I'm only an enthusiast so I don't have much impressive gear, but I absolutely love my Nikon D7100. Even with the crop censor I feel like it allows me to capture some amazing photographs. Like every good landscape photographer, I always make sure to pack my tripod. As for lenses, I carry around NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G, which is prety amazing for a "kit" lens, as well as the NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G prime lens. I just added a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 which will allow me to capture those wide angle shots that alluded me previously.Feedback
Yosemite valley is pretty much a contained loop with amazing viewpoints and turnouts along the road. As it is such an oft-photographed location, the real magic comes with the different seasons and weather changes. Early morning can give you incredible misty shots in the morning glow, and sunset will cast it's light on the powerful granite walls. Also, don't forget about the storms. Summer brings thunderstorms that can leave dramatic clouds right after the storm clears, and winter brings snow to add another dimension to familiar landscapes.