DJLee

storm over Half Dome

A storm in Yosemite National Park meant that Half Dome was covered with clouds and barely visible. But for about ten minutes, the rain lifted, a bit of light s...
Read more

A storm in Yosemite National Park meant that Half Dome was covered with clouds and barely visible. But for about ten minutes, the rain lifted, a bit of light shone through, and Half Dome was displayed in all of its grandeur.
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NIKON D750

settings

Aperture 9/1 ISO 320 Shutter 1/125 Focal Length 1050/10

upload_date

Jun, 2016

Views

1346

Likes

+150

Awards

Contest Finalist in Mountain Shapes Photo Contest

Winner in Half Dome Photo Challenge

Peer Award

+32

Top Choice

Absolute Masterpiece

Superb Composition

Magnificent Capture

Superior Skill

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Behind The Lens

Location

This image was taken in Yosemite National Park, near Sentinel Dome. On the drive to the site, a fierce storm developed, reducing visibility to near zero due to the rain and also the thick clouds at this elevation (around 8,000 feet). I parked near a place I hoped to be able to get a shot a Half Dome in the storm and then waited several hours until Half Dome became visible and the rain subsided somewhat. I wanted to capture the drama of the clouds swirling around Half Dome, and so I grabbed my camera, tripod, and umbrella for the short walk to the site where I took this photo.

Time

I took this image in the early afternoon, but the cloud cover was thick and there was no harsh afternoon light. At 8,000 feet, I was literally "in" the clouds and visibility was almost non-existent. But I knew that if I was patient, a clearing in the clouds would eventually come and that this would provide me an opportunity to photograph Half Dome in the storm.

Lighting

Even though it was still raining, I knew that the moment for photographing Half Dome in the storm had arrived when a bit a light began to filter through the clouds. The light not only added visibility but also, and importantly, drama. It was shifting quickly with the fast moving clouds and lasted less than 5 minutes, which meant that I had to work quickly. As the light framed the dome, I took several shots before it moved on and the dome was once again shrouded in darkness.

Equipment

I shot this image with my Nikon D750 and a 105mm Nikon lens. I choose this longer lens because I mainly wanted to capture the dome itself and not the surrounding landscape. Although the 105mm is a macro lens, it also works great for landscapes and for this reason I always have it with me for the flexibility it provides. I didn't have time to fiddle with filters or flash. I used my Gitzo Traveller 2 tripod and an umbrella to keep the rain off my camera and lens.

Inspiration

I had not planned to photograph Half Dome the day I took this image. Instead, I had planned to do some macro photography in the forest. However, as the storm developed, I changed my mind. Half Dome was nearby and it is magnificent. Although Half Dome has been photographed a zillion times, the storm provided an opportunity to see this dome differently than it is usually seen in photographs. The storm added to the drama that the dome naturally possesses.

Editing

The image was already mostly monochromatic, but I converted it to black and white, added a bit of contrast, did some dodging and burning, sharpened the dome a bit, and cropped off some of the right side of the image. I like the uncropped version, which shows more of the surrounding landscape, but it tells a different story. This image is about the dome itself--stately and magnificent as the storm swirls around it.

In my camera bag

My bag is always quite full! I carry either my Nikon D750 or D810 and three lenses. The lenses I carry vary depending on what I plan to photograph, but usually my bag contains a long lens, a medium range lens, and a wide-angle lens. My bag also includes for each lens a polarizing filter and a graduated neutral density filter. For the wide angle lens, I also carry several neutral density filters--3 stop, 6 stop, and 10 stop. Of course, the bag also includes essentials such as extra batteries and cards, lens cloths, allen wrenches, duct tape, a plastic bag or small umbrella to protect the camera in rain, my cell phone, and snacks (nuts and chocolate).

Feedback

Getting this image required patience--waiting out the storm until the right moment arrived. It also required flexibility--this was not what I had planned to photograph and yet the circumstances changed and I looked for new photographic opportunities within those new circumstances. With flexibility also comes being prepared for various circumstances, including harsh weather. I absolutely needed an umbrella over my camera and lens to get this shot, and if this was not in my camera bag, the shot would not have happened.

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DJLee

DJLee

storm over Half Dome

A storm in Yosemite National Park meant that Half Dome was covered with clouds and barely visible. But for about ten minutes, the rain lifted, a bit of light s... Read more

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow DJLee

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A storm in Yosemite National Park meant that Half Dome was covered with clouds and barely visible. But for about ten minutes, the rain lifted, a bit of light s...
Read more

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.