cheljeajang

Yosemite: Fall

Went to Yosemite Valley to see the first snowfall but I ended up enjoying the last colors of fall so much and these amazingly calm reflections along the river. ...
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Went to Yosemite Valley to see the first snowfall but I ended up enjoying the last colors of fall so much and these amazingly calm reflections along the river. Definitely super calming being in the valley as most hikers leave and the weather starts cooling down
Read less

Canon EOS Rebel T6i

settings

Aperture f/11 ISO 100 Shutter 1/125 Focal Length 10/1

location

Yosemite Junction, California, US

upload_date

Sep, 2020

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Awards

Contender in the Photography Awards

Winter 23 Award

Action Award

Chatter Award

Summer Views Award

Contender in the Visual Poetry Project

Flawless Summer Award

Spring 23 Award

Gem Award

Achievement in Originality

Zenith Award

Top Pick Award

Staff Favorite

Halfway22 Award

Top Shot Award 22

Jewel Award

Curator's Selection

Judge Favorite

Hidden Gem Award

Spring 21 Award

Treasure Award

Legendary Award

Top Choice

Superb Composition

Absolute Masterpiece

Outstanding Creativity

Peer Award

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken in Yosemite National Park, one of my favorite locations here in California. The valley is absolutely stunning all year round and I find there is always something new in the valley with the changing seasons and weather patterns.

Time

I remember that I was waiting for it to snow in Yosemite Valley all winter long to get a crisp snow-covered landscape. However, I was running out of time so I decided to head down a little earlier and just explore and plan out my shots. This unexpected shot was taken one morning while I was exploring and looking for shots I wanted for when it snowed. The river was calm in the morning allowing for the most perfect reflections of the dawn wall light up in the dawn light.

Lighting

The lighting was perhaps one of the hardest parts about this image because the rock faces get so bright in the sun while the reflections are quite dark in comparison. However, because the sun had risen to a point where it was also hitting the water, it balances out the image quite well and I did not lose too much detail in the water to poor lighting.

Equipment

Canon Rebel T6i with a standard 18-35 kit lens and no other equipment. I enjoy traveling light because having to carry a lot of equipment limits the places you can go.

Inspiration

I used to really not enjoy Yosemite Valley because of the amount of people constantly crowding the valley. There would always be people in your shot and tons of traffic. However, when I went this time, there were so few people because of the brisk weather and the valley just opened up. Standing by the river, it really felt like I was out there alone with just the trees and valley walls surrounding me. It was such a peaceful moment that I just had to capture it. Something that millions of people have seen before but in a completely new light.

Editing

Very little post-processing was done to this image - yes Yosemite is literally that stunning all the time. I brought up the shadows and decreased the lights so the reflections would not be lost but that was it!

In my camera bag

I have definitely started investing in more pieces now but back then, I had very little in my bag because I was still new. I had my trusty Canon Rebel T6i and the two kit lenses that came with it: 18-35mm and 55-300mm. This really goes to show that you don't need all of the latest and greatest equipment especially when you are just starting out. You just have to put yourself out there to find those unique shots and practice taking a lot of photos.

Feedback

The weather in Yosemite is always unpredictable. Something that is there one day might not be there the next. So I recommend try to find beauty in what is around you and shoot it before it quickly disappears once again. You will never be able to recreate another person's photograph because each and every day is a new and different landscape in front of you.

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cheljeajang

cheljeajang

Yosemite: Fall

Went to Yosemite Valley to see the first snowfall but I ended up enjoying the last colors of fall so much and these amazingly calm reflections along the river. ... Read more

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow cheljeajang

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Went to Yosemite Valley to see the first snowfall but I ended up enjoying the last colors of fall so much and these amazingly calm reflections along the river. ...
Read more

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