2009.10.24 Yosemite Fall Foliage Images from 2009
Last fall was my first official photo trip. Marc and I jammed out of SF around 430am and headed straight to Yosemite Valley. We did not have a plan except for taking photos all day and driving back after sunset. As a kid, my parents took us to Yosemite several times typically during late summer. We hiked Half Dome, the valley, Nevada Falls and Tuolumne meadows. Now I prefer walking around with my camera when the fall color is popping…yep shocker. My 2010 fall foliage trip was better planned and the subject matter was more interesting. Even though, my trip to Yosemite in 2009 started this fever.
Here are some recommendations for shooting Yosemite in one day:
- Do not shoot Yosemite in one day if you do not have to. Camp somewhere so you can take your time visiting many spots. Yosemite Valley is a great subject, but it is also very big. FYI driving 8 hours after an 10 hike is tough.
- If you only have one day to shoot then there will be many hours of harsh light from the mid-day sun. Focus on the detail shots and use polarizers to darken the sky. I wish I had a polarizer on my wide angle and telephoto lens. Instead, I was switching between lens. 😦
- Slow down and take less photos. Rapid fire shooting does not yield better images or replace good composition. Good composition requires thought, vision and looking for the details. Take less and forget HDR or someone teach me how to do it properly.
- Watch the sunset from Glacier Point with a brew or two. During the Fall months the beautiful setting sunlight illuminates Half Dome. Check out the three photo below. Its real!
Dan O'Keeffe Photography 