Cascade Creek, Spring

Cascade Creek, Spring
Cascade Creek, Spring

Cascade Creek, Spring. Yosemite National Park, California. June 5, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The spring torrent of Cascade Creek descends past Big Oak Flat Road on its way to the Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California.

Every year, but especially in years of above average precipitation, this cascade flows strongly in the early season as low elevation snow melts above Crane Flat Road. The creek, swollen with runoff, drops down a narrow slot above the road, passes under the bridge, and continues its descent to join the Merced. This year the cascade was very full during my first-week-of-June visit, and even though I’ve photographed it before I had to stop again.

Lighting can be tricky here. The water is deep in the cleft in the rocks, so it is much darker and the light is fairly blue. The direct sun was lighting the foreground trees, which are much brighter and warmer in color than the background. I was lucky in that the waterfall and some morning breezes were raising a good deal of mist, which alternately obstructed the view of the fall and cleared away to show some of the trees. At the moment I made this exposure the shadows of trees outside the frame were creating shadows in the cloud of mist.

This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM at 84mm
ISO 100, f/16, 1/4 second

keywords: yosemite, national, park, sierra, nevada, mountain, spring, nature, tree, oak, pine, trunk, branch, rock, boulder, granite, cascade, creek, fall, waterfall, torrent, spring, runoff, melt, water, foam, spray, big, flat, road, merced, river, landscape, nature, scenic, travel, mist, light, morning, beam, stock

10 thoughts on “Cascade Creek, Spring”

  1. Great composition and great time of day to take this photograph. Any real sunlight on the water could have blown the highlights, great job.

    OK, I’m trying to figure out where this spot is in Yosemite. Is this the spot where the falls go under Hwy 120 after Crane Flat but before the tunnels?

    Thanks, Ben

    1. Thanks, Ben. I think you are thinking of the right spot, though it is after the tunnels as you descend toward the Valley – at least after the longest of the tunnels. You are right about the light – this is a morning subject.

      Dan

  2. John, it is hard (going on impossible) to miss this sight if you enter the Valley from the highway 120 entrance. I’ll bet that the flow in the creek was quite something when you were there a couple days after I made this photograph.

    Dan

  3. Outstanding shot Dan! One of the better Yosemite images I’ve seen for some time. You handled the light extremely well, post work very well done.

  4. This is absolutely stunning, the best I’ve seen for a while (i.e. the first shot I’ve had a visceral reaction to followed by the satisfaction of reading a very well composed picture.) Wonderful!

  5. Thanks, David – I appreciate the comment. (This is a subject I’ve been “working” for a few years now – trying to determine the best time if day/year and the best composition, etc.)

    Dan

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