We usually think of “alpenglow” as an evening thing, probably because that’s when almost everyone who visits the mountains sees this post-sunset soft and colorful light on the highest peaks. But it is just as much a feature of the early morning, though you’ll have to rise early to see it!
Before dawn I walked the short distance from my tent to this nearby pond. I had scouted it the previous evening and was sure that it was a good place to photograph the reflection of the morning light on the Sierra Crest. The direct sunlight had not yet arrived, as sunrise was still a few minutes away, but the highest peaks were turning softly pink.
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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email
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You caught the beauty of the early morning!
Thanks, Oscar!
The colours in that are fabulous, so beautifully restrained. I’m not a fan of the more saturated “golden hour” posts we see so much of, but this is just beautful.
Thank you, Chris. This was really subtle coloration, and that’s what I was hoping to capture. (You are right that it is easy to let that color get out of control, though I can understand how that happens given the occasional intense coloration of that light!)
Dan