I was up and out of camp in the dark on this late-August morning. My plan was to work my way up Tioga Pass Road toward the pass, where I had a few subjects in mind along the way. After that I would head over the pass and out of the park to explore some areas just east of the Sierra crest. After going to the end of this valley to make a few photographs of alpine terrain, I headed back down this way, to pausing at a few places I had noted on the way up.
Although east-facing peaks were in full sun by now, the valleys behind them were still in deep shadows. This is a wonderful time of morning — still and quiet with few other people around. The light in the shadows is soft — sometimes so soft that it can be a challenge to include it and the brightly lit peaks in the same frame. I wandered out into and around this meadow for perhaps a half hour or more, watching the light change and looking for compositions.
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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.
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