Tag Archives: submerged

Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Shoreline Trees and Reflections, Fletcher Lake

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Shoreline Trees and Reflections, Fletcher Lake

Shoreline Trees and Reflections, Fletcher Lake. Yosemite National Park, California. September 9, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Shoreline trees, grasses, and rocks catch the morning sunlight and are reflected in Fletcher Lake, Yosemite National Park, California.

This photograph is from near the outlet stream of Fletcher Lake, very close to the Vogelsang High Sierra Camp. Early morning light is beginning to flow around the base of Fletcher Peak and strike the rocks and vegetation along the shoreline right below the peak. This is one of a series of photographs I made on this morning as I wandered around this lake in the early light.

keywords: shore, shoreline, trees, forest, bush, grass, meadow, rock, boulder, sun, light, talus, slab, granite, reflection, submerged, alpine, mountain, sierra, nevada, high, camp, vogelsang, fletcher, lake, hike, backpack, landscape, wilderness, stock, california, usa, yosemite, national park

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Submerged Boulders, Lake, and Cliffs

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Submerged Boulders, Lake, and Cliffs
Sunlight illuminates submerged boulders near the cliff face along the High Sierra Trail – Sequioa National Park.

Submerged Boulders, Lake, and Cliffs. Sequoia National Park, California. August 6, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Sunlight illuminates submerged boulders near the cliff face at a lake on the High Sierra Trail – Sequioa National Park.

I first visited this lake decades ago during a two-week trans-Sierra backpack trip along the High Sierra Trail. I recall arriving and recognizing it from a well-known 1932 Ansel Adams photograph, but I made no serious attempt to photograph it at the time. In the summer of 2008 I retraced the route with a group of friends, and on the third morning I again climbed the spectacular trail toward Kaweah Gap. After crossing a lovely section filled with springs, flowing water, and wildflowers the trail topped a rise and suddenly arrived at this lake. I spent a half hour or more photographing from the shoreline. Finally I finished, packed up my photography gear, and we started up the switchbacks toward the pass.

A moment later as the trail climbed above the lake I glanced back and saw a stunning sight as sun broke through the clouds and intermittently illuminated the submerged talus at the base of the cliffs. Ironically, my first reaction was to think, I just finished shooting, and I’m not going to take this pack off and set up all that gear again!” I almost kept going. Fortunately, I’ve learned my lesson a few times — shoot it now while you have the chance! — so I dropped my pack, set up my tripod and camera, and waited for the right light to appear as broken clouds moved overhead.

Notes:

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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Text, photographs, and other media are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell (or others when indicated) and are not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.