Barren Trees, Leidig Meadow. Yosemite Valley, California. November 1, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Liedig Meadow trees on an autumn afternoon with the cliffs of Yosemite Valley in the background.

I’m almost endlessly fascinated by trying to photograph these trees (primarily cottonwoods I think) in and around Leidig Meadow in Yosemite Valley, especially in late afternoon when strong side- and back-light creates silhouettes, adds the sense of depth from haze, and can make the leaves glow on the trees. This isn’t the first time I’ve worked on photographing this particular row of older, larger trees in front to the shorter and denser stand of background trees. I most often seem to use the shaded north Valley wall (near Yosemite Falls) or the view to the west down the Valley as the background, but in this photograph the background is provided by a slightly view of vertical cliffs along the south side of the Valley.

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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