Trees and Clouds, Yosemite. Yosemite Valley, California. October 28, 2016. © Copyright 2016 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The clouds of a dissipating storm drift among trees and ridges high on the walls of Yosemite Valley in the early evening

When it comes to “grand landscape” (and sometimes even intimate landscapes) my favorite conditions in Yosemite Valley may be those that often come after a storm, and clouds begin to flow across the upper Valley walls, breaking up and floating in and out of crevices, picking up interesting light and alternately hiding and revealing features including rocky prominences and trees. Once in a while I’m especially lucky and this clearing occurs at the very end of the day, as the warm light of evening is coming on.

I was just that lucky near the end of October, on a day that began in significant rain, transitioned to fog and clouds, and then cleared in the early evening. I found a spot with a clear view of one promising section of the high walls rising above the Valley, put on a long lens, and simply watched the show unfold. At times my subjects were almost entirely hidden by clouds, then a details such as trees or a bit of cliff would momentarily appear. As the evening wore on the clouds continued to thin and the light began to take on the colors of evening.

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” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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