Tips on photographing Yosemite and Sequoia parks

[francisco aparicio]

I plan to spend some days in Yosemite and Sequoia parks next summer.

I am interested in animals and landscape photography. I would like

to know any suggestions and tips about equipment (I have a 35 mm SLR, 28-80 and 70-210 zooms, 20 mm and 50 mm fixed lenses, tripod, flash) and specific locations to visit within the parks.

 

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Thanks.

[nes_suno]

<P>There are some suggestions at the American Park Network, <A HREF="http://www.americanparknetwork.com/parkinfo/yo/photo/">http://www.americanparknetwork.com/parkinfo/yo/photo/</A> about photography related to Yosemite.

 

<P>If you want advice from a guy who did it right, why not read <I>The Camera, The Negative</I>, and <I>The Print</I> by Ansel Adams?

 

<P>Almost everything in Yosemite is photogenic (well, except for the tourists with whom you'll encounter very frequently). Some UV, haze,

skylight, split ND filters might be of some help (if you're shooting B&W, a #25 Red 1 will help). Fujichrome Velvia will help. A sturdy tripod and an Arca-Swiss B1 ballhead will help.

 

<P>In a park like Yosemite, you generally follow the throngs of people to reach the scenic destinations. If you are trying to get dawn and dusk shots, your days will be quite long since you'll be hiking a lot.

 

<P>I suggest that you consider Kings Canyon National Park. You could probably hike around all day and see less than a couple dozen people (unlike Yosemite where you'll be one of perhaps a thousand per day to make the Nevada Falls summit). The large number of visitors scares away most animals at Yosemite (you'll need a honker to capture most animals there).

 

<P>Take lots of film (and spare batteries), since the weight (for 35mm) is nominal and you probably don't want to pay the outrageous prices charged in the various parks' visitor centers.

 

<P>Also remember that weather conditions change rapidly in the mountains and you should think about (minimally) some large ziplock baggies to protect your gear and film from moisture (yes, I had to dodge mini-waterfalls during my hike up to the Nevada Falls).

 

<P>Personally, I would also have my Yashica T4 Super in my pocket (loaded probably with Fujicolor Super G Plus 400 or Reala).

[bob_atkins]

I've photographed in Yosemite many times (though never in summer).

One piece of sdvice would be to book a room as far in advance as

you can. There is a limited amount of accommodation in the valley

(which is where the greatest density of "photo-ops" are). All

the usual advice for landscape work applies of course (get up

early for the sunrise shots etc.). Don't give up in bad weather.

Some of the best Yosemite shots have been taken in fog, rain

etc. You will have no problem in finding locations. Just drive

around the valley and stop every few hundred feet!

 

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Yosemite isn't great for wildlife. You should see deer and

coyotes around, but it's not like Yellowstone. Your lenses

are fine for landscapes, but maybe a bit short for wildlife,

but then whatever lens you have often seems short for

wildlife!

 

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Hiking up the trail to Vernal and Nevada falls is something

to consider. Nice shots can be had of the falls. The trail

around mirror lake is also worth taking. For shots down the length of

the valley, join the crowds at the parking lot by the

tunnel (it will be on your map!). This is a popular spot at sunset.

 

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If you get a clear, moonlit night, don't overlook the

possibilities of landscapes by moonlight (for a full moon

try 4 minutes at f4 on ISO 100 film, but bracket heavily).

[don_baccus4]

If you're going to be in Yosemite, you might consider travelling east across the park and down to Mono Lake. Mono Lake is home to amazing columns of minerals and is a favorite landscape spot for many photographers. It will be less crowded than Yosemite.

 

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Whether or not this is a practical excursion for you depends on how long a trip your planning and your enthusiasm for driving.

[andrew_kim]

Yosemite is fine for photography in the summer and there should still be plenty of water around judging from the precipitation this year (the waterfalls were still certainly raging when I got there in July 1996).

 

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You should not miss Tuolomne Meadows and you can enter or exit Yosemite through the Meadows, convenient. If you're going to head to Yosemite and then Sequoia, then you can take 80 to Reno (coming from San Francisco), down past Mono Lake, and in through the Meadows.

 

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Please be careful in the Meadows, it is protected land and I shudder every time I see some idiot and their dog go pummeling through the delicate reeds! Having a circular polarizer is nice to saturate the blue in the sky and capture the delicate pastel greens of the grasses.

 

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Also, on your way into Yosemite Valley on this route, you'll pass Tenaya Lake, which is very beautiful. There is a wonderful large granite formation next to the lake that sort of looks like the top of a huge egg with lots of glacier carved edges and beautiful black to white contrast. Wish I knew what it was called, have lots of pictures!

 

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There have already been lots of good suggestions for what to do in the valley. I echo the remark about Vernal and Nevada Falls, well worth the relatively short hike. Bridalveil Falls is also beautiful if you're equipment is fairly weather-proof.

 

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The only piece of equipment I might recommend is a good monopod, if your tripod isn't really compact. I carried a Bogen 3221 and 3055 on all my hikes around there last summer and we weren't on speaking terms afterwards. The Bogen 3016 plus a 3229 swivel head w/ quick release is a good pair for $50.

[glen_johnson]

Because of the recent flooding, much of the park has been closed. The roads are in bad shape, and the road to the valley is not presently open (reports on 2/16/97).

 

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They are working to get roads and camp sites back in order. It is expected that parts of the park and some campsites will be open for Summer. Some areas won't be back to normal until at least Fall. There were news clips this past week showing international visitors being turned away from Yosemite in spite of the huge distances that they had come.

 

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If you are planning a trip to Yosemite this year, it would be a good idea to check with the US Park Service to get specific information about what roads will be open, where you will be able to camp, and the like.

[paul_di_biase]

I have many photographs from Yosemite. I strongly recommend you brindg along a good polarizing filter. A polarizer does wonders with the combination of sky, rock, leaves and water that make up much of Yosemite. Also, keep in mind that you don't have to dial in the maximum polarization. Often I just use about 1/2 of the polarization effect to get a nice sky without making the image look fake.

 

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If the NPS gets their way and restricts the number of cars allowed in this summer, you may have an opportunity to take pictures without thousands of tourist and their autos in the way. Good Luck!

[pixseal]

Paul's advice about checking roads and accomodations is warranted.

There is a web site sponsered by the local tourism industry

(<a href="http://www.yosemite.com/">http://www.yosemite.com/</a>)

which has current information on roads (and could probably make

room reservations also).

[luis_gonzalez]

There are alot of great photos of the major attractions in yosemite. I would suggest taking a day and walking the valley. There are alot of little things that you will find along the way that make great images.

 

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Early morning and late afternoon are best times for dramatic lighting. During the hot part of the day you may want to concentrate on closeups and secluded areas.

 

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One thing to keep in mind when photographing in the high country is that the light is bluer. I suggest a warming filter over your lens to counteract the blue cast. I like to use Kodak Lumiere, Ektachrome E100s, and Fuji Velvia films. The latter two are more saturated in color than lumiere. You can take loads of equipment or very little. I prefer the latter. The best equipment to take is a good eye and an open imagination.

[daniel_christensen]

For anyone who is truely interested in photographing Yosemite, try picking up the book by Andrew Hudson. The title of the book is "PhotoSecrets" YOSEMITE. The best sights and how to photograph them.

Great book! Enjoy, Dan