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Yosemite

TimG

Member
Heading to Yosemite this weekend for 6 days, I don't really fancy taking images of the same things that everyone else has (which will be hard I know) :)

Can anyone recommend any areas or spots with potential that aren't the obvious hotspots? appreciate the whole place has been done to death, but I'd just like some advice on any other areas that are pretty good, if anyone can be so kind? :)
 
I can't believe no one has replied to this so I'll give it go. Hopefully you get this before or during your trip.

Bring your hiking boots cause you're going for a hike. Crowds are a real problem in the National Parks these days so you've got to think like a tourist and go the other way. Most visitors stay within sight of their car and are out in force by 10am.

I would hit all the Valley hot spots at dawn each of the 6 days to minimize the crowds. Remember to be where you are going by civil twilight at the latest and don't be surprised to see lots of other photographers.

Mid-Morning or Mid Afternoon I would go off-trail at Happy Isles, Mirror Lake or any of the falls. Again, off-trail but if you see Bear scat head back to the trail. Also, don't get too close to the water it's more dangerous than it looks near the falls. Avoid the Mist Trail at this time, it's going to be crowded.

Mid-Day the light is flat so take a break and eat/rest/plan. I usually take a nap or review my notes and scouting reports.

Late Afternoon hit the trails, most people are done for the day and you'll have some solitude. Also, figure out your dusk location. Most tourists are looking West at the sunset. Look East and find something that the beautiful light is hitting.

Specifics, I would hike Pohono Trail from Tunnel View for daytime images or Sentinel Dome for sunset. Some of the trails are quite easy while others are quite challenging with a backpack full of MF gear.

Remember to take some time to enjoy the scenery without a camera. It's a truly magically place. Hopefully this helps. You got me excited and as soon as the snow starts to fly I'm going to head back up there.
 

TimG

Member
Hey thanks for this,

Been here a few days now, to be honest the valley was so crowded it was a bit of a nightmare and just put me off altogether, bumper to bumper traffic jams isn't really my thing!

We went to tuolumne meadows and also Bodie and mono lake - which were amazing, I much preferred tuolumne meadows to the main valley,

I might go up to Tunnel View later depending on weather and do the obligatory shot, but we've kinda stayed out of there!
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
If you go to tunnel view, avoid the crowd and trek back into the far corner where the trash cans are. Hike across the bare rock and over the stream out to the edge of the rock formation above the river. You’ll be greeted with what I consider the best view of the valley with no people ( unless another photographer beats you there).

Just be aware that one step too far is several hundred ft down ...

 
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dchew

Well-known member
If you are still on the east side, try the June lake loop. Color was good several weeks ago so it might be too late.

Dave
 

TimG

Member
Thanks guys,

I'm back now - to be honest I found the place a little too overwhelming, I was also with someone else (a non-photographer) so I didn't get to dedicate much time to it,

I think I'll come back in the fall again at some point and give it a proper go, the tourist hotspots just wreck everything and I'd rather stay as far away as possible from all of that,

The shots of the Merced river look nice, I'd like to go back and give that another go as I did spend a bit of time driving up and down, however with someone else in the car who doesn't do photography - it's pretty hard to stop and get the gear out every 100 yds :D

Thanks for the suggestions though
 

bab

Active member
Thanks guys,

I'm back now - to be honest I found the place a little too overwhelming, I was also with someone else (a non-photographer) so I didn't get to dedicate much time to it,

I think I'll come back in the fall again at some point and give it a proper go, the tourist hotspots just wreck everything and I'd rather stay as far away as possible from all of that,

The shots of the Merced river look nice, I'd like to go back and give that another go as I did spend a bit of time driving up and down, however with someone else in the car who doesn't do photography - it's pretty hard to stop and get the gear out every 100 yds :D

Thanks for the suggestions though
Why would you bring them if they couldn't zone out and enjoy the zen?
 
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