Yosemite Chronicles #3

The Last Light. This is #3 in a series of 15, so we've got a ways to go yet. I told myself I would post all the images that I scanned and worked up from my recent trip to Yosemite and these are presented in order as they were captured. Normally I would pass on showing an image like this one of El Capitan. It's been photographed a gazillion times before and there's nothing original or creative here. What it is though, is simply one of those special moments in Yosemite - or anywhere for that matter where one can just gaze in awe at the wonder of nature.

This was my first night of a long and hopefully prosperous weekend ahead and I just wanted to enjoy the moment. I was off the side of the road at a very popular and usually crowded pullout and as often happens the "old fashioned" view camera draws visitors and I soon had a father and son set up next to me. This was their first visit to Yosemite. It's always a joy to see the awe in people's eyes and expressions when they see something like Yosemite for the first time. They were going to leave as clouds began to engulf the granite monolith and the light faded. I said to just stick around for a minute and it will change. We chatted and sure enough the light changed and it changed quickly. It was right around 32deg out, this guy was in a t-shirt, and he wasn't about to leave. For next 20-30 min we watched as the light danced on El Capitan; the sun slowly setting to the west and touching the mountain with it's warm glow. This was the beginning of a beautiful weekend.

Your comments and critiques always welcome.

4x5, 210mm, V50 f/32 @1s

Thanks!

Lon