Yosemite

[ray5]

Hi,
I am planning to go next year. I am requesting suggestions for
-best time
-Places to photograph
- Any specific places/times of the day that is considered special?
- I plan to stay in the Yosemite lodge(understand that reservations are tough).
- Any books, websites to plan the photo trip?
Thanks
Ray

 

[tomscott]

TBH its not huge and you can get to everything in a day just driving round.

But to really experience it and get some decent locations and light from a photographic perspective I would have like a week to 10 days tbh

We were really lucky pretty much had the place to ourselves, it was a bad winter this year so lots of the roads were still closed.

Obvious things not to miss are half dome, yosemite falls, el capitan, Sentinel Dome, Yosemite Valley, and I would really recommend Glacier point. I went in March and the road was still closed so we walked it which took quite a long time its about 7500ft but the path is pretty easy gives you an insane view of half dome.

Wish id got to see the Giant Sequoias that was high on my list but my timetable was pretty truncated. Next time!

Unfortunately I was at the end of my 3 month trip across the US so only got 2 days there so I didn't get as much as I wanted but here are a few pics I took.

 

[ray5]

TBH its not huge and you can get to everything in a day just driving round.

But to really experience it and get some decent locations and light from a photographic perspective I would have like a week to 10 days tbh

We were really lucky pretty much had the place to ourselves, it was a bad winter this year so lots of the roads were still closed.

Obvious things not to miss are half dome, yosemite falls, el capitan, Sentinel Dome, Yosemite Valley, and I would really recommend Glacier point. I went in March and the road was still closed so we walked it which took quite a long time its about 7500ft but the path is pretty easy gives you an insane view of half dome.

Wish id got to see the Giant Sequoias that was high on my list but my timetable was pretty truncated. Next time!

Unfortunately I was at the end of my 3 month trip across the US so only got 2 days there so I didn't get as much as I wanted but here are a few pics I took.

Beautiful shots!! I am thinking of early August for a week but perhaps the waterfalls are dry by then?

 

[Dantana]

It's generally very hot and very crowded in the summer months. I went on a guided photo trip there two years ago and my guide from Active Tours said he would never go in the summer.

I was there the last weekend of October/first weekend of November. In the Autumn you get a great color change, it's not crowded, some hikes that would be horrible in the summer heat are much more pleasant. The mornings and nights were a bit cold but totally worth it.

Spring trips are good too. If there has been winter snow, then the waterfalls should be running. There may be the chance of a lot of rain this coming spring though, with the predicted El Nino.

I stayed at Curry Village, but the lodge looked like a good option also. I was there for three and a half days, but I felt like I could have easily stayed a week to take everything in.

Some of my shots from the trip are here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93414696@N02/albums/72157637795703084

 

[ray5]

It's generally very hot and very crowded in the summer months. I went on a guided photo trip there two years ago and my guide from Active Tours said he would never go in the summer.

I was there the last weekend of October/first weekend of November. In the Autumn you get a great color change, it's not crowded, some hikes that would be horrible in the summer heat are much more pleasant. The mornings and nights were a bit cold but totally worth it.

Spring trips are good too. If there has been winter snow, then the waterfalls should be running. There may be the chance of a lot of rain this coming spring though, with the predicted El Nino.

I stayed at Curry Village, but the lodge looked like a good option also. I was there for three and a half days, but I felt like I could have easily stayed a week to take everything in.

Some of my shots from the trip are here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/93414696@N02/albums/72157637795703084

Very nice. Thx