Landscapes of the Western U.S.

Illuminated Spring Foliage, Yosemite Falls

In Yosemite Valley, peak flooding occurs many hours after the afternoon sun melts snow, often after midnight, so it is not uncommon to select a sunrise location to photograph one day, only to find it completely submerged underwater and inaccessible the next morning! This is indeed what happened to me, so a last second adjustment was required. The meadow surrounding Swinging Bridge had a fresh pond that appeared overnight, offering beautiful springtime reflections. The rising sun was just cresting around Columbia Rock, skimming the surface and beginning to illuminate the fall spray.
The side-lit tree framing the view of Yosemite Falls, for me, really anchored this image.
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CaliforniaLandscapeNational ParkNatureNorthern CaliforniaReflectionReflectionsSierra NevadaTreesUSAWaterWaterfallYosemiteYosemite FallsYosemite NPYosemite National Parkmistspring