Yosemite '99 - The Place (Yosemite Falls)

Yosemite Falls consists of two falls, an Upper Yosemite Fall and a Lower Yosemite Fall. The Upper Yosemite Fall is breathtaking from afar. The Lower Yosemite Fall gives the same impression up close.
This is my favorite (and best, in my opinion) shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall. All of these pictures are taken the last week of July, when the falls are already low on water. (They completely dry up around October). During spring the water is much stronger, courtesy of the melting winter snow. You can see the 'stain' from the much larger Spring fall carved into the cliff.

This shot shows the Upper Yosemite Fall from Swinging Bridge. On retrospect, I should have lowered the camera a bit. The Merced River seems unusually calm, and probably would have provided a good 'mirror' shot.
Upper Yosemite Fall, over Sentinel Bridge, over Merced River. I remember waiting here for a few minutes for all the auto and pedestrian traffic to get off the bridge for this shot.
Here is my second favorite shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall. It's taken from the Valley floor, on the same day as the first shot above. It was the only cloudy day during that entire week.
This shot of the Yosemite Falls is taken from the Merced River. The Upper Fall is barely visible. The Lower Fall is just in the shadows.
This close-up shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall is taken from the Upper Yosemite Fall Trail. This hiking trail starts at the Sunnyside Campground in the Valley and leads all the way to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall. I took this shot on my way down, when the sun is low enough to create a small rainbow near the bottom of this shot.
Another shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall from the trail. I took this shot about 1/4 of the mile into the trail, on the way up.
Yet another shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall on the trail. This is getting closer, maybe 1/3 of the way up.
You can barely see the Upper Yosemite Fall here. It's slightly to the right of center on this shot. This picture is taken from Glacier Point. It shows the Upper Yosemite Fall and the Yosemite Valley below.

Here are two shots that show both the Upper and the Lower Yosemite Falls. The Upper Fall is on near top right, and the Lower Fall is near bottom left. Both shots are taken from the parking lot next to Sentinel Bridge.
The left shot is with a 35mm, the upper shot is with a digital camera. The 35mm got the color of the rocks right, but is too dark on everything else. The digital camera got everything else, but gave the rock a blue tint. Oh well, can't win them all. :-|

Here is a picture of the Lower Yosemite Fall. The Lower Fall is much shorter than the Upper Fall, but it's very imposing, because you can get very close to it. It's also a much easier hike to the Lower Fall than to the Upper Fall.
Another shot of the Lower Yosemite Fall.
These photos do not do justice to the size of the Lower Yosemite Fall. It does not look very big, until you notice the couple who walked into this shot near the bottom of the top fork in the Fall. See the person in the red shirt?

See More Yosemite Shots

Yosemite Falls consists of two falls, an Upper Yosemite Fall and a Lower Yosemite Fall. The Upper Yosemite Fall is breathtaking from afar. The Lower Yosemite Fall gives the same impression up close.
	This is my favorite (and best, in my opinion) shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall. All of these pictures are taken the last week of July, when the falls are already low on water. (They completely dry up around October). During spring the water is much stronger, courtesy of the melting winter snow. You can see the 'stain' from the much larger Spring fall carved into the cliff.
	This shot shows the Upper Yosemite Fall from Swinging Bridge. On retrospect, I should have lowered the camera a bit. The Merced River seems unusually calm, and probably would have provided a good 'mirror' shot.
	Upper Yosemite Fall, over Sentinel Bridge, over Merced River. I remember waiting here for a few minutes for all the auto and pedestrian traffic to get off the bridge for this shot.
	Here is my second favorite shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall. It's taken from the Valley floor, on the same day as the first shot above. It was the only cloudy day during that entire week.
	This shot of the Yosemite Falls is taken from the Merced River. The Upper Fall is barely visible. The Lower Fall is just in the shadows.
	This close-up shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall is taken from the Upper Yosemite Fall Trail. This hiking trail starts at the Sunnyside Campground in the Valley and leads all the way to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall. I took this shot on my way down, when the sun is low enough to create a small rainbow near the bottom of this shot.
	Another shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall from the trail. I took this shot about 1/4 of the mile into the trail, on the way up.
	Yet another shot of the Upper Yosemite Fall on the trail. This is getting closer, maybe 1/3 of the way up.
	You can barely see the Upper Yosemite Fall here. It's slightly to the right of center on this shot. This picture is taken from Glacier Point. It shows the Upper Yosemite Fall and the Yosemite Valley below.
	Here are two shots that show both the Upper and the Lower Yosemite Falls. The Upper Fall is on near top right, and the Lower Fall is near bottom left. Both shots are taken from the parking lot next to Sentinel Bridge. The left shot is with a 35mm, the upper shot is with a digital camera. The 35mm got the color of the rocks right, but is too dark on everything else. The digital camera got everything else, but gave the rock a blue tint. Oh well, can't win them all. :-\|
	Here is a picture of the Lower Yosemite Fall. The Lower Fall is much shorter than the Upper Fall, but it's very imposing, because you can get very close to it. It's also a much easier hike to the Lower Fall than to the Upper Fall.
	Another shot of the Lower Yosemite Fall.
	These photos do not do justice to the size of the Lower Yosemite Fall. It does not look very big, until you notice the couple who walked into this shot near the bottom of the top fork in the Fall. See the person in the red shirt?