Photographing Yosemite: Digital Field Guide

13.2. Where Can I Get the Best Shot?

There are many locations in the Mariposa Grove for making good images. Most visitors want to get images of the best-known trees. I recommend that you walk the trails in the grove to get to all the good locations. You can take a tram tour, but it does not stop at all the locations. Before walking the grove, pick up a trail map at the store/information center near the parking area.

One piece of information that may come in handy is that in the summer, parking usually fills up early, and free shuttle buses run from the South Entrance and Wawona. So get here early or be prepared to ride the shuttles.

You can take many great images in this area. Here are three of the most famous landmark sites in the grove.

Figure 13.1. A slight hill just opposite the fence gives you a little elevation gain to use when photographing the Bachelor and Three Graces (see A on the map). Taken at ISO 100, f/11, 1/125 second with a 17mm lens.

13.2.1. Bachelor and Three Graces

This is a group of four closely situated trees (see figure 13.1). Three of them, The Graces, are in a row, and the fourth, The Bachelor, stands proudly in front. This area is fenced to protect the trees, but if you go to the edge of the fence where the trail is closest to the road, you can see a tiny hill behind you. If you climb this hill, you can look over the fence and get a little elevation ...