Photographing Yosemite: Digital Field Guide

29.2. Where Can I Get the Best Shot?

You can find several good places from which to photograph Yosemite Falls including the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail, Cook's Meadow, Swinging Bridge, Southside Drive, Glacier Point, and the Upper Yosemite Fall Trail (see A–F on map).

The best locations from which to photograph Yosemite Falls: (A) Lower Yosemite Fall Trail, (B) Cook's Meadow, (C) Swinging Bridge, (D) Southside Drive near Yosemite Chapel, (E) Glacier Point, (F) Upper Yosemite Fall Trail. Other photo ops: (1) Ahwahnee Hotel, (11) Indian Village, (22) Three Brothers, (28) Yosemite Chapel.

29.2.1. Lower Yosemite Fall Trail

An easy walking trail takes you to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall across from Yosemite Lodge near shuttle bus stop #6. Walking just a short distance down the paved trail from the shuttle bus, you are confronted with a magnificent view of the Upper and Lower Falls (see figure 29.1). Because you are still quite a distance from the falls, viewing the tiny people on the trail ahead of you gives you good perspective. From the middle of the paved pathway is one of the best locations to make an image. If you want to eliminate the people in the foreground, you can just tilt your camera upward a bit to remove the trail and still include both the lower and upper fall.

Figure 29.1. Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls in winter from the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail (see A on the ...