Photographing Yosemite: Digital Field Guide

1.2. Where Can I Get the Best Shot?

The Ahwahnee Hotel is very photogenic both inside and out. If you are interested in architecture and history, you could spend hours photographing here (see A and B on map).

The best locations from which to photograph the Ahwahnee Hotel: (A) hotel interior, (B) hotel exterior. Other photo ops: (9) Happy Isles, (11) Indian Village, (28) Yosemite Chapel, (29) Yosemite Falls.

1.2.1. Hotel interior

The Ahwahnee Hotel is known for its beautiful surroundings and unique architecture. The hotel's interior features many grand spaces (see A on the map). A few of the most notable are the Great Lounge, known for its enormous stone fireplaces and beautiful stained-glass panels (see figure 1.1), the solarium with a fabulous view of Glacier Point, and the Ahwahnee Dining Room with its impressive 34-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling stained-glass framed windows, all making for great photographic subjects.

1.2.2. Hotel exterior

The most photographed view of the hotel's exterior is from the southern meadow looking north, as shown in figure 1.2. The entrance to the hotel is a bit more difficult to photograph; however, if you walk to the far side of the pond located at the front of the hotel, you can get a nice shot.

Figure 1.1. The Great Lounge features period furniture and massive fireplaces at each end. Taken at 500 ISO, f/16, 2 seconds with a 17mm lens. ...