For generations, Yosemite National Park has been a training ground for landscape photographers. A place where the best photographers have cut their teeth and made some of the most iconic images in the history of landscape photography. One drive through the entrance of the valley, and it is not hard to see why this place has captivated photographers for so long. It is truly one of the world’s great landscapes, a place that has no equal anywhere on earth. It is a location I have been coming to regularly for decades, and still takes my breath away.

I was privileged to bring a group of enthusiastic photographers here for our Yosemite Fall Colors (Hiker) trip. Every autumn, the valley erupts with color below the towering granite walls. It is one of the best times of year for photography in Yosemite.

After meeting in the city of Fresno for orientation and dinner we were excited to get up to the Valley. The next morning we began our journey winding through the Sierra foothills to the park. I love coming into Yosemite from this entrance because it is a slow burn of a drive winding through the forest. Just when you are starting to wonder where all the granite walls are, you come through the tunnel to one of the most awe inspiring views of the Valley. From this viewpoint, El cap, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Falls are lined up in all their glory. It is easy to see why so many photographers have stood at this vantage point over the years. No one in our group had ever been to Yosemite before, so watching them experience this view with fresh eyes was really fun.

We worked our way through the Valley, eventually checking into our home base of Yosemite Lodge. In my opinion, it is a huge advantage to stay inside the park. Not only are we super close to restaurants and trails, but we can practically shoot from the parking lot. After getting settled, we took off for sunset. I love fall in Yosemite because the angle of the sun is at a more favorable location for many of the features in the park. El Captain, for instance, gets great sunset light in the autumn whereas in the spring, the sun is blocked from hitting the wall as it sets. Knowing this, we made sure to get to a spot where we could take advantage of the angle of the sun. We lucked out with a beautiful sunset on El Cap reflected in the Merced River and everyone was able to make some really nice images.

This trip was the hiking version of our Yosemite trip, so the next day we hit the trail looking to get above the valley floor. Our plan was to hike a couple miles up the Yosemite Falls trail where we could get a nice view of Half Dome and the valley below. I warned the group that not all miles are created equal as this trail gains a lot of elevation in a hurry. They did great climbing the switchbacks were able take some great images at the top. As we got back from the hike, the clouds were building over Half Dome, we jumped in the van and made our way over to another viewpoint on the Merced, this time looking toward Half Dome. The sun broke out under the cloud and illuminated Half Dome with dramatic skies above. We shot photo after photo as the sunset got better and better. Everyone was very excited about the photos we took and dinner tasted extra good that night!

The next day we focused our attention above the Valley. We made our way out Glacier Point road to the Taft Point trailhead. Taft Point is a relatively short and easy hike along the rim of the Valley to an overlook opposite El Captain. From this vantage point, you really feel the verticality of Yosemite Valley as the walls drop below thousands of feet into the abyss. For the third night in a row, we had a really nice sunset as the light raked up the Valley, illuminating the nose of El Cap. We donned headlamps for the hike back, again thrilled with the show mother nature had provided us.

After a moody sunrise, we made our way out of the Valley and over to the beautiful Mariposa Grove. This grove of Giant Sequoia trees was the first part of the park protected (alongside Yosemite Valley) by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. There is good reason for its conservation as it houses several hundred sequoias include two that are among the thirty largest in the world. We hiked and photographed our way through grove. It is hard to comprehend how large and old some of these trees are. I love this grove because it provides so many opportunities for unique photos. We shot groups of trees, details of the bark, and even tried some intentional camera movement.

When we finished in the Mariposa, we made our way back up to Glacier Point for one last sunset. The view from Glacier Point is incredible. The way Half Dome dominates the skyline really puts into perspective the enormity of it all. We watched as the sun crept up from the valley floor and up to the northwest face of Half Dome. It had been a really productive and fun trip, and ending it at Glacier Point was a real highlight for our group.

The next morning we made our way back to Fresno to continue our travels home. As always, Yosemite had delivered on beauty and inspiration. Thank you to all who came and made the trip great. It was a pleasure exploring Yosemite with you and I look forward to the next adventure!