Black Oaks, Drifting Smoke
Black Oaks, Drifting Smoke. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.
Seasonal fire smoke drifts through a grove of Yosemite Valley black oak trees in morning light.
This photograph comes from my recent one-day marathon up-and-back photography visit to Yosemite Valley, timed to photograph the fall colors. Since I start these trips hours before sunrise, I can never be sure of what conditions I’ll find in the Valley. I knew that it was likely to be clear weather with relatively warm temperatures… but I did realize until I arrived and saw the smoke that there would be management fires in the Valley. These fires are a good thing — they reduce the dead vegetation that can produce extremely destructive fires — but they can make photograph difficult. As I passed into the Valley it was obvious that I’d be dealing with smoke!
At this time of year the backlit black oaks trees can positively glow, so I headed to a place where I know that there are some good specimens and excellent opportunities for that backlight. Arriving there, I saw that the fire was right next to and almost around the location. This could have been a very bad thing, but I soon realized that the light passing through the smoke was glowing beautifully and that it made light beams visible. I found a spot with this composition and waited for the light to move across this spot.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
Black Oaks, Drifting Smoke
Black Oaks, Drifting Smoke. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.
Seasonal fire smoke drifts through a grove of Yosemite Valley black oak trees in morning light.
This photograph comes from my recent one-day marathon up-and-back photography visit to Yosemite Valley, timed to photograph the fall colors. Since I start these trips hours before sunrise, I can never be sure of what conditions I’ll find in the Valley. I knew that it was likely to be clear weather with relatively warm temperatures… but I did realize until I arrived and saw the smoke that there would be management fires in the Valley. These fires are a good thing — they reduce the dead vegetation that can produce extremely destructive fires — but they can make photograph difficult. As I passed into the Valley it was obvious that I’d be dealing with smoke!
At this time of year the backlit black oaks trees can positively glow, so I headed to a place where I know that there are some good specimens and excellent opportunities for that backlight. Arriving there, I saw that the fire was right next to and almost around the location. This could have been a very bad thing, but I soon realized that the light passing through the smoke was glowing beautifully and that it made light beams visible. I found a spot with this composition and waited for the light to move across this spot.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.