PHOTO OF THE DAY: GATES OF THE VALLEY
Gates of the Valley, Yosemite National Park. Photo © Jim Doty Jr.
"Gates of the Valley", also know as "Valley View", is one of the best views of Yosemite Valley and is a favorite spot for photographes at the end of the day. This location is on the Northside Road toward the western end of the valley about 4.3 miles west of Yosemite Lodge. It is marked on almost all park maps and photographic guide books. It is worth scouting out ahead of time so you can find it quickly at the end of the day.
El Capitan is on the left, Cathedral Rocks on the right, Bridalveil Falls is in the shadows on the right, and the Merced River is in the foreground. In the summer, the light leaves El Capitan before Cathedral Rocks. I waited as long as possible for the light to turn warm at the end of the day, but minutes before it left El Capitan. I used a polarizing filter to reduce glare and saturate the colors.
Data: Canon 5D with a 24-105mm lens set at 28mm. Aperture: f/16, Shutter: 0.6 seconds, ISO 100.
