Re: Half Dome/Clouds Rest - Sunrise or Sunset?

From a photographers perspective, would it be better to be at the top of clouds rest and half dome at sunrise or sunset?

I'd say Clouds Rest.

Neither. Can't speak for sunrise, but I'd rather be on the other side of Tenaya Canyon for sunset.

I guess both have their pluses and minuses. In my opinion, the overiding factor should be the timing. If you choose sunset, what are you going to do next ? Night hike out ? Camp somewhere ? (can't camp on half dome). Or if you choose sunrise, how will you get there for the sunrise ?

Olmstead Point?

Clouds you don't have to camp at the top of to enjoy the sunrise and sunset.
You can easily hike up there from a legal site nearby.
Sunset is more interesting looking towards Tenaya.
Sunrise/Sunset both are good looking to HD.

Some pix here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/Testies#5608419923066552082
(just click ahead and see some more of both sunrise/sunset)

---

I doubt the top of either HD or CR during usual weather offers anything more than modest image aesthetic potential either at sunrise/sunset or any other time of day. Like can be said for views at the top of most peaks. Well a wall climber might hang from a rope off the rim with another climber standing on the overhang. Thus a pic showing the shear wall, overhang, person, and colorful sky. Most people with cameras atop those places typically only take grinning mug shots of themselves and others plus a few for the record pics looking down below. Generally a better sunrise/sunset image results from finding something aesthetic that receives late warm light because it sticks up higher than anything else towards the rising/setting sun, and if there is a complementing interesting sky then composing a frame to include some of that. And generally a better interesting dawn/dusk image results from finding something with an interesting shape to use as a silhouette up against a colorful sky. Or if the landscape is light with water, snow, or light warm hued rock, picking up some of that sky color on the landscape.

Both HD and CR are blocked by higher ridges eastward, ie Cathedral Range and Sierra Crest so sunrise is a less than ideal situation. Both receive late sunset light during most of the year, however during summer the Central Valley dozens of miles west, usually has relatively poor quality, hazy, water vapory, or smoggy air that produces weak late light not worth bothering with. The better times to try for good sunset conditions on either icon tends to be after an uncommon late spring or early fall cold front passes across the state and clears out all the murky air with following dry cool air while the trailing clouds have not fully dissipated. Next to that, late light can sometimes be nice when afternoon thunderstorms have been active cleaning the air. Difficult situations to predict.

Here is an example of a Yosemite icon, Cathedral Peak, captured in the fall when better such light is more common:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/Gallery_B/06-GG2-2.jpg



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2011 10:51AM by DavidSenesac.

Quote
JDM

From a photographers perspective, would it be better to be at the top of clouds rest and half dome at sunrise or sunset?

Probably Cloud's Rest. But another thing to consider might be the one or two hours after sunset and sunrise when you are hiking in the vincinity of these places looking for other spots. The hike into Cloud's from Tioga Road is pretty much tree covered and doesn't provide as many opportunities for a Plan B or Plan C, imo. You can sorta see sun position for Half Dome in relation to the cables in this pic from late afternoon/last summer last year.


Half Dome, Yosemite National Park by urbandispute, on Flickr

David gave an excellent response. Shots of the valley are not easy to get and are often no better than snapshots. You can pull it off, but not if you show the entire valley. Shots from Glacier point of Half Dome come to mind, where you show HD huge in the frame. But if you turn the camera west and try to shoot Yosemite falls and the valley, it all becomes tiny and nothing is very interesting. They are good for a record of being there, but not for much else.

I'm biased, but maybe these will help you:


Yosemite Dawn from Half Dome Summit [9729] *Explored 6-21-08* by Steven Christenson, on Flickr


Anticipation... [41_019715] by Steven Christenson, on Flickr


Dawn sky atop Half Dome [9753] by Steven Christenson, on Flickr

My sunrise on Clouds Rest experience had potential, but didn't produce as interesting an image.

Here is how to get there before sunrise.


Night Ascent of Half Dome 9707 by Steven Christenson, on Flickr

And I think I should point out that the best color occurs 20-40 minutes BEFORE sunrise.



-- Steven
PS Remember that PERMITS are required to summit Half Dome (actually anywhere above Sub Dome) every day of the week.

Nice shots Steve. You went up on June 20 2008? (Flickr info) We went up June 12 2008. Took some video on cables but no photos. (The nephews had their big SLR's in their backpacks.) We didn't have clouds or much color. But did have a base jumper! Ha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYe6S4OxOCw



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/09/2011 07:57AM by hikerchick395.

Quote
hikerchick395

Nice, hikerchick. Reminds me of watching the Clouds Rest shadow (no timelapse)


Giant Shadows 11089 by Steven Christenson, on Flickr

Quote
StevenOfStarCircleAcademy

PS Remember that PERMITS are required to summit Half Dome (actually anywhere above Sub Dome) every day of the week.

But they don't actually show up to check the permits until about 8:30AM. We were up there at 5:45 a couple of weeks ago, spent a good bit of time on top, took our time heading down and finally saw park rangers below the sub dome at about 8:25AM.