How many times have we all driven by Siesta Lake on the Tioga Pass road? It is a magic place, and it always seems very, very hard to present properly. Snapshots are easy, a real meaningful image seemed near impossible to me for many years. I drove over to Yosemite for autumn shooting early in November 2017. Autumn colors were weak this year in the areas that I was able to visit. Yosemite Valley had it's moments though.
We made a quick trip to the east coast to visit our daughter, Sabrina at Yale. We stole her during the Autumn break, and made the drive to western New York. To the right is a capture from the beautiful Watkins Glen State.
Here is another image from the Eastern Sierra.
But the most satisfying image from my Yosemite visit was made late in day (look above). It seems like I have set my eyes upon Siesta Lake thousands of times over the years. It might be 50 years by now! Stormy weather is good weather for photography, and I am always making trips to the Valley late in the season. Many times the road is scheduled to close at 5PM in anticipation of a coming winter storm. This time I slipped past the closure at Crane Flat a few minutes before five. The cars disappeared from the road, I was completely alone. I ventured into the clouds and fog from the upcoming storm. The car seemed to stop by itself at Siesta Lake, I stepped outside, and was blown away by the quiet, the soft light, and the Autumn colors around the Lake. I KNEW it was a charmed moment for my camera. There were many captures to be done, but as I glanced up and to the west, I was sure this was the best. I will cherish these minutes at Siesta Lake for the rest of my life.
All the best,
Margaret and Vern