Yosemite insiders know that if you walk 3/4 mile along the base of Pothole Dome, you come to a polished granite wonderland where the Tuolumne River exits Tuolumne Meadows. In early summer, an utterly intoxicating mix of sight and sound. Violent cascades here, tranqil swimming holes there. Arrive early morning and have it to yourself. Besides landscapes and dreamy show-shutter prospects, I’m drawn to high-shutter stop action of the beautiful clear water flowing over the fine-grained rock.
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I confess to messing with this image quite a lot, making sure the wild water at left is well defined and bright ,and the stained rock at left has good light and contrast. The centerpiece, where the water is formed into a seemingly permanent curved shape, was harder to manage. I resisted the temptation to add some blue or turquoise to the water, even though the file suggested it was there. So all comments are welcome, including ideas on the tight framing of shots like this.
Hi James, Although this shutterspeed is way higher than anything I would try for a shot like this I really like the frozen splashes you have captured, and the colors of the rocks are just singing in this bright light. I think the composition and framing work really well to present the energy you are barely containing. Well seen and processed.
James, your fast shutter does a great job of showing the details in the fast moving water. The colorful rocks are a good addition. I do wonder about cropping a bit more from the left to remove the misty (somewhat soft) portion.
Many thanks Guy. I have a collection of high shutter images of Mill Creek near my home. Can’t decide if they are special or ordinary! But the colors and light are irresistible as you noted. The naked eye can’t see what’s happening in the fast water. I have another shot of a fountain, high shutter, and to my surprise the water was filled with hundreds of shining bubbles.
Hi James,
Nice vision to spot this little gem. It is very engaging and a bit of a mind bender with me due to all the textures and details in both the water and the granite rock. I agree with @Mark_Seaver on the crop suggestion from the left as it is a little bright and somewhat misty. Beautifully done.
