We were off to a really good start on day one with some fantastic photography.  But day two just got better.

One of the things we did day one was scout a location for this morning’s sunrise shoot.  We selected an imposing view of Mt Whitney from near the base of the mountains.  And, we were hoping for a repeat of the alpinglow we got yesterday.

So this morning we were out the door by 4:30 and heading up the Whitney Portal road.  We got to our location just in time to set up our gear and start snapping away.  The glow was already on the peaks and it was beyond beautiful.

From the first delicate glow till the full first light of the morning sun, we were treated to a progression of one beautiful moment after another.  The grand finale was Mt Whitney bathed in the full light of the morning sun.

 But my favorite remains that first delicate touch of light on the eternal rocks.

Following the Mt Whitney sunrise we drove to the 2nd tallest peak in the Sierra – Mt, Williamson.  We worked on compositions that incorporated the boulders that lay strewn across the talus.  The sun was not yet high enough in the sky to wash away the shadows so Williamson was in its full majesty.

Next stop was the wild flowers of Onion Valley.  Well, the flowers weren’t quite ready for us.  But enough were there to welcome us,  We worked on photographing for the color including some blurs.  Here are a few examples

 and

Tomorrow the lakes up Bishop Creek - Sabrina, North and South in that order.  Then to the bristlecones.  Now this is going to be a long day.  And it’s going to be fantastic.

Day 1 started at 4:00 AM in Lone Pine.  The sunrise destination was the arch in the Alabama Hills.  We were hoping for some good first light on the Sierra crest, especially Mt Whitney and Lone Pine Peak.  What we got was a whole lot more than we hoped for.  We were treated to the most fantastic and beautiful alpinglow I have ever seen.  Long before the sun cast its first rays on the peaks they began to glow.  We were all taken by surprise.  It eventually covered the entire area in its warm softness.  Check it out.

We spent the rest of the morning in the Alabama Hills.  It’s a place where you can really photograph all day, not just during the golden hours.

The arch was in fine form, impressive as ever.

In the afternoon when the thermometer was soring (soaring?) we retreated up to the higher elevations of Whitney Portals.  It was 20 degrees cooler.  The roar from the massive cascade reverberated between the canyon walls.  We worked the falls for several hours. I guess we were not too eager to head back down into the valley.  The cascade is so powerful it was hard to find something gentle but it was there.  Some wonderful warm light tinted the water a soft gold.

We finally headed back down for a (very) late dinner.  Then grab a few hours of sleep before we start all over again tomorrow morning